Batman: The Telltale Series Episode 4: Guardian Of Gotham Review

The Filling Joke

Drugs, brawls, and rehab might be normal for other billionaires, but not Bruce Wayne

Following the epic and shocking turns of the last episode, this is clearly the less appealing fallout and building of the last chapter. After the brutal beating of Cobblepot, which they didn’t even show, Bruce finds himself waking up in that wonderful facility known as Arkham Asylum. It’s a cool setting that we never really get a chance to go through in any of the Batman media.  Bruce must find a way out and survive this pocket of hell they call a place a healing.

So, once Bruce fights off some would be attackers that are part of the welcoming committee, he is saved by an unlikely hero, John Doe, who we know to be the joker. It’s a lackluster, confusing, and underwhelming introduction to the most pivotal and dangerous villain in the entirety of the Batman canon, which is brought down even further from the sub-par voice acting (though the joker has a ridiculously high bar in that area) and some very strange character model design that makes him look more like a wooden doll than a real person.

When you make it out of the asylum, you more than likely owe the joker a favor, which is going to pay off next episode for sure. Once out, you have to barrel through barricades, deal with crooked cops, angry protestors, and even your own drug filled temper tantrums. Donning the cape and cowl, you go after the now completely off his rocker Harvey Dent, who went ballistic after losing is non-existent girlfriend and has declared martial law, is arresting those who say anything, and killing anyone else he finds displeasing, but worst of all, he is taking everything Bruce owns, then taking him out for good.

With all hell breaking loose across the city, with the crazy mayor, Lady Arkham still on the loose, and Cobblepot still running your company like his own piggy bank, you finally start to take charge and take the Penguin out in your own office, in a cool no holds barred fisticuffs with robot arms. Its definitely satisfying, and after losing so much its feels all the better. However, making this choice has consequences, in which Wayne Manor might be in danger.

Episode 4 is very similar to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 1.  It’s not bad in any real sense, but its clearly there just to prop up its successor, and in that way they are both quite successful. You deal with a lot more “real world” problems in this such as corruption and politics and you don’t spend a lot of time being Batman, which really brings it down. I still enjoyed the experience, but I get the feeling I’m going to like episode 5 way more.