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Batman S2 E5: My thoughts

AChickenAChicken
in Batman - The Telltale Series

Well, the season is over. I'm sure many would say that it's Telltale's best work yet (both for the finale and the whole season itself). There's two episodes here to review so here I go.
Batman TEW Episode V.

V for Vigilante
  • So, fighting the Agency isn't something I wanted to do. I would rather be their ally, but I guess in this instance it's a "if you're not with us, you're against us" mantra. I want to put John away, since what he's done needs to be looked at, but the Agency doesn't seem to like that option.
  • I love John's extravagant performance of vigilantism. (But he needs to know it's not an act and a real moral thing.)
  • I like how you can still be disapproving of his actions at the start. Makes Batman's sudden and seemingly full trust in protecting John more bearable and not as intrusive.
  • FRANK IS BACK MY BOY
  • --The audio/music during the initial fight scene isn't mixed properly. This is one of those times where the music is too loud, and the sfx are way too low. The music doesn't really fit for a choreographed fight scene.
  • I do love this Bane fight though! This is the true Bane!
  • --Not a fan of patching up Bruce in the alley. That just seems overly dangerous to Bruce's secret identity.
  • John and Alfred's background dialogue is fun. I like little hidden touches like that.
  • John mentions Al's Eyepatch! Ha! Pirate cosplay!
  • There's a lot of interesting choices in Waller's scene. Blackmail her? Protect Avesta? Selina? Ensure that the Suicide Squad gets locked up? And you can only do one of these here... This was a tense scene for sure, and with that Sell out John choice... :#
  • --Again, I encountered audio problems in this scene. Music too loud, sfx too low/less impactful.
  • I'm kicking myself at the Batcave scene. I interrupted Alfred with "John's rubbed off on you" while he was telling his joke. He never finished it. Argh.
  • Get to the initial crime scene and... Gordon is back baby!! Yeah! Bros for life! :p
  • --At the Ace chemicals scene, and it's tense. Unfortunately, I don't really like the dialogue options when John starts to lose it. They're either too agressive of misleading. I want to talk him down by actually talking him down. Not manipulating him again.
  • And now John gets unhooked. This scene is both beautiful in how John's insanity is terrifyingly portrayed (that laughter!!) and sad and brutal and omg John pls no
  • Holy... he's just relentless. Took two batarangs to the hands and a shock to get him down...
  • This heart-to-heart about his inspiration (Bruce) and his little shrine. Ooouugh it's melting my heart. John I want to help you, what have you done....
  • I was a bit too mad at Waller in the end. Blamed her for causing everything. I like how it makes it full circle though. Wasn't a fan of her at the start, warmed up, and now burned it down.
  • Tiffany choice was interesting. I understand the moral dilemma of both.
  • Alfred's departure was way too sudden. Especially after his "I'll try" talk at the Batcave earlier. I think it fits better with the Villain path IMO. I tried to help John, I may have exploited him a bit, but we could have saved him from becoming his own messed-up hero if Waller hadn't pointed a gun at him.
  • I also don't like how sudden the ending was. I gave up Batman for Alfred, but I don't know what'll happen next and there's no indication to what will be a season 3 or if/when we'll get it. I wanted to see some more consequences or hints as to what happens once Batman's gone. Nope. Just a hug and then black screen. Oof.

Great episode for the Vigilante. John's downfall was really hard to watch. You guys made me care, Telltale. You made me care for an insecure Joker.

This V goes out to all those Villains.
  • The set-up scene with Bullock was brutal. Kudos to Telltale for embracing Joker's really psychotic tendencies, despite how hard it is to suffer through.
  • I kind of like how Willy is Joker's right-hand henchman.
  • Brutal virus bombs... brutal takedown of Wayne Enterprises.
  • We finally get some detective work! Finally! Finding the locations of bombs... then finding the bomb at the scene, then disarming it... Might I say I like the ticking sound. Ups the ante.
  • Gordon no! He betrayed me (about halfway though). And his legs! No!
  • I will say Joker's kind of creepy here. And his inner monologue to Dr. Leland... what
  • Puzzles! But, a bit too simple. Grab the cane, reach for the key. Easy.
  • Ouug broken glass. Man Joker's pulling all the stops in torture.
  • And now another puzzle. Interesting. Who killed who? Who killed John Doe? ouch.
  • Tense party. Joker's going for emotional turmoil now. And involving Alfred too... man that's hard.
  • Nice final battle. Team up with Selina, and then solo with John. (The music is great too! We finally get the full piano piece we've been hearing throughout this season in the final Joker fight.)
  • ---Not pleased that staying silent after being asked "Was our time together worth it?" was considered a yes. No John, in this playthrough it was not. I just didn't want to say it. I'm not talking to you after what you just put me through.
  • A LOT of choices with Waller. You can manipulate every side-character with Waller's influence. Wow. Don't think you can do that on the Vigilante route.

Despite the smaller list of notes for the Villain path, it was great. Classic Joker, with a twist of Telltale manipulation.

These were good episodes. Congratulations to the Batman staff for making two episodes that are 90% different throughout. It was great. Hopefully you can do more like this in the future.
While I'm not pleased with how abruptly it ended and how certain things don't line up (like that Alfred scene), I really hope we get a Season 3. This isn't enough for Telltale. There's so many other villains that haven't been covered yet, and some fan-favourites from season 1 need to make a return (they were kind of overshadowed by the CoA).
Here's hoping.

If I were any good at rating things I'd give this a 9.0 out of 10. Really great work, guys.

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