Overall: 7.75/10

Story:

Telltale’s Batman is an episodic narrative-driven interactive adventure game that delivers a fresh take on the Dark Knight’s narrative, focusing more on Bruce Wayne’s internal struggles and less on his alter ego's crime-fighting. The story does a very good job in its portrayal of moral dilemmas, using Telltale's signature choice-based system to give you control over key decisions that impact both Bruce’s relationships and his role as Batman. The reimagining of familiar characters, particularly Harvey Dent and Alfred, adds emotional depth, while lesser-known villains like Lady Arkham and a unique portrayal of the Joker offer a refreshing twist on Gotham's usual rogues. The story’s exploration of identity, trust, and legacy gives the game a mature, psychological edge that stands out from other Batman adaptations, offering a more personal and grounded twist on the typical Batman narrative.
However, the story’s pacing can be uneven. While the narrative is compelling, some of the dialogue-heavy moments slow the game down, and not all player choices feel impactful. Additionally, while I personally didn't mind, the heavy Bruce Wayne over Batman narrative may also disappoint anyone seeking more action-oriented storytelling. Despite these drawbacks, This Batman experience offers a gripping, character-driven narrative that balances familiar tropes with bold new twists, making it a worthwhile experience for both fans of narrative-focused games and the Batman mythos.

Gameplay:

The gameplay in this game sticks closely to the studio’s narrative-driven formula, offering a gameplay experience centered around choice-based dialogue, quick-time events (QTEs), and point-and-click exploration. One of its most identifiable features is the decision-making mechanic in dialogue, which forces you into morally ambiguous choices that can feel especially weighty when playing as Bruce Wayne. The combat, while mainly QTE-driven, is well-executed and makes you feel involved in Batman’s battles, though it may feel very simplified for those expecting more intricate controls or not familiar with Telltale's usual combat. The introduction of detective segments adds a welcome layer of interactivity, allowing you to explore crime scenes and connect clues, making you feel more like the World's Greatest Detective.
However, the detective mechanics and combat, though engaging and very true-to-form, feel somewhat shallow and could have benefited from deeper, more complex systems to fully embrace the potential of Batman’s character.

World:

The world and level design here effectively captures the dark, gritty atmosphere of Gotham City, with a comic-book-inspired art style that enhances the game’s noir aesthetic. Key locations like Wayne Manor, the Batcave, and crime-ridden streets are visually distinct, supporting the narrative’s tone. The game uses environmental storytelling to immerse you, especially in detective sequences where Batman must piece together clues in serviceably-crafted crime scenes. Nonetheless, the game’s level design is highly linear per the Telltale standard, offering little room for exploration or interaction beyond story progression. While this restricted design keeps the pacing tight and focused on narrative impact, it can feel limiting for people who expect more freedom in navigating Gotham's iconic locations. The lack of interactivity makes some environments feel static, sadly missing the potential to further immerse you in the world. Despite this, the design choices do complement the story-driven experience more than they subtract, keeping the focus on Batman's character and his dual life as Bruce Wayne.

Visuals:

Telltale's Batman maintains the studio's signature cel-shaded aesthetic, delivering a polished and visually appealing experience. The game’s environments and character models are well-rendered, and the overall presentation is clean and cohesive. Despite this, while it does retain the comic book-inspired look, the visual style feels more grounded and less stylized compared to Telltale’s previous titles like The Walking Dead and The Wolf Among Us. Those games embraced a more pronounced, exaggerated comic book vibe, which I personally found more fitting and immersive. In contrast, Telltale's Batman feels like it holds back, missing some of that bold artistic flair that made the others so memorable. Though it still looks very good, it doesn't quite capture the same essence of the classic Telltale graphic novel vibe, which is unfortunate due to Batman's comic roots.

Music/Sound Design:

The music and sound design effectively establish the dark, brooding tone of Gotham, though the soundtrack itself, while fitting, isn't as memorable as other Batman adaptations. It builds tension during action scenes but mostly stays in the background, never fully taking the spotlight. However, the sound effects add significant weight to the game, from the swish of Batman’s cape to the impactful sounds of combat, while the ambient noises of Gotham’s rooftops and alleys further enhance the city's atmosphere. The standout aspect is the voice acting, with strong performances from side characters and Bruce Wayne alike, captivatingly capturing his internal struggles and Batman’s imposing presence, making up for moments when the script is less nuanced. Ultimately, while the music may not leave a lasting impression, the overall sound design plays a crucial role in supporting the game’s gritty, cinematic feel.

TL;DR:

Telltale's Batman is an episodic story-driven interactive adventure game that delivers a fresh narrative experience, focusing on Bruce Wayne's internal struggles and moral dilemmas more than his crime-fighting alter ego. The story excels with its bold reimagining of familiar characters like Harvey Dent and Alfred, while effectively introducing lesser-known villains such as Lady Arkham. Despite small moments of what some may consider uneven pacing and a Bruce-heavy narrative that may leave action-focused fans wanting more, the story’s mature exploration of identity and trust is compelling. The gameplay sticks to Telltale’s usual formula of dialogue choices and QTEs, while also adding minor detective sequences. However, while they do the job they're supposed to and fit well enough, they could use more depth. The combat is simplified, yet engaging, and detective mechanics, while true to Batman’s role, could have benefited from more complexity. Visually, the game looks appealing and uses Telltale’s signature cel-shaded style to create a grounded, noir-inspired Gotham, though it lacks the boldness of the comic book flair seen in their earlier games. The sound design adds weight to the atmosphere, with excellent voice acting, and the music remains does a serviceable job, but it's not outstandingly memorable.
All-in-all, despite its limitations, this game offers a gripping, character-driven narrative that balances familiarity with fresh twists, making it a solid recommendation for Batman fans and narrative adventure enthusiasts alike!

Overall: 7.75/10 Story: Telltale’s Batman is an episodic narrative-driven interactive adventure game that delivers a fresh take on the Dark Knight’s narrative, focusing more on Bruce Wayne’s internal struggles and less on his alter ego's crime-fighting. The story does a very good job in its portrayal of moral dilemmas, using Telltale's signature choice-based system to give you control over key decisions that impact both Bruce’s relationships and his role as Batman. The reimagining of familiar characters, particularly Harvey Dent and Alfred, adds emotional depth, while lesser-known villains like Lady Arkham and a unique portrayal of the Joker offer a refreshing twist on Gotham's usual rogues. The story’s exploration of identity, trust, and legacy gives the game a mature, psychological edge that stands out from other Batman adaptations, offering a more personal and grounded twist on the typical Batman narrative. However, the story’s pacing can be uneven. While the narrative is compelling, some of the dialogue-heavy moments slow the game down, and not all player choices feel impactful. Additionally, while I personally didn't mind, the heavy Bruce Wayne over Batman narrative may also disappoint anyone seeking more action-oriented storytelling. Despite these drawbacks, This Batman experience offers a gripping, character-driven narrative that balances familiar tropes with bold new twists, making it a worthwhile experience for both fans of narrative-focused games and the Batman mythos. Gameplay: The gameplay in this game sticks closely to the studio’s narrative-driven formula, offering a gameplay experience centered around choice-based dialogue, quick-time events (QTEs), and point-and-click exploration. One of its most identifiable features is the decision-making mechanic in dialogue, which forces you into morally ambiguous choices that can feel especially weighty when playing as Bruce Wayne. The combat, while mainly QTE-driven, is well-executed and makes you feel involved in Batman’s battles, though it may feel very simplified for those expecting more intricate controls or not familiar with Telltale's usual combat. The introduction of detective segments adds a welcome layer of interactivity, allowing you to explore crime scenes and connect clues, making you feel more like the World's Greatest Detective. However, the detective mechanics and combat, though engaging and very true-to-form, feel somewhat shallow and could have benefited from deeper, more complex systems to fully embrace the potential of Batman’s character. World: The world and level design here effectively captures the dark, gritty atmosphere of Gotham City, with a comic-book-inspired art style that enhances the game’s noir aesthetic. Key locations like Wayne Manor, the Batcave, and crime-ridden streets are visually distinct, supporting the narrative’s tone. The game uses environmental storytelling to immerse you, especially in detective sequences where Batman must piece together clues in serviceably-crafted crime scenes. Nonetheless, the game’s level design is highly linear per the Telltale standard, offering little room for exploration or interaction beyond story progression. While this restricted design keeps the pacing tight and focused on narrative impact, it can feel limiting for people who expect more freedom in navigating Gotham's iconic locations. The lack of interactivity makes some environments feel static, sadly missing the potential to further immerse you in the world. Despite this, the design choices do complement the story-driven experience more than they subtract, keeping the focus on Batman's character and his dual life as Bruce Wayne. Visuals: Telltale's Batman maintains the studio's signature cel-shaded aesthetic, delivering a polished and visually appealing experience. The game’s environments and character models are well-rendered, and the overall presentation is clean and cohesive. Despite this, while it does retain the comic book-inspired look, the visual style feels more grounded and less stylized compared to Telltale’s previous titles like The Walking Dead and The Wolf Among Us. Those games embraced a more pronounced, exaggerated comic book vibe, which I personally found more fitting and immersive. In contrast, Telltale's Batman feels like it holds back, missing some of that bold artistic flair that made the others so memorable. Though it still looks very good, it doesn't quite capture the same essence of the classic Telltale graphic novel vibe, which is unfortunate due to Batman's comic roots. Music/Sound Design: The music and sound design effectively establish the dark, brooding tone of Gotham, though the soundtrack itself, while fitting, isn't as memorable as other Batman adaptations. It builds tension during action scenes but mostly stays in the background, never fully taking the spotlight. However, the sound effects add significant weight to the game, from the swish of Batman’s cape to the impactful sounds of combat, while the ambient noises of Gotham’s rooftops and alleys further enhance the city's atmosphere. The standout aspect is the voice acting, with strong performances from side characters and Bruce Wayne alike, captivatingly capturing his internal struggles and Batman’s imposing presence, making up for moments when the script is less nuanced. Ultimately, while the music may not leave a lasting impression, the overall sound design plays a crucial role in supporting the game’s gritty, cinematic feel. TL;DR: Telltale's Batman is an episodic story-driven interactive adventure game that delivers a fresh narrative experience, focusing on Bruce Wayne's internal struggles and moral dilemmas more than his crime-fighting alter ego. The story excels with its bold reimagining of familiar characters like Harvey Dent and Alfred, while effectively introducing lesser-known villains such as Lady Arkham. Despite small moments of what some may consider uneven pacing and a Bruce-heavy narrative that may leave action-focused fans wanting more, the story’s mature exploration of identity and trust is compelling. The gameplay sticks to Telltale’s usual formula of dialogue choices and QTEs, while also adding minor detective sequences. However, while they do the job they're supposed to and fit well enough, they could use more depth. The combat is simplified, yet engaging, and detective mechanics, while true to Batman’s role, could have benefited from more complexity. Visually, the game looks appealing and uses Telltale’s signature cel-shaded style to create a grounded, noir-inspired Gotham, though it lacks the boldness of the comic book flair seen in their earlier games. The sound design adds weight to the atmosphere, with excellent voice acting, and the music remains does a serviceable job, but it's not outstandingly memorable. All-in-all, despite its limitations, this game offers a gripping, character-driven narrative that balances familiarity with fresh twists, making it a solid recommendation for Batman fans and narrative adventure enthusiasts alike!