Batman: The Telltale Series - Episode 2: Children of Arkham

A great addition to a series that is turning out to be one of Telltale’s best. The combat continues to improve, the story is fantastically written, the choices are tough in the best way, and everything really feels like a cohesive package.

As it stands as the individual episodes, as mentioned above, it can be frustrating getting so caught up in the wonderful story only to suffer a similar fate to Bruce/Batman in having the story suddenly stopped and having to wait for the next installment to be released.

Telltale raises the heat with a story that feels both intensely personal and refreshingly little explored in Batman’s mainstream canon. For about an hour and half, the Bat fantasy comes alive.

A much better episode this time around, featuring some tough choices, great visuals and a fresh take on the Batman mythos.

All I know is I was thoroughly entertained playing Children of Arkham and am jazzed to play the next episode and see where the story goes next.

Episode 2 improves on its predecessor in terms of plot and pacing as well as offering a potentially MAJOR fork in it's story, though how true this statement is remains to be determined by future installments.

The action is tight, the dialogue is engaging, and the characters are all fantastically acted and scripted. Fans of Batman and/or Telltale will be very pleased with the direction that this series is going. However, technical problems still create headaches, though they might be lesser for some players depending on the system they play on and the setup they have.

Telltale continues to craft its own version of Batman and Bruce Wayne. The action is still solid, but this is all about the story: Who is Bruce Wayne when everything he knows to be true is a lie? Given the truth of his origins, who is Batman? Telltale's Batman relies on safety and familiarity to subvert expectations here and it works well.

Takes all of the solid foundations established by Episode 1, trims most of the fat, and continues to build an engaging Dark Knight story in a unique and uncharted version of the D.C. legend’s universe. Old Bat-fans will get much more out of the unexpected twists and turns than a newcomer, but the relationships Bruce Wayne forms and develops with the people around him appeal equally.

We like where the story is going, but at the same time we feel like our decisions aren't really relevant, and we miss having more control over the character.

Batman: The Telltale Series is still firing on all cylinders in terms of story, and is introducing new and more complex dynamics to character relationships with Bruce and Batman, as we should know to expect from the studio. Due to this, I find myself less enthused about pulling off slick combos as Batman, and more about watching how he and his human side tackle this sticky situation and the consequences of their choices.

You still have your patented "safe" approach from Telltale with Batman: A Telltale Games Series: Children of Arkham, but its heart is in the right place.

So short Batman himself should be investigating, but what they have added is a decent and different interpretation of the Batman lore. Those of us on the train will enjoy and be looking forward to the third installment.

An improvement on the first episode, but still marred by technical issues and. A move in the right direction, but it's still too early to tell if this is more The Killing Joke or Batman & Robin.

Children Of Arkham does build on the foundations laid by Realm Of Shadows, going for more of a slow burn than firing off surprise after surprise. If there’s a satisfying outcome in a few months then it’ll be a worthwhile wait, especially as Telltale does have a great understanding of not only Batman himself, but of the version of Batman it wants to represent.

A step back for the series, but still an enjoyable couple of hours despite the flaws.

Children of Arkham eventually gets to really interesting places, but it takes them a little too long to get there — and many interesting story threads from the premier aren't given proper attention gameplay-wise or story-wise. Still, it's nice to see Bruce Wayne and Batman taken in such a dark new direction.

Anyone expecting Telltale to continue deconstructing Bruce Wayne and his alter ego will come away from Children of Arkham unsatisfied. It effectively lays the groundwork for future events with the help of a few unexpected twists, but in leaving out meaningful detective work, it falls short of the series' first episode.