Batman: The Enemy Within

Wow I forgot how incredibly good this game is. It's another from the telltale series that amazed me with their early episodes of the walking dead. I went back and played this one because I'd just recently watched the new Batman film with the riddler. Now the Riddler is one of my favourite villains from Batman's rogues gallery. Much like the first game the choices you make effect the outcome of certain scenarios within the game. I consider these to be more interactive episodes than a full on video game, which is fine especially if you have a love for the material. So what's good about this game? It has a cinematic look which very few games had at the time whilst following a very compelling narrative. Possibly up there for being one of the best story telling games of all time. I'd even go as far as to saying it is plausible to view it as one of the best Batman related stories of all time. Also I'd imagine Matt Reeve's must've took so influence from this source material. Even though this can continue from the previous game it isn't essential, however much like the first game Batman/Bruce has to solve crimes, form allies and make clear cut decisions which could effect his relationships alongside the outcome. It's a series of five episodes an adaption never seen in the gaming industry for Batman fans before. Now there are a variety of different versions in the mythology of Batman therefore, depending on which is most compelling to you this telling has its strong points. Tory Baker is a great Batman and Bruce although he never gets the recognition of Kevin Conroy. Compared with the first games story I'd say this one probably has more depth without the twist, whereas the first game kept me guessing on who Lady Arkham was. Riddler starts as off fast paced with intriguing puzzles along the way and well thought up mechanical traps. Robin Atkin Downes does a honourable job with Riddler, although I never felt like I could feel sympathy for him or he could be rehabilitated. Catwoman voiced by Laura Bailey however, appears to have compassion for Edward Nigma after getting mixed up with him and uncovering a higher truth of who is really pulling the strings. The modern Riddler is much like saw in the way he believes he is doing righteous work to corrupt people. I must say Laura Bailey's portrayal alongside fantastic character animation is one of my favourite versions of catwoman. Leaving Batman/Bruce unsure which characters to trust you make the decisions on who's cards to hold dearest. Will you choose Amanda Waller or James Gordon? The John Doe joker story kept me patient eagerly awaiting for his true colours to show, even so I don't feel like this is the strongest version of the Joker. Harley Quinn I found really obnoxious compared with previous takes on the character. She seemed less fun and way too serious as well as being more levelheaded than previous takes although I feel that is what they were going for. Not the mentally ill Harley so much. Harley calls a lot of the shots in this game which is okay but can leave you feeling she is the strongest antagonist throughout the majority of it!

'Batman: The Enemy Within (2017)' is the follow-up to Telltale's previous Batman outing. It's a choice-based adventure that follows Batman as he comes up against several new villains and has to contend with an old friend from Arkham Asylum. It's a great narrative, with gripping set-pieces and impactful choices. The thing has several endings and some choices even alter the sequences you play. However, there are several elements that must occur no matter what you do, which can feel somewhat frustrating when their prevention is a big part of the prior gameplay. However, things play out in an incredibly gripping way, so these inconsistencies don't really matter too much. The writing is excellent, as is usual for Telltale, and it's brought to life with fantastic voice-work. The series' unique slant on its lore continues and it seems more confident this time around. Wayne is still as big a part as Batman and you can still decide what kind of Batman you want to be. It's a compelling, entertaining and, often, edge-of-your-seat experience that rises above its basic gameplay - which is mostly comprised of quick-time events. 9/10

After finishing Batman: The Telltale Series, I decided that I had to play the sequel Batman: The Enemy Within. It has taken me a while to get it done but I have now played through all 5 episodes including the final episode twice in order to get the different endings, here is my review for the game. The premise of the game sees after the aftermath of Lady Arkham's attack, a group of new villains attack Gotham with Bruce Wayne & Batman being pushed to his limit.

Characters Troy Baker once again reprises his role as Bruce Wayne/Batman and I really like his performance. We see even more of Bruce this season and the way the game forces Bruce into certain situations allows Baker to show more to his character. I don't think this is a really memorable portrayal but it definitely does the job here and he is effective in the role.

Anthony Ingruber reprises his role as John Doe and he is given way more to do here. His cameo in the first season was a bit jarring but his development this season is fantastic, we all know where the character is heading but the game does a great job of making us question it throughout with two incredibly dynamic endings for the character.

Iconic Batman Villains such as Harley Quinn, Bane & Mr Freeze are introduced here and I liked there portrayal, especially Harley as it adds layers to her character. It is just a shame that they have very few interactions with Batman and their relationships are with Bruce instead.

Characters like Gordon, Selina and Alfred have smaller roles this season and to be honest they just didn't offer as much and they definitely fall foul of how many characters and plot points there are in this game.

Story The story is okay. It definitely is more of a Bruce Wayne story then Batman's but I think it is effective in showing Bruce's story and how he tries to balance everything going on in his life including being Batman. Also John Doe's story is superb and culminates incredibly well no matter what ending you choose to go with. But there is way too many characters and plot points here, they cram all these important characters into this game and they just fizzle out with no real definitive endings for them.

Side Content This game is no where near as Linear as the first game. There are actual branching paths here and different ways to play the game. There is less of a focus on world building because this is a sequel but it does add variety to the gameplay. However, there still isn't much you actually do except for the main narrative which I think is a bit of a missed opportunity here.

Gameplay The gameplay from the first game has been enhanced and made better. You do way more in this game and sometimes it can be a bit tiresome but I am happy to actually be using the controller more here. But there is no getting around the fact that it is just quick time events and is clearly not the focus here.

Style Probably the biggest improvement in the game is that it runs and looks a lot better. This game has way less bugs and glitches in it and has fantastic character designs. It just looks better then the first game and I am glad there was some improvement here.

Overall Overall, Batman: The Enemy Within is an Above Average Game that doesn't show too many improvements on the first game. It would have been interesting to see a third game in the franchise but we have to settle for this okay point and click adventure.

Rating - 6/10.

Telltale has done it again! Batman the enemy within has Batman go up against several new villains in it' own original story! And just like the first one the choices and consequences are very impactful! Choices You made In the first game also have a long lasting impression though out this game! Voice acting is amazing for every character and the writing as definitely improved from the last game! Overall amazing game!

The first thing to note about the Enemy Within is how much it improves on every other telltale game. The Enemy Within presents a multilayered, lengthy plot which is a nice refresher after the short and thin plots presented in A New Frontier and Guardians of the Galaxy. Then there's the choices, and while your decisions won't break the space time continuum, it's safe to say this is the most your choices have mattered since the first season of the Walking Dead. Furthermore, telltale FINALLY goes back to delivering a solid conclusion as the first season of Batman, a New Frontier, and Gurdians of the Galaxy all had very disappointing final episodes that left me unsatisfied. It's even more impressive considering that there is more than one final episode based on your choices, and both finish off the season perfectly despite being completely different.

Of course the main standout of this season is Telltales rendition of the joker, and this unorthodox tale, and his flipped relationships with Harley Quinn, Bruce Wayne and Batman, really steal the whole season and is truly amazing.

That's not to take away from the other plot lines, as I was definitely invested in Commissioner Gordon, Amanda Waller, Tiffany Fox and Alfred's storylines, and the supporting cast are all entertaining too, from the condescending Riddler, to the intimidating Bane, the intelligent Iman Avesta, and Mr Freeze was fun while on screen but was definitely left in the background and should have been brought forward for a scene or two. Each relationship resulted in some crippling moments of tension which is truly the best aspect of this season.

The season definitely has a greater focus on Bruce Wayne rather than Batman, and while it suits the story, and didn't drag on the experience too much, I was left frustrated at the end of episode 4 (definitely the least interesting and forgettable episode) after having not played as Batman the whole episode, and knowing the last time I had a Batman action scene was at the very beginning of episode 2! This is subjective, and while it didn't bother me too much it is something that others should be aware of.

To top it all off, this is the best looking telltale game yet, with the flowing camera movements and brilliantly animated facial expressions, accompanied by the top notch voice acting, makes this definitely my favourite telltale game!