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Step into the shadows of Gotham City’s perilous criminal underworld as DC Comics’ legendary Dark Knight in the Batman Begins video game. Slated for release day and date with the Warner Bros. Pictures film, Batman Begins challenges players to use fear as their ultimate weapon. The game explores the origins of the Batman legend and the Dark Knight’s emergence as a force for good in Gotham. Gamers will play as both Bruce Wayne and his alter-ego, Batman, hunting evil-doers from the shadows, using strength, intellect and an array of high tech gadgets to fight the sinister forces that threaten the city, including classic villains the Scarecrow, Ra’s Al Ghul and Carmine Falcone. Turning traditional stealth-based gameplay on its ear – by allowing gamers to play the hunter, rather than the hunted – Batman Begins delivers the Batmanuniverse as never before. Stalking criminals from the shadows, gamers will discover new ways to paralyze thugs with fear before engaging in hand-to-hand combat, or interrogating them. From the halls of Arkham Asylum and the alleys of Gotham City to an ancient monastery high in the Himalayas, Batman Begins the video game delivers a thrilling interactive companion to Christopher Nolan’s reinvention of the Dark Knight in Batman Begins. [Electronic Arts]
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more... 100
Stuff
Longtime Bat-gamers can consider Batman Begins the cave-engineered antidote to the Bat-crap that’s been dropping on consoles in recent years.
 82
PGNx Media
The production values are outstanding.
80
Maxim Online
Batman Begins isn't just a good game, it's two great games that play great together. When you’re the caped crusader, it's an action game in the mold of "Splinter Cell"... Then, when you’re driving the Batmobile, the game morphs into "Burnout," with you knocking cars off the road as you careen through traffic.
80
GamePro
The training levels are a little tedious, but serves it purpose to have you naturally thinking and reacting as if you're Batman by the heart of the game.
77
Armchair Empire
If you enjoyed the newest Batman movie and want to “play” it in game form, Batman Begins will satisfy your inner batty desires.
76
IGN
Flaws considered, this is still the best Batman videogame to come out in two generations and there's a lot for both the comic book and movie fans to enjoy.
75
Play Magazine
The decision to go stealth was a good one and even though scripted and prompted, the gameplay hits the broad mark.
75
The New York Times
While the storytelling is poor, the game does an excellent job of evoking the film's ambience, with striking visuals even better than those in the movie. The game's use of light as it streams through broken boards into a dark room is reminiscent of the wonderful art direction of the first "Splinter Cell" game.
75
Deeko
They’ve almost got the formula, the look and style of the game was perfect for the Dark Knight, but they seem to have forgotten that Batman is a detective. I don’t need to be lead through the game by my hand, let me try to figure out my environment on my own, that would have been more Batman’s style.
73
Game Informer
Is it great? Heck no. Does it offer little substance, but an enjoyable handful of thrills? It does, more often than not. [Aug 2005, p.97]
72
GameZone
The Batmobile levels alone will keep you well entertained and the game captures the film’s dark mood well enough. This one certainly deserves a weekend rental for sure.
70
Kombo
Not the best game ever, but one of the better movie based games and easily one of the better Batman games in recent history.
70
Inside Gamer Online
At least it’s easy on the eyes and ears: Batman Begins looks remarkably good, from twilight environments that make for a spooky Gotham City to some surprisingly impressive character models.
70
AceGamez
In the end or in the beginning if you like, Batman Begins is a good game, just falling short of great due to the linearity.
70
Game Over Online
With extremely linear gameplay, a relatively flawed fear mechanic and basic combat system, Batman really isn’t breaking a sweat in this title.
70
NintendoWorldReport
A game that has a great set of concepts, but inevitably falls short once you realize there’s not much to it, and that you’re essentially traveling along a linear path and repeating the same process over and over again until you reach the end, with your only occasional relief being the driving sessions.
70
N-Insanity
EA is only good at making games if it incorporates some type of ball, and the movies are still far better than the games.
70
Cheat Code Central
It stays true to the movie but at the expense of repetition and a convoluted storyline that tries to tie in all the filler. It's still a good game for anyone looking for an interactive movie that doesn't require much practice or skill.
69
XGP Gaming
The sound is just as good as the visuals, mainly because the actors from the film lend their voices to the game.
68
GameSpot
Unfortunately, the gameplay feels too much like a mishmash of several other well-known gaming franchises and ends up overly simplistic.
67
Gaming Age
If you are a fan of the Batman, you should play this game in some form, as it is one of the better representations of the comic hero in quite some time.
66
Gaming Target
The game is repetitive, easy, short, and offers nothing new to the genre besides the introduction of the fear meter. But even that is misused as you can only put fear into enemies by doing what the games tells you to do, not what you want to do.
65
1UP
The stealth fails, however, in at least two significant ways. The first is a near-total lack of choice: there's almost always one prescribed way to navigate a given situation, and player improvisations are promptly curtailed by unsustainable gunfire.
65
Nintendo Power
We're crossing our fingers that the next Batman title lets us play the comic book hero like we really want to. [Aug 2005, p.80]
63
eToychest
With all of the risks developers have been willing to take lately on properties like "Psychonauts" and "Killer 7," it's really painful when a product comes along and unabashedly cribs from other people's notes. Batman Begins doesn't have a genuine bone in its body.
62
Nintendojo
A run of the mill stealth title, borrowing gameplay elements from other titles in the genre, and it does nothing to expand or deepen them. The extra features such as fear and Batmobile action stages are automated when they should be intuitively controllable by the player.
60
Yahoo! Games
Requiring only five to seven hours to finish, and having virtually no replay value, only the most dedicated fans should own Batman Begins.
60
GameSpy
It features some excellent graphics and audio production, as well as some of the best voiceover work to date. However, this can't make up for the frustrating gameplay, which tries to focus on stealth, combat, and platforming, yet doesn't manage to do any of these particularly well.
60
Pelaaja (Finland)
Despite its limitations Batman Begins is an okay-ish action/adventure game, which has excellent production values. The voice acting is excellent and helps to make the game feel and sound very authentic compared to the movie. This game certainly is no "Catwoman"! [July 2005, p.59]
60
Sydney Morning Herald
While this rises above its predecessors, its true potential is hampered by restricted game mechanics.
60
Edge Magazine
Where the game really succeeds, however, beyond providing a robust and solid, if unassuming model of explorative stealth and attack, is in fulfilling that old and oft-forgotten criterion - putting the gamer inside the movie. [Aug 2005, p.95]
60
G4 TV
A reasonably engaging, yet perfectly average experience--much like most summer blockbusters.
53
Electronic Gaming Monthly
It's too simplistic. While the game gives the illusion of Splinter Cell-style freedom in how you want to take out your enemies, Batman only really ever has one course of action: knock something over, scare the bad guys into dropping their guns, then come in punching and kicking.
52
BonusStage
Unless you are a true comic fan and know nothing about games, avoid this title like avoiding the Scarecrow’s neurotoxin. Instead, save your money from the rental and see the movie, which far exceeds what this game presents.
50
Game Revolution
Although its blend of stealth and action is clever, it's also derivative and boring.
50
Detroit Free Press
Compromised because you've pretty much seen and played the game before. Fans will see the adventure through, but many players will find their attention wandering.
41
Games Radar UK (Pre-2006)
Batman Begins feels more like work than fun. Look at Spider-Man 2 to see how superhero games should be done. [NGC]
30
Computer Games Magazine
You've basically got a barely interactive "Splinter Cell for Dummies." [Sept 2005, p.91]
Blue Falcon gave it a4: D B gave it a10: [Anonymous] gave it a10: Kevin gave it a10: Ryan K. gave it a9: Mike M. gave it a3: |
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