Batman Begins

by Electronic Arts

Product Features

• Batman Begins challenges players to use fear as their ultimate weapon
• Gamers must use their environment, from scaling buildings and soaring between rooftops
• brings gamers into the Batman universe, allowing them to experience the origins of the Dark Knight as both Bruce Wayne and Batman
• Scale buildings and soar between rooftops as you explore an interactive Gotham City and pick off prey, one by one
• Use the Utility Belt's high-tech crime fighting gadgets -- the Batgrapple, Batarang, Optic Cables, Lock Picks and more -- combined with mixed martial arts combos to dominate Gotham City

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B000809P9Y
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.8 x 0.5 inches ; 4.8 ounces
• Media: Video Game
• Release Date: June 7, 2005
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (38 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #11,979 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Platform: PlayStation2

From the Manufacturer

Step into the shadows of Gotham City’s perilous criminal underworld as DC Comics’ legendary Dark Knight in the Batman Begins video game. 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 Batman universe 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.

Features:

• Fear is your weapon: Stalk and terrorize enemies, or strike from above to pick off prey one by one. Use the environment to turn enemies against each other and defeat them before ever joining the fight. Take out an enemy with an attack from above and watch the fear level of his fellow thugs increase.
• Interactive environments: gamers must use their environments, from scaling buildings and gliding between rooftops, to triggering explosions and unleashing the insane inmates of Arkham Asylum against their enemies, to bring justice to Gotham.
• Cinematic combat: mixed martial-arts combat and devastating finishing moves developed exclusively for Batman Begins are faithfully recreated in the game with the assistance of the film’s stunt coordinator.
• The bat utility belt: delve deep into the ultimate arsenal of high-tech crime fighting gadgets, including the batgrapple, batarang, optic cables, and lock picks.
• The batmobile: Tear up the streets and rooftops of Gotham in the batmobile. Fight crime in multiple levels of lightning-fast vehicular combat.
• Experience Gotham City: Batman Begins brings gamers into the Batman universe, allowing them to experience the origins of the Dark Knight as both Bruce Wayne and his alter-ego Batman--from the alleys of Gotham City and depths of the Batcave to the twisted halls of Arkham Asylum.
• Epic storytelling: featuring a game script by JT Petty, the acclaimed writer of Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell, Batman Begins allows players to delve even deeper into the universe masterfully depicted in Christopher Nolan’s film.

Product Description

To be released on the same day as the highly-anticipated movie, Batman Begins follows the film as it explores the origins of the Batman legend and the Dark Knight's emergence as a force for good in Gotham. In the wake of his parents' murder, disillusioned industrial heir Bruce Wayne travels the world seeking the means to fight injustice and turn fear against those who prey on the fearful. He returns to Gotham and unveils his alter-ego: Batman, a masked crusader who uses his strength, intellect and an array of high tech deceptions to fight the sinister forces that threaten the city across 14 Gotham City locales.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Under-rated by the professionals, but a great adventure nontheless, July 3, 2005

By 

Lestor neeker Wong (Singapore) - See all my reviews

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Batman Begins (Video Game)

I've never been a fan of movie-based video games. You either play the game before watching the movie, and get yourself spoiled, or the other way around. It's a similar story when I was deciding whether to get Batman Begins. This is especially so when reviews on major gaming sites have unanimously slammed this game as an also-ran. Still, I went with my gut feeling and bought it anyhow, and I haven't regretted since.

If you've watched the movie, you'd notice that the plot in this game follows the one in the movie closely. I won't call it an exact replica, but you basically play through the movie, with variations as to how some objectives are achieved. You begin with a prologue, which takes you through some of the basics of the games. This is then followed by the Himalayans training section, which teaches you even more controls. From then on, you pretty much spend your game in Gotham, and boy, what a beautiful city this is.

Gotham is a sight to behold because the graphics in this game are quite awesome. The game takes you to various locales from the movie, like the earlier mentioned Himalayas, the Gotham Docks where Batman downed Falcone, and the Arkham Asylum where the Scarecrow operates, etc. The characters faces are really lifelike, but this is of course expected, since they are modeled after the actors. You also get to see actual footage from the movie, which is a nice touch that pushes the story forward a little in between the levels.

The controls for the game are quite straightforward. With the PS2, you get to kick using the triangle button and punch using the square button. When your enemy is close to expiry, you can use the circle button to "finish" him off. The X button is used for jumping. The shoulders buttons allow you to equip items and use them, as well as blocking an attack and rolling on the ground. It's all quite basic, and overall adequate in undergoing the various missions.

The game itself has several elements. You can call it an action game, but it's also a stealth game. Since an unarmed Batman is often easily wasted by an opponent with guns, you will need to sneak up on these opponents by patiently waiting for your chance, before performing a stealth kill on them. You can also use fear tactics to scare these dudes into dropping their guns, and these include sending boxes of crates towards them, setting off a security alarm (for a few times) and using a crane to lift a car up in midair. All these sound rather confusing, but the design of the game makes it very easy to achieve, and the linear nature of the game means that you're almost always told what to do so you won't get lost.

The game also feels like a Prince of Persia game at times, what with all the jumping around. Finding a way from point A to point B requires a careful scrutiny of the environment, and choosing the only right way to proceed. Therefore, it's entirely possible to miss a jump and fall to your dismal death. The good thing is, you always begin at your last save point, so you won't need to backtrack too much. There are a lot of these save points too, so you can safely maneuver without worrying too much about dying.

There are also two levels in the game that turn the game into a racing game, albeit only for these levels. Much like the Burnout series (now wholly owned by EA), you get to control the Tumbler and set off a journey of taking opponents down (Road Rage), beating a time limit to a destination (Time Attack), and even finding a "boss car" to destroy using the Batmobile's weapons. Way cool, if you ask me.

The audios of this game are also awesome. Having voice-acting from the actual actors from the show is one thing. Making them sound like they actually care, and belong, to the game is another. The soundtrack is also dynamic, providing a really neat tribute to the dark nature of the movie.

My main complaint for this game is the quite frequent slowdown in frame rate. It almost always happens when I'm moving when a conversation by opponents is going on. It's quite frustrating because here you're trying to move quickly without getting noticed, yet the game doesn't let you. The camera angle is also quite clumsy at times, even though you've full control of what you want to see. Apart from these, I'm quite satisfied with the game on the whole.

So, here you have it. A review from a fan who actually played through the game twice. Ok, maybe I'm pleased because I didn't have high expectations. But seriously, for a game that provides so much fun, I think the bad reviews are perhaps a little too harsh. Don't trust me for that though. Get hold of the game and try it for yourself. You may end up being a fan too.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Batman Begins, Only a Begining, July 30, 2005

By 

Steve Wayne "Bruce" (England) - See all my reviews

= Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Batman Begins (Video Game)

Batman begins is a title i have looked forward to for months. Both the film and the game. I have been a huge Batman fan for years, but always felt in game play, the developers were missing a huge oppurtunity.

When i purchased this game, i was not expecting much. This is for two reason, the poor games batman has had in the past, and also because many movie/game crossovers leave something to be desired for. This is obviously accountable as many games take years to make, whereas a film is done in about one year, and both have to be similar so they need to be made side by side, giving the game developers little time to create the desired game.

However, i now have to say i really like this game. This is a totally new angle to Batman, a secretive and silent stalker that preys on his victims fear. The premise for the game is also a very complex one, making your enemies afraid before you strike. This idea is a brlliant one, but i do feel the game has a lot more potential.

For instance, your trusty batarang. There is one real problem with it, its considered a swiss army knife, it is used for everything. It can be used in this way in real life i know, but it does make the game a very predictable one at times.

I also felt that creating the fear was not developed enough. I felt that the game gives you one chance to scare them. For instance, in one room you knock down a dinosaur statue. This scare four or five thugs and then you go and finish them. Unfortunatly, i think that this idea could be devloped further. If i were designing it, i would set Batman into a very open environment, allowing the gamer to follow his own path around obsticales. I would also make the fear factor lengthier, by gettin rid of the one big fear maker and replace it with having to introduce many small explosions and sounds, from a variety of places.This is what happens in the film and in many horror films.

One real plus is the batmobile levels. Theu were so well enhanced and were the funnest part of the game, giving a break from the slow secretive gameplay and breaking out into a faster mode. It was so good that the developers added another level, unheard of in the film, just to keep it in there for longer.

Overall, it is a good game that will be enjoyed thoroughly by Batman fans. However, more neutral parties will be disappointed and will compare it to more impressive games, such as Metal Gear Solid and Splinter Cell.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Batman Begins is a good first step., June 21, 2005

By 

Michael Greenfield "KatsOtomo" (Ft. Smith, AR USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Fun:3.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Batman Begins (Video Game)

First and foremost, this isn't a bad game. I enjoyed playing it very much, but I wanted more.

The graphics are stunning. I loved the dark gritty look of Gotham City and it's inhabitants. The characters were well done and the principle players looked remarkably like their real-life counterparts. The lighting effects within the game were great. Fires, sparks, shafts of light sifting through dusty crawlspaces... it just blew my mind. I'm usually very XBox biased, but this game made me see that the PS2 can produce graphics that can compete.

Beyond how the game looks, the controls were pretty easy to learn and were pretty intuitive. I didn't read the instruction book, and was off and running with very little trouble. The in-game help pop-ups and the training level with Ducard were great and didn't feel like an "Intro to being Batman" course. It fit in pretty seemlessly with the story. Driving the Batmobile was a joy. So much so, that I was disappointed that there is only two levels within the story.

With all that said, there are flaws here. Unfortunatly, the game is very short. I bought it on Thursday and finished it on the following Monday. It took maybe 10 hours to complete the game on the normal difficulty setting. I wanted more! I was also disappointed in the way the game handles all of Batman's goodies. Why is it that I can only throw the bat-a-rang when the game wants me to? Why can I only use the grappling hook in a limited few places? I wanted so much more in this area. Your main weapon is fear, but the only fear you are allowed to unleash on your enemys is that which the programmers set up for you. My last complaint...I wanted more extras. I loved all the movie clips and the interviews with the people who worked on the game. That stuff is always great to see. The alternative costumes are a good touch, too. I just wanted MORE! Maybe, I'm greedy, but I pay 39.99 for a game, I want my moneys worth.

In the end, I felt like I was on a very limited path through the game. I enjoyed the path very much, but I would have loved to be able to step off the path and work out new ways to terrify the bad guys out there.

Rent this game. Or, if movies are expensive in your area, buy it and take advantage of the free movie ticket. Enjoy the game and then trade it at your local game store. That way you'll get a free movie and a chance to play the game, but you'll only spend about the same amount of money that you would have if you'd just rented it.

Note to EA and WBIE: Do another Batman game! This one was fun and beautiful. Next time...Just give us more!

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