Welcome to the Uproxx DLC Report, where we give you the lowdown on the latest additions to your favorite games. We’ll break down what the DLC includes, if it’s fun, and whether it changes the opinion we rendered in our original review of the game.
Batman: The Telltale Series got off to a solid start back in August, but it wasn’t quite the knockout blow many were expecting. The game featured some decent, albeit minor, additions to the Telltale formula, but the game’s story mostly played it safe, not really taking advantage of the opportunity to create a new Gotham City or offering any truly heartrending decisions. Six weeks later, the second episode arrives, but should fans stay tuned to Telltale’s Bat-channel?
Warning: The following review contains major spoilers for first episode of Batman: The Telltale Series.
Batman: The Telltale Series – Episode 2 “Children of Arkham” (PC, Xbox One & PS4)
What’s Been Added
A new chapter in Telltale’s M-rated Batman tale, which runs around 90 minutes long.
What You Pay
$5 for the individual episode, or $25 for the full five-episode season.
Is Batman: The Telltale Series – Episode 2 Fun?
Batman: The Telltale Series makes big, bold strides on the story front with this update. At the end of the last episode, it was teased Bruce Wayne’s parents had been immersed in various shady dealings before their murder, which is something Batman comics have flirted with before, but never pulled the trigger on. Well, it seems like Telltale may be going all the way with it.
In one of Episode 2‘s more effective moments, Bruce Wayne revisits his memories of his parents’ fatal shooting, and discovers it wasn’t a random act of violence, but a planned assassination. Apparently Thomas Wayne was buddies with crime boss Carmine Falcone, and used his medical credentials to get people wrongfully committed to Arkham Asylum. This builds on one of the most promising story elements hinted at in Episode 1, namely that Arkham Asylum and Gotham’s shabby treatment of the mentally ill are at the heart of Gotham’s “curse.” Of course, Telltale may still backtrack on Thomas Wayne being a sleazebag, but I hope they don’t. Bruce Wayne having to overcome his father’s complicated legacy is a potentially interesting story I want to see told.
Oh, and don’t worry, Episode 2 isn’t all doom and gloom. When Bruce isn’t having his childhood illusions shattered, him and Catwoman are flirting up a storm and combining forces to pummel a bar full of thugs. They also take on a vicious reimagined Penguin and a deadly new group called the Children of Arkham in a particularly exciting action scene. So yeah, story-wise Batman: The Telltale Series‘ second episode is both more impactful and more fun than its predecessor.
Unfortunately the improved storytelling comes at the cost of gameplay. Telltale’s first Batman episode featured some surprisingly challenging detective work, and a fun sequence where you had to plan, step-by-step, how to tackle an enemy stronghold. There’s much less of that this time around – any detective work is of the insultingly simple “push X on the obvious marker” variety, and the battle planning has been significantly dumbed down. There are more instant-kill quicktime events, though, so expect to see the Game Over screen frequently.
Does It Change Our Verdict?
After playing through Batman: The Telltale Series – Episode 2, I’m now much more confident about where this tale is going. I’m interested to see how, or if, the Wayne Family will be vindicated, and excited for further showdowns with the Penguin and Children of Arkham. I also can’t help but wonder if my constant buttering up of Selina Kyle is going to result in some spandex sexy times. One can only hope.
This episode wasn’t perfect, but if Telltale can combine the deeper, somewhat challenging gameplay of Episode 1, with the more daring storytelling of Episode 2, this could shape up to be their best effort to date. I’m not going to declare Batman: The Telltale Series a must-have just yet, but we now know Telltale has both the guts and tools to do right by The Dark Knight.