For me the key episode of any Telltale episodic series is the middle one for simple reasons. It should allow the player to pause and take stock of decisions made, especially major story choices, and to see how the story is beginning to wrap itself according to them. With Batman: The Telltale Series in full swing, so much has already happened to Bruce Wayne and his crusade to protect Gotham as Batman and Episode 3 ‘New World Order’ could potentially see Bruce facing attacks on multiple sides following on from the dramatic ending to Episode 2 ‘Children of Arkham’
*WARNING Possible Episode 2 and 3 Spoilers ahead*
The end to ‘Children of Arkham’ saw the brazen attack led by Penguin on the live television Mayoral debate featuring Mayor Hill and Harvey Dent which saw Penguin murder Mayor Hill on camera and a battle between Batman and the Children of Arkham thugs, the player was left with the choice to either save Harvey Dent or come to the rescue of Selina Kyle as Catwoman. Now I made the choice to save Harvey, something only 33% of players also chose to do believing that Selina was fully capable of handling herself.
Episode 3 opens by showing all the player choices made in a nice little highlight reel from previous episodes serving as a nice reminder to the player of where their choices have left Bruce Wayne and Batman in the story. Bruce is still reeling from seemingly unavoidable truth that his father Thomas Wayne was corrupt and in league with the criminal element of Gotham forcing Bruce to question his mission as Batman as well as dealing with the fallout of his family’s legacy being torn down. Player choice has been a very strong narrative in this series and New World Order and this episode opens with more player choices depending on who the player picked to save.
Having elected to save Harvey, my episode began with Bruce visiting Harvey in hospital, now Mayor of Gotham. One of the aspects to this Telltale adaptation of Batman has been the little details in dialogue options that can lead to the famous “he/she will remember that’ game response. Harvey is now very mentally shaken, pushed to his breaking point with the attack at the debate and learning that he is fighting with his own demons, serving as a delicious tease for what the audience knows will eventually happen to Harvey turning into Two Face. But the exchanges in episode 3 beautifully have Harvey’s struggle running parallel with Bruce’s own issues dealing with what is being revealed about his family. Of course with Bruce becoming ever closer with Selina, someone who Harvey believes he is in a relationship with, there is a very fine line the player has to walk as Bruce in trying to protect Harvey who is clearly already very close to breaking point in this episode.
But for me as a Batman fan, it is how Bruce Wayne is dealing with his world both as a Wayne trying to protect his family name and as Batman trying to protect Gotham with methods bringing him perilously close to losing the only allies he has that have driven this story so far. This episode will see some consequences to choices made both in character relationships and as the bigger narrative begin to take shape and none of them are leaving Bruce in a good place as either persona. The Children of Arkham are becoming more dangerous and more dominant in Gotham. As Batman, the player will get a nice opportunity to investigate using the detective mode and some fun fight sequences and I was happy to see that the QTE has been refined making it feel less clumsy trying to follow the on screen prompts than in previous episodes.
The pace has certainly quickened now in the story telling with key characters taking centre stage as Bruce’s world begins to fall around him. I am enjoying the progress of Harvey Dent’s descent into a possible Two Face as the constant attacks from the Children of Arkham along with some player choices begin to push his mind to breaking point. This has been handled very delicately in the story in the three episodes, it never feels rushed and each step in Harvey’s fall is natural and having the player having to take some responsibility in this, in particular a very important scene in episode 3, will place some of the guilt on what the player and possibly make them rethink some of those choices.
New World Order certainly felt like a middle chapter in the story but the pacing keeps the momentum flowing nicely in the story telling. Player choices really start to show results now as both Bruce Wayne and Batman’s worlds begin to feel the strain and in particular for Bruce, as what happens to him has a knock on effect on Batman as well. Voice acting is spot on once again with some really fun character interactions that blend with the set pieces to deliver a very refreshing Batman story. Telltale really has worked on the fine details to give a rich experience which for me so far has not dipped over the three episodes as other Telltale episodic series can. It is gripping continues to leave me wanting more whilst looking forward to the next episode.
Batman: The Telltale Series did have me worried not only as a fan of DC Comics and Batman but of Telltale games. I was not confident in how they could adapt Batman into their episodic model but they have managed to make this a story not just about being Batman but in making the player experience what it would be like to be Bruce Wayne, making decisions that effect the public persona of Bruce that he puts on to hide his secret and in Batman and how his actions to protect Gotham are seen by the people and by the GCPD.
Episode 3 keeps the player firmly in the middle of all the action and puts more pressure on critical player choices that shape the story with some surprises and nice big moments that will keep players interest peeked as they unfold. New World Order delivered a great middle chapter for this series and gives all the sense that the best is yet to come!
