BATMAN: The Telltale Series – Episode One: Realm of Shadows PC Review

This is Gaming Cypher’s PC review (done by Trevor Provencio) of BATMAN: The Telltale Series – Episode One: Realm of Shadows by TellTale Games with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and DC Entertainment.

Batman: The Telltale Series is the first Telltale game I have ever played and as a gamer who has played all the Arkham games and who loves Batman my expectations were very high. Usually the effort you put into games is what you get out of them but with this game it is just a great story; almost like watching an interactive movie. The story starts out with a focus more on Bruce Wayne than Batman which I have always found refreshing as opposed to the constant flow of batman taking on his enemies.

The flow of the game is so simple from picking what to look and picking what to do essentially. It allows you to be inside the mind of the character and what options to take. It is a refreshing form of game having the story take control of the game. Some of my past complaints with RPGs has been a lack of story so this game makes up for it completely. The art was another thing that really took me by surprise. I saw the trailer and I assumed it was cut scenes for the entirety and not the actual gameplay. It is very cool to see a different form of art in games take over. It gives it a Borderlands feel for me.

The personification of batman was spot on from the developers. I think they did the character perfectly and I have been very familiar with all the Batmans over the years from Michael Keaton to Ben Affleck (Ben Affleck being my favorite). The art added to the feeling the game was going for. It was a kind of noir otherworldly feel. The combat scenes were one of the best parts of the games. All of the subtle movements and buttons you use to take out the villains and it is also relatively fast paced. The game doesn’t wait around for you to press buttons you have to be proactive and pay attention or else Gotham will be in trouble.

I loved the use of other characters in the batman world like Catwoman. Her character was a very good personification of Selina Kyle. The development of Bruce Wayne and her relationship throughout the game is one of the highlights of this game. It focuses a lot of Bruce and his development and struggle with being the protector of Gotham as it should with that being one of his major attributes. Is what he is doing right? And does he have the right to do it. This game deserves a 9 out 10 for the story and for the amazing graphics. I highly suggest Batman fans to play it.

Watch the BATMAN: The Telltale Series World Premiere Trailer:

BATMAN: The Telltale Series – Episode One: Realm of Shadows is available on PC from the Telltale Online Store, Steam, and other digital distribution services, on the PlayStation Network for PlayStation 4, and on the Xbox Games Store for Xbox One. The premiere episode will also be available later this week on Mac from the Telltale Online Store, Steam, and other digital distribution services; later this month on the PlayStation Network for PlayStation 3, and on the Xbox Games Store for Xbox 360; and the week of September 13 for compatible iOS devices via the App Store, and for compatible Android-based devices via Google Play and the Amazon Appstore.

The series will be available to purchase at retailers for a MSRP of $29.99 USD or equivelent starting September 13 in North America as a special “Season Pass Disc,” which will include the first of five episodes in the season, and will grant access to the subsequent four episodes as they become available for download via online updates. The series will then be available to purchase at retailers across Europe beginning September 16.