Batman Begins [GC]

On the other hand, Begins usually feels like Batman For Dummies -- or, to be more precise, a dumbed down version of Splinter Cell, which is disappointing. Unlike Ubisoft's action-stealth series, known for its flexibility, Batman's options are always limited and his progression extremely linear. Context-sensitive icons appear perpetually throughout levels to let Batman know exactly when and where he can use one of his few items to trigger an event. The superhero is unable to use any of his gadgets unless an icon is being displayed. So, players can't randomly hurl a Batarang into a warehouse. Rather, an icon on a window will illustrate where the Batarang goes, and when the Dark Knight approaches, he can finally throw his weapon. The game continually holds the hands of players in this way and as a result the action is never overly challenging or the puzzles difficult. By aspiring to be like Splinter Cell, the developer has begged the comparison and -- shown side by side -- Batman just doesn't stack up. That's not to suggest that it isn't fun or enjoyable, because it is, while it lasts. But it's also comparatively shallow, a truth that announces itself when the game draws to an anticlimactic end roughly seven to eight hours after it begins.

Gamers who can look past the title's short challenge will still find a highly competent Batman adventure romp. There are even some enjoyable Burnout-style racing levels that successfully break up the mix of third-person stealth and action sequences. Plus, Begins brings a few interesting additions of its own to the stealth-action genre, including a new fear meter in which Batman can do things in the environments to scare his enemies before he attacks them; the benefit to doing this is that they will become so frightened that they drop their weapons, leaving themselves open for attack. It's a welcomed mechanic that adds a layer of strategy to the experience. We'd like to see it explored further in future Batman games.

Just as impressive is Eurocom's execution of the look of the game. It's gorgeous. Batman is modeled with impressive detail and moves fluidly through some truly stunning, stylized environments complete with shimmering light beams and advanced particle effects. Levels like the Gotham Docks are surrounded in beautiful moonbeam backgrounds and another stage takes place on a moving train. Every area in the game features scripted sequences, or animated events that transpire using the game engine, and all of them look great. Plus, it all runs at 60 frames per second, and supports progressive scan, 16x9 widescreen and Dolby Pro Logic II on GameCube. A real visual and aural treat for Batman fans and easily the best looking Dark Knight title ever. On the downside, some of the characters animate oddly in a few cut sequences and the camera can occasionally get in the way during up-close fight sequences.

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