Batman Begins

Despite being my favorite superhero, Batman just hasn't had many good games. Batman: Dark tomorrow was crazier than a soup-sandwich, Batman: Vengeance was just boring and too short, but the movie Batman begins was great, and fortunately, so was the game. You play as Batman, but just like in the movie, its the coolest batman ever. His suit is awesome, he has some incredible moves, and he thinks like a detective. I wouldn't miss the loss of his bat-voice, but he's still awesome. The game itself is not terribly long, lasting at the most around 15 hours, but it has a bit of replay value unlike other Bat-games. You unlock different Bat-suits once you finish the game, and the levels are just pure fun, which make them easy to replay. The only problem is that there is no level select. The only levels you can replay are the Batmobile missions. If you want to play a ground mission again, you have to start a new file again. The two things this game really got right are the controls and combat. The controls are tight, and jumping and gliding never felt so good. The button configurations also make sense. The combat is much better than other games, and you can pull off many special moves in certain situations. It really does make you feel like Batman. The story exactly follows the movie, so if you've seen it, you know what to expect. However, you might want to see the movie first, because the cinematics and cut-scenes in the game are terrible. Not only are they low-quality, they're short and confusing. They might just be the worst part of the game. Anyways, onto the gameplay. The game is all about stealth and fear. Since Batman can't take out armed foes easily, he'll have to either sneak past them, or he can fight them, but must first create enough fear so that they drop their guns. He can do this by triggering events like making shelves fall, blowing things up, and causing minor havoc. Fear also has an effect on combat. The more scared a foe is, the easier it is to defeat him and the cooler your moves will be. Batman has many cool gadgets like a grappling hook, his Batarangs, and an eye-tool which he can slip under a door to see whats on the other side. You'll also sneak into buildings and find information, among other things. There are also two Batmobile levels, which are very fun, and are the only levels you can replay. The Batmobile controls are great and the levels are well designed. The sound in the game is also great, and many of the actors from the movie reprise their roles for the game. so the voice acting doesn't really disappoint. And finally, the graphics are excellent, even these days. Batman himself looks awesome, but the environments, enemies, and physics are also first-rate. In conclusion, this is a great Batman game and also just a good game in general. Some would complain that it borrows some elements from other great games, but that's not really a bad thing, is it? This game will probably start a trend of good batman games, seeing as this years Lego Batman was good, the upcoming Batman: Arkham asylum looks promising, and the Dark knight game, while still unannounced, is said to be promising if it ever comes out. If you see this game in Gamestop or something, pick it up. Its a good game, and its really cheap, making it a great addition to your Bat-cave.