A Lifeless Gotham and Reused Models
If this were a massive open world RPG with dozens of complex systems running simultaneously, I’d forgive the performance issues. But it’s not. As per usual, Telltale has released a game plagued by bugs, and for a title that consists of little more than dialogue choices and quick time events, there is zero excuse for a lack of polish. It is hard to care about the story when technical glitches keep breaking my immersion. I experienced persistent stuttering between scenes throughout my play through. On top of that, the audio would occasionally desynchronise, leaving character lip movements failing to match dialogue and completely breaking immersion.
Beyond the technical faults, you are greeted by a Gotham devoid of personality. The world building feels lazy; I barely saw anything of the city beyond the empty streets Bruce drives through. I finished the game with no sense of what it feels like to live in Gotham. The setting is thoroughly underutilised.
A separate issue that makes the world feel lifeless is the blatant reuse of character models. I spotted the exact same NPCs recycled as photographers, journalists, and mobsters. In some instances, the game uses the same model multiple times within the same scene. It is distracting, making it difficult to connect with the story. How am I supposed to stay invested when the experience is constantly compromised by technical hiccups and copy pasted characters.
To make matters worse, the narrative crumbles if you don't pick the specific path Telltale wants you to take. For instance, during an interrogation, I chose a strictly non violent approach. Immediately afterward, Alfred accused Bruce of beating the man half to death, despite an on screen prompt explicitly confirming that Gordon noted my non violent stance. This issue cropped up repeatedly. In a later episode, I was forced to choose between protecting Batman’s tech and saving Wayne Manor from burning down. I chose the technology, and the episode ended dramatically with the manor engulfed in flames. Yet by the very next episode, the building showed only minor scorch marks, and subsequent scenes returned it to pristine condition, with characters strolling through the halls as if a devastating fire had never occurred. Seeing my decisions repeatedly ignored broke my interest in the story. I stopped caring about the outcome because I felt less like a player shaping a narrative and more like an observer watching a movie. While Telltale games always keep the overall story on a fixed track, meaning major plot points happen no matter what, their best titles are masters of illusion. Games like The Walking Dead or The Wolf Among Us make the narrative feel like it is reacting directly to you. Your choices shape how characters view you, alter personal relationships, and unlock unique scenes along the way. Even though every player eventually reaches the same destination, the journey feels tailored to your specific decisions. Batman, by contrast, fails so repeatedly that the story becomes jarringly inconsistent.
With the plot falling flat, I hoped the characters might salvage the experience, but most are entirely forgettable. A core pillar of the game is Bruce’s relationship with Harvey Dent, yet it never feels fleshed out. We are told that Bruce and Harvey are close friends, but we never see them enjoying each other's company. Harvey comes across more like a parasite, constantly asking Bruce for favours. They desperately needed a few scenes showing genuine camaraderie and light-hearted banter for their dynamic to feel believable.
The highlight of the game for me is the chemistry between Batman and Catwomen. Their interactions are packed with sharp back and forth wit and fun one-liners, giving both characters room to shine. Meanwhile, mainstays like Jim Gordon and Alfred are serviceable. They do their jobs fine, but leave little impression.
Ultimately, I was left entirely unimpressed. It is a forgettable title, and because of how disappointing this first entry was, I did not bother playing Season 2, even though it came in the bundle. I recommend skipping this game entirely. There are far better narrative games worthy of your time.
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