Telltale is undoubtedly a fantastic studio, one that has not only released a handful of worthwhile games but revitalized the story based point and click genre for the current generation. The first season of "Batman: A Telltale Series" was by no means bad, but it did demonstrate that the company is struggling to really evolve with each new title. After their lackluster adaptation of "Guardians of the Galaxy", the announcement of "Batman: The Enemy Within" was greeted with more of a shrug than unbridled enthusiasm.
'The Enigma' is brilliant
After playing through the opening episode for the second season of Telltale's "Batman" it seems that any declarations of a decline were premature.
"The Enigma" is a fantastic experience and easily the best entry in the series. At first glance, the changes seem superficial, or even non-existent; but, once the whole episode is played through, it suddenly became apparent that the minuscule updates in "Batman: The Enemy Within" resulted in a much more satisfying experience.
The Riddler is familiar but fresh
As the title suggests, episode one pits the Caped Crusader against The Riddler. Although Telltale's Edward Nigma remains true to the DC original, he is tweaked ever so slightly to not feel like a rehash. "The Enigma" appears to be inspired by the "Saw" franchise, as The Riddler shows a sadistic side of himself that is eerily similar to Jigsaw.
He forces Batman into situations which force the hero to make choices that blur the line between good and bad. "The Enemy Within" might largely focus on action and suspense, but it still sets up a few themes that most likely will be explored in depth throughout the season.
How is the gameplay?
Believe it or not, Telltale is a gaming company.
Even though this part of their releases is not given as much importance as the characters or plot, they still need to demonstrate a willingness to improve upon their core mechanics. "The Enigma" is a step above season one, as it focuses on what worked while minimizing the elements that did not.
Investigations bored players in the original five episodes, as they offered no challenge and took too long to get through.
In an attempt to fix this criticism, these sections are considerably shorter and easy to get through. On the other hand, "Batman: The Enemy Within" expands on the combat options available to the player. Despite still being represented via quick time events, gamers can select the type of attack delivered by the Dark Knight.
"The Enigma" is a step in the right direction and worth a try for fans of the Caped Crusader.
