Bruce Wayne faces his darkest knight

POOR old Bruce Wayne – his parents were killed in 1939, and yet here we are in 2016, but Gotham’s well-meaning (and well-heeled) socialites are still banging on about it!
The unfortunate Wayne family history – and their business dealings – are just part of the story driving part one of the five-part Batman (multiplatform; c. €5.99 per episode, Cert 18); the latest adventure title from critically acclaimed developer , Telltale Games.
At its simplest, Batman takes familiar elements from the masked vigilante’s established canon (Gotham as a fundamentally corrupt city, Jim Gordon as its gruffly honest police commissioner, and so on) but crafts a new story with these oh-so- familiar components.
Chiefly, it asks … what if the Waynes weren’t as squeaky-clean as everyone – including their troubled heir, Bruce – thought they were? Could the whole Wayne empire come crashing down because of some alleged ties to ‘dirty money’?
The stage is thus set for a sprawling multi-part tale (with Episode 2 due for release on September 20), as Bruce’s tdarkest days and greatest personal trials loom …
Despite the game’s cartoony cel-shaded graphics, there’s a decidedly adult, and engaging, tale being told here, creating a Gotham that’s worthy of the Batman legend.
With each chapter only lasting a brisk couple of hours, they won’t outstay their welcome, with a story that develops from any decisions you make.
Regular gamers may not go batty for this one, but it’s still worth flitting into Gotham to try this.