Batman Begins (video game)

Batman Begins is a stealth action-adventure game based on the film of the same name.[2] It was released June 14, 2005, a day before the release of the film. It was developed by Eurocom and published by Electronic Arts in conjunction with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and DC Comics. It was released on Game Boy Advance, GameCube, PlayStation 2 and Xbox.[2] The film's original cast provided a voice-over reprisal in the game, with the exception of Gary Oldman, who portrays James Gordon, replaced by Gavin Hammon.

Batman Begins
North American cover art
Developer(s)Eurocom (GC, PS2 & Xbox)
Vicarious Visions (GBA)
Publisher(s)EA Games
Composer(s)Ian Livingstone
Platform(s)Game Boy Advance, GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox
Release
Genre(s)Stealth, action-adventure
Mode(s)Single-player

A PlayStation Portable version of the game was planned, but subsequently canceled.[3] A sequel, Batman: The Dark Knight, was developed for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 but ultimately got canceled as well.[4]

Gameplay

The game has a unique system involving intimidation. Batman Begins features the utilization of the environment to frighten opponents, which may cause them to drop their weapons. Certain gadgets designed to frighten enemies during combat are provided, such as smoke grenades, flash bang grenades, and an 'HF Transponder', which summons bats to gather around and incapacitate enemies with fear. On top of this is traditional stealth gameplay reminiscent of the Splinter Cell series, such as sneaking. There are many ways to incapacitate enemies with stealth, using various combat and martial arts techniques. The game also includes combat racing sections where the player drives the Batmobile.

Synopsis

The game follows the movie's plot very closely, with minor modifications. Throughout the game there are over 20 clips from the film that give context to the story. While it follows the movie, the game goes deeper into each scene, and includes a few additional events, such as a chase with the Tumbler in which Batman attempts and fails to stop the theft of the microwave emitter that Ra's al Ghul will use in his attack on Gotham City.

Plot

At an abadoned building in Gotham City, Batman throws an Arkham Asylum inmate through a window, who warns the other thugs present that "Batman's coming." Batman then arrives and beats the thugs, as the building is set on fire. Making his way through the burning building, fighting thugs and mentally ill Arkham Asylum inmates alike, he eventually encounters Dr. Jonathan Crane, who sprays him with his fear gas, causing Batman to jump out a window. Bruce Wayne then explains how he came to be Batman, and the game flashes back to one year prior, during Bruce's training with the League of Shadows in the Himalayas, under Henri Ducard's guidance. When Bruce is tasked with executing a criminal, he can't bring himself to do it and, upon learning the League intends to destroy Gotham, believing the city is beyond saving, he sets the League's temple on fire. Bruce is able to take the unconscious Ducard to safety, while most of the League, including their leader, Ra's al Ghul, perishes. Parting ways with Ducard, Bruce returns to Gotham where, aided by his butler, Alfred Pennyworth, and Wayne Enterprises archivist Lucius Fox, who supplies him with prototype defense technologies, becomes the vigilante Batman, inspired by his childhood fear of bats, while struggling to maintain a double life.

One week prior to the game's opening scene, Batman targets mob boss Carmine Falcone at the Gotham Docks, ultimately lifting his car using an electromagnetic crane and leaving him for the GCPD to find. He intercepts a drug shipment and informs his childhood friend and love interest, Rachel Dawes, providing her with enough evidence to enlist Sergeant James Gordon, one of Gotham's few honest cops, to arrest Falcone. Later, Bruce is informed by Lucius of the theft of a microwave emitter from Wayne Enterprises and pursues the robbers in the Tumbler, but fails to catch them due to using a decoy. Meanwhile, looking to learn more about the drug shipment and Falcone's associates, Batman tracks down Gordon's crooked partner, Arnold Flass, and intimidates him under the threat of leaving him to be murdered by Victor Zsasz, a psychotic serial killer and one of Falcone's enforcers, whom Flass was interrogating for information on Falcone's new 'partner'. Flass reveals that Falcone was also shipping some chemicals to Arkham Asylum psychatrist Jonathan Crane, which he used to create large quantities of his signature fear gas, and informs Batman of the shipment's location. Batman then heads over there, leading to the game's opening sequence.

As Bruce receives an antidote for Crane's drug from Lucius and recovers, Crane also drugs Falcone, causing him to be transferred to Arkham, and kidnaps Rachel when she tries to investigate the connection between him and Falcone. Infiltrating Arkham, swarming with Crane's goons, Batman learns that Crane has introduced his drug into Gotham's water supply, and rescues Rachel, while subduing Crane by exposing him to his own fear gas. As Batman interrogates Crane, learning he works for Ra's al Ghul, the GCPD storm Arkham, forcing Batman to speak with Gordon alone, informing him of Crane's operations and convincing him to help him escape in order to save Rachel's life, who was drugged by Crane. After escaping from the pursuing police in the Tumbler, Batman takes Rachel to the Batcave to recover, while choosing to keep his identity secret for her own safety.

Eventually, at his birthday party, Bruce is confronted by Ducard, who reveals himself as the true Ra's al Ghul and informs him of his plan to vaporize Gotham's water supply using the stolen microwave emitter, rendering Crane's drug airborne and causing mass hysteria that will destroy Gotham. The League of Shadows then sets the Wayne Manor on fire, but Bruce escapes with Lucius and Alfred to safety. As Gotham is consumed by chaos, Batman deals with Crane and rescues Rachel from Zsasz, indirectly revealing his identity to her, before boarding the train carrying the emitter. He defeats Ra's and, to stop the emitter from reaching the heart of Gotham and releasing the drug, detonates the Tumbler to destroy the monorail track. Batman escapes before the train crashes, killing Ra's.

With Gotham returning to normal, Bruce dedicates himself to being Batman - a symbol which strikes fear into criminals' hearts - while his life as Bruce remains nothing more than a mask.

Voice cast

Reception
Reception
Aggregate scores
AggregatorScore
GameRankings(Xbox) 67.20%[6]
(GC) 66.74%[7]
(PS2) 65.63%[8]
(GBA) 62.14%[9]
Metacritic(GC) 66/100[10]
(Xbox) 65/100[11]
(PS2) 64/100[12]
(GBA) 61/100[13]
Review scores
PublicationScore
EGM5.33/10[14]
Eurogamer6/10[15]
Game Informer7.25/10[16]
GamePro[17]
GameRevolutionC[18]
GameSpot6.8/10[19]
(PS2) 6.7/10[20]
(GBA) 5/10[21]
GameSpy(Xbox) [22]
[23]
GameTrailers7/10[24]
GameZone(GC) 7.2/10[25]
(Xbox) 6.1/10[26]
(PS2) 5.9/10[27]
IGN(GC) 7.6/10[28]
(GBA) 7/10[29]
6.8/10[30]
Nintendo Power(GC) 6.5/10[31]
(GBA) 5.5/10[32]
OPM (US)[33]
OXM (US)5/10[34]

Reviews of the game found it generally average. GameRankings gave it a score of 62.14% for the Game Boy Advance version,[9] 66.74% for the GameCube version,[7] 65.63% for the PlayStation 2 version,[8] and 67.20% for the Xbox version.[6] Likewise, Metacritic gave it a score of 61 out of 100 for the GBA version,[13] 66 out of 100 for the GameCube version,[10] 64 out of 100 for the PS2 version,[12] and 65 out of 100 for the Xbox version.[11] It received G4's award for 'Best Graphics on PS2 and Xbox'.

Cancelled sequel

On July 17, 2008, actor Gary Oldman said during an interview with G4's Kristin Adams that a video game sequel of the Batman Begins video game based on the second film of the franchise was in development.[35] In his interview on GameTrailers, Oldman said he knew an awful lot of effort had gone into getting Batman's gliding abilities to feel suitably smooth and fluid for Batman: The Dark Knight game. Oldman, who reprised his role as Lt. Jim Gordon, did not name a developer in the interview but anonymous sources reported that The Dark Knight was a secret project of Pandemic Studios and EA.[36][37] However, the project was cancelled and Pandemic Brisbane was shut down.[38]

References
  1. "Batman Starts for Xbox". Retrieved August 27, 2008.
  2. "Batman Begins Videogame Soars onto Shelves" (Press release). Electronic Arts and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. June 15, 2005. Archived from the original on April 26, 2007. Retrieved June 14, 2005.
  3. "Batman Begins (PlayStation Portable)". Retrieved January 2, 2017.
  4. Skipper, Ben (February 1, 2016). "Cancelled Batman game: Unseen 64 tells story of Pandemic's The Dark Knight movie tie-in". International Business Times. Retrieved May 12, 2018.
  5. "Batman Begins (2005 video game) Cast". IMDb. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
  6. "Batman Begins for Xbox". GameRankings. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
  7. "Batman Begins for GameCube". GameRankings. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
  8. "Batman Begins for PlayStation 2". GameRankings. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
  9. "Batman Begins for Game Boy Advance". GameRankings. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
  10. "Batman Begins for GameCube Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
  11. "Batman Begins for Xbox Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
  12. "Batman Begins for PlayStation 2 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
  13. "Batman Begins for Game Boy Advance Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
  14. "Batman Begins". Electronic Gaming Monthly (195). September 2005.
  15. Bramwell, Tom (June 17, 2005). "Batman Begins Review (Xbox)". Eurogamer. Retrieved November 23, 2013.
  16. Mason, Lisa (August 2005). "Batman Begins". Game Informer (148): 97. Archived from the original on November 4, 2005. Retrieved November 23, 2013.
  17. Doctor Zombie (December 2, 2005). "Review: Batman Begins". GamePro. Archived from the original on October 16, 2006. Retrieved November 23, 2013.
  18. Hurh, JP (June 2005). "Batman Begins Review". Game Revolution. Retrieved November 23, 2013.
  19. Colayco, Bob (June 17, 2005). "Batman Begins Review". GameSpot. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
  20. Colayco, Bob (June 17, 2005). "Batman Begins Review (PS2)". GameSpot. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
  21. Provo, Frank (July 6, 2005). "Batman Begins Review (GBA)". GameSpot. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
  22. Tuttle, Will (June 20, 2005). "GameSpy: Batman Begins (Xbox)". GameSpy. Retrieved November 23, 2013.
  23. Tuttle, Will (June 20, 2005). "GameSpy: Batman Begins". GameSpy. Retrieved November 23, 2013.
  24. "Batman Begins Review". GameTrailers. June 23, 2005. Retrieved November 23, 2013.
  25. Romano, Natalie (June 28, 2005). "Batman Begins - GC - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on November 3, 2008. Retrieved November 23, 2013.
  26. Knutson, Michael (June 26, 2005). "Batman Begins - XB - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on July 6, 2008. Retrieved November 23, 2013.
  27. Bedigian, Louis (June 26, 2005). "Batman Begins - PS2 - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on December 23, 2008. Retrieved November 23, 2013.
  28. Casamassina, Matt (June 16, 2005). "Batman Begins (GC)". IGN. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
  29. Harris, Craig (June 21, 2005). "Batman Begins (GBA)". IGN. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
  30. Sulic, Ivan; Lewis, Ed (June 15, 2005). "Batman Begins". IGN. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
  31. "Batman Begins (GC)". Nintendo Power. 195: 80. August 2005.
  32. "Batman Begins (GBA)". Nintendo Power. 195: 85. August 2005.
  33. 1UP Staff (August 2, 2005). "Batman Begins (PS2)". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine. Archived from the original on December 2, 2013. Retrieved November 23, 2013.
  34. "Batman Begins". Official Xbox Magazine: 82. September 2005.
  35. "'Dark Knight' Game Leaks". Retrieved January 2, 2017.
  36. Casamassina, Matt (May 17, 2007). "Rumor: Pandemic to Develop New Batman Game". Retrieved January 2, 2017.
  37. "'Dark Knight' reigns not in video game - Newsweek Technology - Newsweek.com". August 21, 2008. Archived from the original on August 21, 2008. Retrieved January 2, 2017.
  38. "Screwing Up Batman". Retrieved January 2, 2017.
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