Batman the Telltale Series – Episode 2: Children of Arkham Review

Learn the truth about the Waynes and how Bruce truly becomes the Bat in Batman the Telltale Series – Episode 2:  Children of Arkham Review

As this is the second chapter of the Batman the Telltale Series video game, I will not reiterate the review of the mechanics and gameplay since  I covered them in my review of Episode 1. I’ll also do my best not to give away any major spoilers as the story is most of every Telltale Game.

Batman the Telltale Series – Episode 2: Children of Arkham picks up immediately where Episode 1 ends. You begin as Bruce Wayne in Crime Alley, reliving the worse night of your life, only to discover there are some details you overlooked. You then head to the police station where you get to question Falcone about his relationship with your parents, Thomas and Martha Wayne. And that’s where things go from bad to worse for Bruce. Bruce begins to find out some of the horrible stories that have surfaced of his father are true, and that much of what he knows has been a lie. Though, depending on your choices in the previous episode, Batman’s public image is doing much better and things are going better with Catwoman. The drama really builds in this episode and culminates with an impossible decision. A coin flip, if you will. Though much is resolved in this episode, much more remains to be uncovered in the next.

Children of Arkham is the perfect second episode. It wraps up so much of what is left open in Episode 1, while organically setting up so much more for Episode 3 and after. The most amazing part about it is that it doesn’t feel like a forced “To Be Continued…” to trick you into the next Episode. It feels thoroughly rewarding, yet still, builds anxious anticipation for the next episode. Much like the season finale of Game of Thrones this year.

What I truly admire about this Episode is how well Batman the Telltale Series is capturing the transition of Bruce to Batman. I’m not talking about putting on the mask, but the transition of how Batman becomes the dominant personality and Bruce Wayne becomes the mask of Batman. Kevin Conroy, the Batman of my Generation, has said repeatedly in interviews how he believes that Batman is the person, and Bruce Wayne is the mask. And it is often subtly, but often, portrayed throughout the multiple mediums. The only character who knows both identities who constantly refers to him as Bruce is Alfred. That is because he is the only one who knew Bruce Wayne before he became the Batman.

This is more just me reading into a lot and probably over idolizing Kevin Conroy’s philosophy on the matter. But through this lens, I am thoroughly enjoying the game and garnering a lot of respect for the Telltale team for being able to tell the story of how this philosophy becomes the character’s reality.

Bruce Wayne discovers more and more of his family’s dark secrets, finding out so much of his life as Bruce is a lie. With each dirty secret, we see pieces of Bruce fade, become less dominant, and simultaneously see Batman become more needed and, in a way, more truth than Bruce has ever truly known. The choices begin to become symbolic of this as well, as you are given the choice to approach a situation as Bruce or Batman, and eventually leading to a choice where you can save Bruce’s life or Batman’s life.

Batman the Telltale Series – Episode 2: Children of Arkham is a masterpiece of storytelling, not only telling a compelling story but setting up symbolic choices that embody so much more than a simple choice. This game is a must play for Batman fans or any fans of duality in literature or story.

You can watch my playthrough here: