Batman: The Enemy Within

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.

'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

10/10 - DARKER, DEEPER, AND EVEN MORE TWISTED THAN BEFORE.

A

The Sequel That Outshines the Original

If you thought Telltale's first Batman was intense, The Enemy Within dives straight into the dark heart of Gotham's chaos-and doesn't hold back.

This one ratchets up the tension with: New alliances and betrayals A deeper look into Batman's fractured psyche The introduction of The Riddler as a full-on, twisted villain who plays mind games like no other Plus, the Joker returns in a way that will haunt you long after the credits roll

**Story:

Twisted Webs and Mind Games**

The narrative is a masterclass in suspense and moral ambiguity: Who can you trust?

How far will you go to protect Gotham?

What price will you pay to keep your secrets?

Every choice feels heavier, every relationship more complex.

This isn't black and white-it's Gotham's darkest shades of grey.

**Gameplay:

Choice-Driven Chaos**

Classic Telltale mechanics shine: Intense dialogue options that fracture or fix relationships Quick-time events that keep your heart pounding Puzzle-solving with the Batcomputer Action sequences that demand sharp timing and split-second decisions

And the "Joker or John Doe" dynamic forces you to navigate a terrifying duality-which Batman will you become?

**Characters:

Iconic Faces, Twisted New Angles** Bruce Wayne/Batman battles his inner demons harder than ever.

John Doe's transformation into Joker is chilling and unpredictable.

Amanda Waller and the Agency add a new layer of political intrigue.

The Riddler is at his maddest, smartest, and deadliest.

The emotional stakes? Sky-high.

Visuals & Atmosphere

The art style is sharper, darker, and more cinematic: Stark lighting Grim shadows Gotham's streets feeling alive with danger and betrayal The soundtrack is haunting-perfect for Gotham's sinister pulse.

Final Word - 10/10

Batman: The Enemy Within isn't just a game; it's a psychological thriller, a dark drama, and a morality test rolled into one.

It challenges what you thought you knew about Batman-and asks how far you're willing to go for justice.

It's gritty, it's emotional, and it will keep you hooked till the bitter, brutal end.

10/10.

The Dark Knight's saga just got darker-and better.

Batman the enemy within is probably the best Batman game of all time. I've played every other Batman game but I'll never forget this one The story, the voice acting, the graphics improvement, the villains, The different possible answers all of which contribute to the amazing story. It's a shame that this game doesn't get what it deserves So underrated yet so perfect. The vocal performances are all exceptional. Troy Baker's more haunted take on Batman and Bruce Wayne fits the tone of this series perfectly. Anthony Ingruber delivers my favorite work as the increasingly going off the deep end John. Laura Post establishes a fitting fresh take on Harley Quinn while Matthew Mercer's Mister Freeze finds just the right amount of icy detachment.

Batman: The Enemy Within continues establishing a darker, more consequence filled take on Batman. The final act makes the extended build up worth it.

Perfection.

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!