Review for Batman: The Enemy Within. Game for Android, PC, iOS, Mac, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch, the video game was released on 08/08/2017 The version for Nintendo Switch came out on 02/10/2018
After leaving us with the dramatic cliffhanger of the previous episode, the fourth episode of Batman: The Enemy Within arrives after almost two months, which returns undeterred to minimize gameplay interactivity to focus on the actual story, and does so by doing it in part forgive the intricate narrative node seen previously with a plot with decidedly interesting implications.
NB As this is the review of the fourth episode of Batman: The Enemy Within, there will be light SPOILERS regarding the previous chapters, of which you will find the reviews below:
- The Enigma
- The Pact
- Fractured Mask
Already from the title of the episode, What Ails You ("What ails you") tells us that the antagonists' motives are finally coming to the surface. In this chapter, the boundaries between "good" and "bad" blur like never before and, while the need to stop Harley, Bane and Freeze remains clear, we will find ourselves in the awkward but interesting situation of making some important decisions towards Amanda Waller and John Doe.
The latter in particular is the real star of the episode. In the midst of his inner conflict, caused by his destructive love for Harley Quinn, admiration for Batman and Bruce's need for trust, we see him slowly giving in to emotional and psychological instability. The interesting aspect is that all this is presented to us not as an incomprehensible crisis of the mind of a madman, but as a likely result of the situation and actions of those around him, including us.
This chapter in fact puts us in the unfortunate position of feeling guilty for having lied and manipulated John, involving us personally in his crisis. During the course of the adventure we will still have to rely on our "friend", and we will have to make important decisions for our with him: resign ourselves to his inevitable transformation into the Joker and continue to use him and keep him at a safe distance, or show him trust and friendship, thus trying to avoid his mental degeneration? Unfortunately we do not yet know if this choice will really have a real consequence, but it already does Telltale offers us something that has probably never been seen before: giving the Joker a chance. And there is a strong possibility that you will be surprised at your own choices.
The script of the episode is effective in making the player feel the weight of the responsibility of their choices, the effect that his actions will have on the antagonistic characters.
As already seen in the previous episode, also for What Ails You Telltale has chosen to gloss over the variety of gameplay to focus solely on the storyline. The game will still have several QTE moments, especially at the beginning where one of the best action scenes of the series is present. After the initial fireworks, however, the chapter is almost entirely focused on Bruce Wayne with few variations, except for the moments of dialogue choice. Without investigation sessions or strategic planning, the story slips away shorter than usual, so much so that it takes about an hour and a half to complete the chapter.
Judging whether Telltale is the right choice will be very much to your taste. On the one hand, the gameplay is minimal and may not satisfy your desire for interaction; on the other hand it is also true that, with fewer interruptions, the narrative rhythm is more intense and tighter, perfect for those who are interested more than anything else in the real core of this experience: the story.
Net of a meager gameplay sector, What Ails You is certainly a well-written chapter, which manages to create a crescendo of tension and drama between the characters involved, and which above all puts the between Bruce and John Doe at the center, making us perceive everything. the weight of our choices. The premises for an exciting season finale are all there, we really hope that they can turn into a twist in the Joker's origin story, without diminishing our decisions along the way to get back on established tracks.
► Batman: The Enemy Within is a Graphic Adventure type game developed and published by Telltale Games for Android, PC, iOS, Mac, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch, the video game was released on 08/08/2017 The version for Nintendo Switch came out on 02/10/2018
