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TellTale Games introduces something new to the formula of their licensed games while maintaining a lot of what we are used to. However, as with their other properties, like The Walking Dead, while the characters may be familiar, they are forging a completely new story which competes well with the tales of its source.

Play Through Time

2 Hours and 13 minutes

Storyline

After the events of season 1, there seemed to be some modicum of peace. However, then The Riddler, seemingly one of Gotham’s original costumed villain, returns. A bad ass who was so diabolical that even during the Wayne/ Falcone era, he was thought better off to be left alone. As for why he has now returned? It isn’t clear. Though with the state of villains being thugs in cheap suits, it didn’t take him long to make a name for himself and setup shop.

That is where you come in. The Riddler leaves a gift for Batman and Bruce’s being nonchalant about the puzzle leaves you missing a member of your family. Thus leading you to understand TellTale’s new branching mechanism. One in which it seems, based on three major decisions per character, you’ll change how notable characters feel about you. Be it whether they trust you, if your decisions have left them traumatized, or something else.

Making it so, while the first season was about balancing between Bruce and Batman, season 2 will be about figuring out who you want to make your friends and who your enemies. As well as who do you choose to keep closer to the truth?

Question(s) Left Unanswered

Highlights

An Improvement On an Old System

For those who played The Walking Dead, there might have been a question of when a decision really counted. Especially by the time you hit the last episode and it was time to see if a character truly had your back. So with this new system noting how a particular person feels, either about you or in general, it should help you know where you went wrong in case you feel the need to replay.

Ultimatums and Surprises

With friendship and loyalty the apparent theme of the season, I found it interesting how many times we were given unavoidable ultimatums. Especially when choosing between Jim and Amanda Waller. Alongside whether we told the truth, a lie, beat around the bush or were silent. Which, when combined with this new friendship status system, really pushes the idea that dialog decisions do matter and aren’t just TellTale making it so you aren’t given the vibe of playing one long cut scene.

Low Points

Why Do I Need to Click A Button Right Now?

Speaking of “making it so you aren’t given the vibe of playing one long cut scene,” there are times they do this in the most unnecessary way. Often times by just asking you to hit the A button or something of that nature. Which doesn’t help the immersion but more so seem like the game is checking if you are still there? Maybe giving a chance to a distracted player, or one who walked away, to have a slight pause before some action, or important decisions, come up.

On The Fence

You Rewinded Too Far Back

Though the combat remained easy, Riddler’s puzzles, as you are pressed for time, may present the slightest bit of difficulty. I failed both of them once. But, paired with this difficulty is being forced to jump back a minute or two worth of dialog which is quite infuriating.

Overall: Positive (Buy)

If not already a fan of the TellTale formula, this won’t change your mind. However, if you do enjoy their games, the new relationship status feature will seem like a god send. Thus helping a studio which has taken a bit of a step back in making a lot of decisions feel important correcting that problem. Now, if only they would open up worlds a little bit again, let us miss things which could be detrimental, in all of their games, and maybe they could truly make utter masterpieces again.