The penultimate episode of any Telltale Games series is always a tricky one as it has many hats to juggle at the same time. Shaping my own Batman story and universe has been personally thrilling as both a fan of Telltale games and of DC Comics and so far each of my player choices have been very rewarding since the first season and now in The Enemy Within. There is a lot that has to happen in this episode but the trailer alone has now hinted at perhaps the biggest event for fans yet in and it has taken two seasons to get here, will this be the episode where Mr J finally makes his entrance?

*Spoiler Warning: Results of previous player made up to this episode will be discussed and mentioned in this review*

Episode 4 ‘What Ails You” certainly feels like the quickest paced episode so far in this second season and in a way I was not fully expecting. I left the last episode with Bruce Wayne doing his best “Same Bat-time, same Bat-Channel” cliff-hanger ending after making the decision to sacrifice his criminal cover story to protect Catwoman from the wrath of Harley Quinn and the other villains forming The Pact. With Bruce stuff into one of Mr Freeze’s cryo pods, the race is on to find a way to escape and catch up with The Pact before they manage to still the deadly LOTUS virus and wreak havoc upon Gotham.

One of the aspects to this season alone that has really been fun is getting to have the excitement of putting the Batsuit on and doing my Batman thing and it is all thanks to the amount of story time given to Bruce Wayne. There is still a legitimate buzz to finally putting on the suit and racing off to kick some butt that after nine episodes in total of the Batman Telltale Series has never gotten stale. The balance in story has always been the strength of this series for me because the focus is always on the man behind both Batman and Bruce Wayne, so getting to see him be both is fun but it keeps the attention on being Batman something special and it is something that still works well.

Now with all player choices there is a consequence and this series is very quick to show you the downside of your choices and here, because I chose to save Catwoman it meant that instead of Bruce going with The Pact to get the LOTUS Virus and having the opportunity to perhaps prevent them killing people, as Batman I arrive to see nothing but carnage and death before me. To really hammer it home we get to have Amanda Waller blasting Bat’s for making the wrong choice and blaming every death on the decision made to save Selina instead of keeping his cover intact. At first I was unsure how this story point would develop with Amanda using Bruce’s secret life as Batman as leverage to force him to do her bidding but now with the story approaching the end, it is one that has worked really well especially now her own closest ally is starting to second guess her intentions and motivations allowing for Bruce to gain an ally within the Agency and perhaps turn the tables on Waller at some point. It has been a slow and gradual constant presence in the story but never felt heavy handed or over used as a plot-line and keeps very much in character with Amanda Waller from the comics that fans will recognise.

Now what did take me a little by surprise is just how quickly The Pact story is almost wrapped up in this episode with a fun action QTE battle to take on Bane and Mr Freeze as Bats tries to prevent them obtaining the LOTUS virus which results in Bane and Freeze captured and Bane out for the count but Harley manages to get away with one vial of the virus. This does lead to a very interesting moment between Batman and Freeze which is rather candid depending on the player’s knowledge of both characters. In the comics there is a mutual respect of sorts between them as scientists and here the opportunity to forge that respect was very much appreciated. Freeze now infected with the virus is held in the air lock but with the temperature set too high for his ice powers to help him survive the virus. Having the choice to either show compassion but also to show Freeze that Batman is a man of his word by making a deal for Freeze to reveal Harley’s location in return for turning the temp down which then turns into a player choice to make good on the promise is a real fanboy moment for me as a fan of the Batverse.

There is a sudden shift though in the tone which has been hinted at but was still a surprise to actually it take over from the main plot focus of this season as the move to introduce The Joker comes front and centre. Now this has been the slowest build to any big character so far with his subtle introduction all the way back in season one as John Doe, the mysterious patient at Arkham Asylum who befriends Bruce Wayne. Since then quite a lot of player choice has gone into shaping this relationship between him and Bruce, especially here in The Enemy Within as Bruce needs a relationship with him to gain trust and entry to The Pact. This has involved giving him advice on how to best woo his love Harley to keeping him friendly in order to further the investigation but now we are starting to see his new stronger personality take shape. The final act here will see all the choices made come together as John Doe starts to take the personality that we know will become Batman’s greatest adversary and it is one that is handled so brilliantly that whilst you know its coming, playing through it is exhilarating as your choices as the player will shape the kind of Joker Batman will meet.

This is a really strong episode to lead into the finale with as it so brilliantly begins to bring together all the story threads neatly together making the player know exactly where they are in the story by the time the episode closes. Building up to a huge finale episode with so much at stake and with the birth of The Joker has real potential to take this to a third season and so far for me, has yet to drop the ball in terms or experience or story telling. I do keep ending episodes more and more impressed with how Telltale are handing this particular license after falling rather flat with Guardians of the Galaxy and a Walking Dead saga very much running thin on ideas and impact for me. I feel that my choices have truly shaped the characters and world around Bruce Wayne and that those choices will now put my Batman in a very different situation. For a short episode of just two hours in length, it manages to do a lot to move the story forward and position characters where they need to be.

Now its just hoping that the finale lives up to this amazing build up and to have the pay off of a thrilling end to this story.

When Street Fighter V originally released in the spring of 2016 it quite literally broke my heart as a fan of the series and of fighting games. It was an incomplete, half arsed insult to the series that had been pushed to market way before it was ready and long before it should have done. It had a new business model that alienated an entire platform in Xbox but also drip fed original characters back to the roster as DLC and just overall was the low point in the series from someone who happily spent their lunch money just to have a go on the Street Fighter II arcade near my school. Now almost two years later and we have the Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition, an almost GOTY version that brings new balance changes and presentation style but also adds a whole bunch of new features which for many should have been in the original release. Has Street Fighter V finally achieved the greatness it promised to have?

I have been keeping an eagle eye on all things to do with this Arcade Edition for months now with the hope and expectations that finally, Street Fighter V could reclaim some dignity for the series. To be clear, I was not just heart broken with how it originally launched but I was absolutely pissed off with how it did. This past year has see a jump in the number of fighting games available with Injustice 2, Capcom Vs Marvel (which you should really avoid) and this week alone will see the release of Dragon Ball FighterZ. I am pleased to say that lessons have very much been learned with Street Fighter V, and for this Arcade Edition they have not only focused on improving the gameplay from the feedback of players but there is a clear and evident  reflection on the changes in the Fighting game genre. Finally the team behind Street Fighter V are showing true shelf awareness of the genre and have looked to part SFV a part of the genre instead of the arrogance of believing having Street Fighter in the title is enough.

The best way to look at this is to quickly highlight exactly what the Arcade Edition brings to the SFV mix:

• Arcade Mode
• Second V-Triggers for all characters
• Team Battle Mode
• Extra Battle Mode
• Special Challenges

Now for me the addition of a genuine Arcade Mode is huge for SFV considering it launched without one. The pitiful amount of offline modes at the start was something that really bothered me so to finally see it return and in such a well thought out way is a great thing. Arcade mode includes six different story paths with each representing a Street Fighter series throughout the years such as the original Street Fighter game but also Street Fighter II, Street Fighter Alpha, Street Fighter III, Street Fighter IV and finally Street Fighter V. Each path includes those from the SFV roster which are faithful to that game in the series or best representative of it and features recreated stages as well as remixed backing tracks for each stage. This is just huge fun and was something the original was very much lacking but it just makes so much sense to include as a fighting game without an arcade mode is just wrong…very very wrong.

One of the more natural additions has to be the new Battle Mode which allows players to put together a team of up to five characters to tackle other player team in either elimination or a Best of series of matches that can be further customised in the settings to edit how health is recovered for example. So many games now use the team battle style that by adding it into the mix here it just adds another arrow to the quiver for what experience SFV can finally offer fans and players. The extra battle mode now provides special limited time based challenges but will give out special rewards for completion such as unique costumes, Fight Money and experience points. These are logical additions and just by adding them to the game does show the awareness SFV originally lacked about what natural expectations fans had for this game.

Gameplay has also been looked at with performance enhancements for everyone on the roster based on player feedback since release. The training system has been further improved now to include frame data for learning the pros and cons of moves and combinations of moves and is a great starting point to get familiar with the controls for each fighter. SFV added the V Trigger system to the series and now Arcade Edition gives every member of the roster a second V Trigger option to help players customise how they play and adds a nice twist to fights depending on which is selected and then how it is implemented in the fighting. For me this has made certain characters that I did not originally get on with more open and inviting to use and it does feel like a Street Fighter game that wants me to tuck in and try it all out.

There is just a real sense of finally getting it right with this version of SFV, and it is a gratifying feeling to have. For those who own the original SFV then the Arcade Edition will be a free upgrade to it, bringing it up to date with all the new modes, features and improvements. If you purchase the Arcade Edition it then you will also get access to all the fighters from the Fighter Seasons 1 and 2 giving you the most up to date roster possible as Fighter Season 3 kicks off in 2018. Now sadly, if you are simply upgrading the original game to Arcade Edition that the free update does not include the Season packs which can still be purchased as DLC or individual fighters can be bought using the in game Fight Money currency. By allowing original owners to upgrade for free instead of the previous standard method of just releasing a new version of the SF game in question, it continues to keep the playerbase engaged and inclusive. Another lesson learned by the good folks at CAPCOM.

I am therefore really happy to be able to say that finally Street Fighter V is a must have title for fans of the series at last thanks to the Arcade Edition. The improvements and balance updates are most welcome and the new presentation style has brought it kicking and screaming in line with more recent fighting games. The roster is massive and new secondary V Triggers adds a welcome spin to each fighter and extra choice is always a good thing to have. But more than anything else, Street Fighter V is finally fun for me to play now I can sink my teeth into the arcade mode to help fine tune my use and knowledge of the fighters plus it is just a nice bit of nostalgic fun the original version was sorely lacking.

With so many fighting games now out there, this is the best time to really get involved in them and up till this point, Street Fighter V would be the least likely to get a recommendation from me but with Arcade Edition righting so many wrongs and adding so much to the original game, it really is a fun fighting game and just puts Street Fighter back on track as a series after losing its way due to crazy decisions made the higher ups which just now feels as though common sense thinking has thankfully returned to the planning of this series going forward. I am really enjoying my time with this game and whilst the online side is still very much a place for the hardcore over the casual player, it has so many features now to give a much more complete experience that it is a shame it took nearly two years to get it!

It has taken me a while to finally sit down to play the finale to Life is Strange: Before the Storm thanks a long Christmas break. Episode 3 ‘Into Hell’ has quite a lot to do to wrap up all the story-lines for this prequel mini series and going into it, I was not sure if it could succeed in doing so. Up to now this has been a series that has failed to fully grab me as the original Life is Strange so effortlessly did, but with a dramatic ending to Episode 2, there is a lot still left for Chloe and Rachel to battle through.

*Warning: Results of choices in previous episodes will be naturally discussed during review*

To say that the relationship between Chloe and Rachel has been an intense one so far is a major understatement with so many big emotions influencing player choices. One was the choice to have Chloe and Rachel run away after both their situations becoming as they saw it untenable. For Chloe, being expelled from Blackwell Academy and the further intrusion of David into her home life with her mother, pushing her to the limit whilst at the same time Rachel is full of rage with the belief that her father is having an affair leading to a confrontation that would change everything for both her and Chloe. Episode 3 continues right where episode 2 had left off, with Rachel and Chloe learning the truth about the mysterious woman they believed was having an affair with her dad and that she was actually her birth mother, someone who her father was trying to protect her from due to her drug addiction but she had returned to make contact with Rachel which her father did not want to happen.

Episode 3 is the big emotional hitting chapter of this mini series which manages to bring all the themes for both Chloe and Rachel together but suffers yet again from a pace to cram the story into just three episodes meaning the focus still remains on Rachel, whilst what Chloe is going through, is pushed to the side far too often for my taste. That said, the main themes of devotion, love, pain and sacrifice are used really well to start the process of setting the scene for events in the first Life is Strange game. For a relationship that is only really a few days old in this story, the pressure on Chloe is massive as she is still dealing with the loss of her father, the chaotic mess her life is currently in all compounded by her feelings for Rachel which are raw and driving all her decisions good or bad. Her devotion to keeping Rachel safe does force her to put her own issues aside as she tries to support Rachel who we already know, has a tendency to burn things down when her temper gets the best of her emotions.

The writing and voice acting performance of the cast again also stood out in this episode with so much asked of Chloe from both Rachel and her father. The father actively asks Chloe to dissuade Rachel from reaching out to her mother only for Rachel to both need and ask Chloe to find her mother so they can make contact. This more than anything else in Before the Storm really shows Chloe at her best as she is willing to go to any length to help Rachel which leads to the discovery of some horrible truths about just how far her Father was and is willing to go to protect her. Through this Chloe herself begins to look into her own life and is able to reconnect to her own mother and begin the process of separating her grief for her father and what must do to help her mum start to move on. But it also brings out the rebellious side which know Chloe to have in the first game and in dealing with the harshest of situations throughout Before the Storm, she is taking ownership of who she really is.

But some of the issues I have had with the previous episodes do return here such as the pacing which at times can move so fast that it feels in a hurry to bring together all the characters met along the way back into Chloe’s path to have a form of closure to end the game on. This means the “Chat back” mini game makes a return and feels just as out of place now in the finale as it did in the first episode. I still feel that the limitations of only being made up of three episodes has meant that this finale episode has to fit in so many aspects in order to tie it off as well as set everything in position for the original Life is Strange Story. It is also hard to get your head around that this is literally just a handful of days in the relationship for Chloe and Rachel, but with all that has happened and included the most important player decision in this mini series at the end, it goes a long way to show just why Rachel’s disappearance in Life is Strange is so impactful on Chloe.

Which is why ultimately for me, Before the Storm ended up being rather underwhelming. Whilst the story of how Chloe and Rachel came to be together was indeed interesting, this prequel story still leaves so many questions left unanswered for me as a fan of the first game. We know from the original game that Rachel ended up having certain connections with other characters that Chloe herself did not know about but is never hinted at or addressed here. Other than a short mid credit cutscene which gives a shocking glimpse into what happens to Rachel, this story leaves a big gap in the events of Before the Storm and how Chloe is when Max returns to her life in Life is Strange.

Though I did not feel as connected or immersed in this story as I was with the original Life is Strange story, episode 3 does complete this prequel tale well enough to give the mini series some purpose. There are some missteps throughout the three episodes and the attempts to recreate some of the energy and special moments of the original game can fall flat and the least said about the chat back skill and graffiti the better, but we do get to see where the feisty and rebellious Chloe began and playing this after playing the original does enhance both stories to a degree even though I would have preferred to see events lead more into those of the first Life is Strange.

If you have purchased the Deluxe version of Before the Storm then there is one final bonus episode to go which will focus on Chloe and Max as children which could be a nice little emotional tale for fans. Though this prequel never quite lived up to the impact of the first game, it is certainly a story worth experiencing for fans of Life is Strange.