Batman Begins

Can Batman Begins truly be a fresh start for this beleaguered superhero franchise?

Poor Batman. Not only has he suffered from witnessing the murder of his parents and the downfall of his hometown of Gotham into a haven for crime and villainy, but the caped crusader has had to endure a slue of horrible and, at best, mediocre games over the years. Change is in the air, however, with the latest iteration of the Batman series, Batman Begins. Following closely to the film of the same name, you play the young Bruce Wayne as he evolves into the brutal and troubled dark hero that is Batman, all the while settling in as the protector of Gotham City.

Much like the movie itself, there appears to be a concerted effort to make sure Batman recaptures some of the luster he lost in previous engagements. No protruding nipples or codpieces will be found this time, and the story is noticeably darker. Batman is going back to his roots as a sly man of the shadows, using his cunning just as often as his fists. Fear especially will play a part in the game; the more you build in your enemies the less effectively they will fight, if at all. Playing off such fear, interrogation can be used to drain information from opponents, further revealing the story while also offering potential tactics in approaching difficult objectives.

Most noticeable, however, is the level of polish Batman Begins exudes, something no other Batman game has yet achieved. Graphics are top-notch, controls are relatively tight, and the inclusion of voice-acting from the stars of the film helps greatly with immersion. If the game can be further refined before its eventual release, Batman fans have a lot to look forward to. Let's just hope it follows its aptly named title, and begins a renewal of the franchise.

Comments [0]

post a comment

Post a Comment