Bruce Wayne navigates the treacherous waters of Gotham politics as a series of shocking allegations surface, while Batman confronts Gotham’s most notorious crime boss.

Batman: The Telltale Series

Episode 1 – Realm of Shadows

Episode 1 – Realm of Shadows opens up to a robbery in progress at Gotham City Hall and Batman stepping in to thwart a group of mercenaries.  While in the middle of his battle with the mercenaries he stumbles across Catwoman who uses the battle to slip in unnoticed and attempts to steal an encrypted data drive.  As entertaining as the battle was it did feel one sided and should’ve been more balanced when it comes to the two, especially after their first encounter.  After the battle between the two and police intervention, Catwoman manages to escape.

Bruce returns to Wayne Manor to a private fundraiser to support the campaign of Harvey Dent who’s running for Mayor of Gotham City.  While mingling with the other guests he is greeted by crime boss Carmine Folcane.  After Bruce rebuffs his offer to form a partnership with him he comes Falcone’s enemy.  He is later contacted by his childhood friend, Oswald Cobblepot. After meeting him at Cobblepot Park he is told that something big is about to jump off in Gotham. While Bruce attends a press conference he is confronted by the press about an offshore account connecting his parents and Falcone.  The police are at his home ransacking it under the order of Mayor Hamilton Hill.  He meets with Dent and his girlfriend, Selina Kyle, who deduce each other’s identities after seeing injuries they sustained during their fight at Gotham City Hall.  She reluctantly reveals why she stole the data drive and where her contact is.

Batman arrives at the warehouse only to discover that numerous mercenaries and police officers prior to his arrival.  Great sequence for allowing players to play detective as they investigate the crime scene and try to replay the events before his arrival.  After investigating the crime scene, he deduces that an explosion killed most of the group and that the surviving mercenaries stole hundreds of barrels filled with the same chemical.  He finds a injured mercenary and interrogates him finding out Falcone was responsible ordering them to steal the chemicals.  He soon after decrypts the data drive finding evidence of Falcone’s criminal organization.

Batman then takes the fight to Falcone, attacking his headquarters and finally confronting the crime boss.  This sequences does a pretty good job of putting players in the more action oriented role of the Dark Knight as he plans his attack.  After a pretty lengthy battle he interrogates Falcone about the chemicals and the Wayne family, then leaves him to the police.   Bruce returns home and confronts his butler Alfred about the allegations.

The Verdict:  In the end, Episode 1 – Realm of Shadows is a pretty intense episode.  It does introduce the seductive and mysterious Selina Kyle. What role will Catwoman play? Ally or enemy?  Bruce has to deal with being assaulted by corruption in politics as well as propaganda against his family’s name. What does Cobblepot mean by ‘revolution’ in Gotham City? Have we seen the last of Falcone? His words have opened up a can of worms with a deep seeded feeling of betrayal and corruption. Episode 1 – Realm of Shadows gets 3 out of 5.