It's nothing new for a licensed title to borrow ideas from other games and end up with a decent core. How Batman Begins was screwed up, borrowing ideas from some of the best games on the market, doesn't really add up. It had all the potential in the world, only to toss it to the way side for better graphics and production values.
There are two key things to remember here. Splinter Cell fans like Splinter Cell because of its complexities. Burnout fans enjoy Burnout because things blow up. That's where this latest Batman title blatantly steals from, without any idea as to why these two games worked in the first place.
Actually, the Batmobile segments do work, as they always seem to do in Batman video games. They're impressive with an intense sense of speed, heavy wrecks (though rarely to the Batmobile), and stunning graphics. They're fun, and you can only wish there were more of them.
The rest of the game unsurprisingly follows the movie, as players control this dark incarnation of Batman. You'll do so mostly in silence, slipping into the shadows or walking stealthily to avoid detection. In most cases, being detected is instant death. It doesn't matter how good you are at manipulating the character. The game dictates your actions at all times. This is all while battling a camera system more intent on blocking your line of site than actually keeping your controls accurate.
The same goes for all of Batman's gadgets. There is no experimentation anywhere. You're advised of the what, where, and when of these items. Controlling them offers nothing even near the realm of enjoyment. There's no challenge to use them since the game always lets you know when the opportunity is available.
It takes away any sense of exploration, and kills the fun factor in doing so. Enemies are programmed to notice the player at certain points. If you're caught, simply re-do the section until you find the right, direct path the game is asking for. Sections that feature combat do so with a clunky, poorly animated beat-em-up engine that seems like an after thought to the archaic stealth portions.
Article comments
1 - Phillip Winn
Ouch!