Batman Begins (GBA)

That's kind of a bland title screen, but it does get the job done I suppose. It's got the correct logo and the title, plus some helpful copyright info. It doesn't need 'Press Start' because it goes straight to the game by itself.

That's pretty nasty looking in my opinion.

The cutscenes use comic book style panels to tell the story.

It's a sensible idea, but they don't look so good with the GBA's limited colour depth and resolution.

Feeling smug after scaring the criminals, Batman takes a moment to pose and admire the view.

Huh, am I playing as Batwoman? Why is he wearing lipstick?

Wow, these graphics are a real mess, especially compared to the previous GBA game, Batman: Rise of Sin Tsu.

But enemies go down in a couple of hits! And have health bars! In Sin Tzu it'd take a while to knock out an opponent, but this is much faster.

And I have to admit it does look better in motion. Batman can do uppercuts, headbutts, rolls, double jump somersaults, block, glide around with his cape... all animated fluidly. And the music is very atmospheric and fitting.

And now that I'm bored of doing flips I need to figure out where the hell I'm supposed to go next.

Oh, I just have to break through the roof!

Uh, hi! Nice boxes.

Enemies can block the same as I can, but fighting them isn't much of a challenge as long as I can get in the right position.

Okay, some stuff happened, and now the building's on fire. But it's okay because there's no one else here but assholes.

Batman really shouldn't crawl along pipes like this, it looks kind of stupid.

Grappling hook, that's more of a Batman way to get around.

It takes some real nerve to leap out of a building and use your cape as a glider. All my instincts would be saying 'put your arms out in front to break your fall!'.

Shhhhhh. He doesn't know I'm coming. I'm going to sneak up and surprise him with a surprise punch to the back of the head.

Poor Dr Crane isn't looking too healthy. But he isn't the one I've got to fight.

He's apparently being literal, but he's brought this guy in pink out to do the killing for him. Okay, let's get this over with.

Damn, he came really close to finishing me off, but I managed to beat him. Time to confront Dr Crane.

I tried to jump out of the way, but there was no escaping the fear gas.

Another comic book cutscene, as Batman starts flashing back to other things that have scared him in the past.

Awesome! It's always nice to find a GBA game with saves. Even the half-decent Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu had passwords.

Whoa, I've finally reached the start of the game! This is the real title screen and it looks a hell of a lot better than that other screen in my opinion.

Batman's still tripping out on fear gas so we're flashing back to the events that led him to becoming The Bat.

Finally, after so many Batman games I actually get to play as Bruce Wayne for once.

Though he seems to have developed a slight neck problem.

That guy's face is awesome.

Bruce gracefully swings from rope to rope.

Huh, what? I just left him at the start of the level. I had to jump up a cliff to get here!

He just sidesteps the question by telling me that if I master my environment I can be a wraith in men's minds.

And now I have to fight a room full of ninjas, to finally test the law of inverse ninja strength in a controlled environment. For science.

Halfway through the fight they helpfully teach me that I can press L to block. I hope that if I'm ever in a similar situation, my teachers will have taught me the fundamentals of combat before the 'trapped in a roomful of ninjas with swords' test.

Three ninjas, one kick, one hit point left! I'm cutting it close.

Oh no... no no no no no. Not a stealth level. I hate stealth levels.

I leap from wall to wall to ascend, hoping that this is all just a misunderstanding, and by 'undetected' he just means 'no survivors'.

Dammit!

That might have gone better if they'd given me some advice on how to stay undetected. I don't know how I'm meant to be doing this.

Double dammit!

Well I'm through with that then. I did actually make it past this bit after the 20th try, but by that time my interest had faded, and I don't look forward to having to do it again at some point.


Don't worry, that's the last of the GBA Batman games now, I'll be playing something different next time.

Other Batman games on GBA:
2001 - Batman Vengeance
2003 - Batman: Rise of Sin Tsu