- Publisher: Telltale Games
- Release Date: Aug 2, 2016
- Also On: iPhone/iPad, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One
- Critic score
- Publication
- By date
- Unscored
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Aug 6, 2016It’s easy to say that Batman: The Telltale Series Episode 1 – Realm of Shadows is one of Telltale’s best first episodes yet.
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Aug 2, 2016Telltale Games has done it again. It's delivered another fresh take on a franchise you didn't think could be reinvented.
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Aug 2, 2016Batman: The Telltale Series: Episode One was the perfect start for Telltale’s latest franchise quest. The combat was slick, the storytelling was as per usual second-to-none, and the investigation moments helped to keep the gameplay varied.
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Aug 2, 2016This game is as much about the man behind the mask and the problems that Bruce Wayne faces, as it is taking on crime bosses, meeting familiar faces in new and interesting ways, and unravelling mysteries. Telltale’s Batman series is off to a great start, giving us a fresh view into the character that goes well beyond beating up criminals in alleyways.
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Aug 1, 2016Batman: The Telltale Series – Episode 1: Realm of Shadows offers a tantalizing taste of the new paths this series might forge for its legendary comic book hero. It's got everything you'd expect from a game about the Caped Crusader... plus plenty of things you wouldn't.
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Aug 10, 2016Beyond the player choice statistics, the game also invites you to play with others… which I don’t think I’ve really seen in an adventure game before (again this is my first Telltale series game)… it’s an interesting idea and for those of us who are fans of Batman it is pretty cool being able to share our experiences as the caped crusader.
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Aug 30, 2016Telltale’s first Batman episode is marred by technical issues, but the writing, gameplay and presentation are superb as always. Maybe hold off for a couple weeks while it gets patched, but after that, Batman fans should definitely take the plunge.
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Aug 4, 2016Its best parts are fantastic evolutions of the cinematic game genre and creative new takes on the Batman IP. Its worst parts are just the same Telltale game formula we have been playing for the last five years, and that’s still quality.
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Aug 7, 2016While it is still quite early to judge its characters development, the first episode of the series manages to deliver its plot with a satisfactory ending, while still retaining the crucial cliffhanger hook. Batman fans will find a satisfying 2-hour long interactive comic experience.
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Pelit (Finland)Oct 11, 2016A beautiful and dark interpretation of the early years of Batman starts promisingly, but eventually relies too much on traditional Telltale mechanics that are starting to show their age. [Sept 2016]
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Sep 7, 2016Of many mainstream superheroes, Batman is among the darkest and most mature, which is the tone TellTale absolutely managed to hit. This is a great start to a potentially amazing season, with familiar gameplay but palpable atmosphere.
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Aug 9, 2016Telltales new series kicks off with style, offering Batman fans two hours of interesting choices, action and a promising story. Don't expect decent puzzles or exploration though: Aside from dialogue and rapid quick time events, there is not much to do.
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Aug 6, 2016There’s plenty of mystery and betrayal and a good, fun, and fairly brisk story that will leave you wanting more—even if the end isn’t really a massive cliff-hanger or anything (like some Telltale episodes are.)
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Aug 6, 2016Despite feeling like its treading over familiar Batman lore ground, the game has set up an intriguing story line and I am invested enough to be willing to experience more.
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Aug 4, 2016While not an out-and-out triumph as a huge Batman fan I was greatly satisfied by the events of Realm of Shadows and how Telltale have adapted the DC universe to their play style.
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Aug 3, 2016Batman The Telltale Series has its great debut with Realm of Shadows. It's a classic Telltale formula, but with improved action and combat mechanics, adding interesting new exploring and strategy systems and maintaining great dialogue and cliffhanger moments.
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Aug 3, 2016Telltale wastes no time in establishing its Batman and the surprising thing is the studio is spending an equal amount of time on Bruce Wayne. The elements are familiar, but the focus is rarely this evenly split. An strong premise, sold takes on familiar characters, and great fight scenes bring this first episode to a strong conclusion. Looking forward to see what's next.
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Aug 2, 2016For their first steps in the Dark Knight’s boots, they made one heck of an entrance.
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Aug 2, 2016Realm of Shadows establishes a compelling Bruce Wayne narrative and is an exciting start to the series.
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Aug 9, 2016A slow start to what will hopefully be a memorable series. Casual fans of Batman and/or the genre should be pleased.
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Aug 14, 2016An intriguing, story and dialogue driven game that gives us a new look through the mind's eye of Bruce Wayne and gives us the chance to groom The Batman into the crime fighter we want him to be. Various gameplay modes keep the game interesting and will have you begging Telltale to release the next installments sooner rather than later. Unfortunately the PC port problems hinders the enjoyment on computer.
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Aug 3, 2016An effective style and a good pacing. Not all scenes are built with the same attention, but the main character models are wonderful, and the plot seems to have a dark twist we are eager to explore.
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Aug 2, 2016A fresh take on the Batman, and although some of the moments as Bruce Wayne can be great, the overall experience feels a little flat.
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Aug 2, 2016The three almost entirely separate characters and play-styles keep the familiar Telltale formula feeling fresh and inviting. While some of the dialogue does feel overly expositional, it’s hopefully only there to provide concrete padding for future episodes, and the gorgeous, high-action combat sequences and creative detective work provide the right amount of contrast.
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Games Master UKOct 3, 2016Telltale delivers action and intrigue, but the Caped Crusader's greatest enemy is an uneven script. [Oct 2006, p.71]
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Aug 7, 2016It’s playing as Bruce where this game really shines.
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Aug 5, 2016A slow but solid first chapter which offsets ponderous exposition with some thrilling fight scenes, and introduces much-needed new mechanics to a now familiar template.
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Aug 2, 2016Batman: A Telltale Games Series: Realm of Shadows is a nice setup. It's not as strong as some of Telltale's other work, but it manages to honor the legacy of the series and throw in a few curveballs to keep things interesting (thank God there's no Joker yet).
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Aug 2, 2016The hook at the end of this episode has me intrigued for what comes next, but be warned, this is the roughest (and slowest) start to a Telltale series yet.
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Aug 16, 2016And so Batman: The Telltale Series is looking like a mixed bag at the moment. The first episode is all set-up, so there isn’t any way to tell if the series is going to be interesting or not, or even what the series is going to be about.
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Aug 2, 2016Realm of Shadows indicates that it might tell an interesting Batman story, but takes time to get there and suffers from Telltale’s tired design and engine limitations.
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Game World Navigator MagazineSep 21, 2016Are we going to choose which of two Batman’s signature villains will be saved from predestination? That’s one thing that can keep viewers interested in Telltale’s latest product. And it’s really “viewers” instead of “players” – QTE, that little remnant of interactivity, has almost no bearing of the events. [Issue#212, p.45]
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Aug 15, 2016Telltale comes back again with their same formula for Batman: The Telltale Series. This first episode is pretty dull, but ends with a promising ending that opens the door for innovation.
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Aug 8, 2016What Telltale has been able to do from strictly a narrative standpoint is up to the company's usual high standards. Enjoying those moments is an absolute challenge though, as so much of the rest of the game just doesn't work properly. Telltale has earned our trust to eventually rectify these qualms, but Batman's adventure is still off to one of the roughest starts we've seen from the developer.
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PC PowerPlayOct 2, 2016A disjointed first episode that makes Bruce a monster and Batman a button mash. [Issue#255, p.64]
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Aug 24, 2016Even if Telltale came up with an interesting intrigue, the first episode didn't showed enough to properly rate it. First two hours offer couple of good scenes, but overall the story is not too engaging and very familiar.
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Aug 12, 2016Batman: The Telltale Series is off to a lacklustre start, and even if you're a die-hard fan of the Caped Crusader, or you simply hope to see a glimmer fresh ideas in Telltale's assembly line products, I'm afraid you're out of luck.
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Aug 5, 2016A routine Telltale game based on the proven formula that slowly gets stale even with the Dark Knight as a protagonist.
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Aug 4, 2016Even ignoring the many technical issues, this isn't a particularly inspiring start to Telltale's newest series. There's plenty of time for it to improve, but I'd hold off and see how the next few episodes go before taking the plunge on the series.
| This publication does not provide a score for their reviews. | |
| This publication has not posted a final review score yet. | |
| These unscored reviews do not factor into the Metascore calculation. | |
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Aug 2, 2016Choice has been the great strength of every recent Telltale game, but it's especially powerful in a story about a beloved character that's been interpreted and explored in dozens of different ways over the past 75 years.
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Aug 3, 2016It’s a good start. I’m not hooked like the first season of The Walking Dead or Wolf Among Us, but it’s looking like more of a slow burn with a lot of potential. Telltale sets up a lot of plot threads in this first episode, and it’s actually pretty impressive how many bit players they’ve introduced in just an hour and a half.
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Aug 2, 2016Clunky bits of dialogue and sleepy start notwithstanding, Batman: The Telltale Series, a game about Bruce Wayne, might just make me feel like I'm Batman. [Provisional score - 80]
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Aug 3, 2016Some foundations are laid that might make for stronger follow-ups, but as it stands Batman does not have the emotional punch of The Walking Dead’s better episodes, the intriguing oddness of Wolf Among Us or the shockingly heavy consequences of Game Of Thrones, and worst of all it makes cracks in Telltale’s aged wall highly obvious. I should not feel bored in a Batman game, but bored is what I felt for most of it. Bring back Joel Schumacher, all is forgiven.
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Aug 2, 2016While the main focus of the story isn’t on how badass Batman is, Telltale has done a great job with the combat sequences, and the story-driven choices that are littered throughout the narrative really help to push the character forward.
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 129 out of 237
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Mixed: 45 out of 237
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Negative: 63 out of 237
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Aug 2, 2016
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Aug 2, 2016This review contains spoilers, click full review link to view.
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Aug 2, 2016