Developer: Malibu Interactive Publisher: Sega Released: 1992 Genre: Action
Batman 1989 was a phenomenon the likes of which you can’t imagine. To this day few movies can match its marketing blitz. With its success anticipation for Batman Returns was incredibly high. Whether the movie matched those expectations is up for debate. But we did get some pretty cool games out of it for nearly every platform. The Sega Genesis version of Batman Returns is an interesting title that could have been one of the best with a little more polish. Instead it is a frustrating experience marred by unresponsive controls, confusing level design, and obscene difficulty.
Like the rest of the Batman Returns games this version follows the plot of the movie. It picks up in the middle of the film and with good reason; Batman doesn’t actually show up in his own god damn movie until 45 minutes in! Where most of the other titles were side scrolling beat em ups this one is an action platformer. The skeleton of a good game is there but it doesn’t come together in the end.
I have to at least give the game credit: it nails the dark atmosphere of the movie pretty well. The game has an overall dark and gritty look that while a bit grainy is excellent. Every environment is highly detailed and combined with the large sprites paints a pretty picture. They take some liberties in terms of set pieces to make the game longer but that change is welcome. The movie’s theme is pretty limiting as can be evidenced by the repetitive Penguin and Catwoman boss fights as well as the annoying purple filter applied to everything. But as a whole Sega have done a good job on the presentation side.
If only it played better. Batman has a few melee moves that are all but useless. Your punches have little range and kicks, while better, aren’t consistent. Apparently someone recognized this as there are a variety of subweapons with ample ammo to use. Batarangs are of course standard and they also come in the heat seeking variety. Smoke bombs don’t inflict damage but can stun an enemy which is incredibly useful. The harpoon gun does not get much use but its long range can be advantageous. Lastly you can unleash a flurry of bats which is your strongest attack but this one is very rare.
Most of the game’s problems stem from the grappling hook. At any time you can use the grappling hook to swing from ledges or ascend vertically. But it’s finicky implementation makes it frustrating to use. This is a platform focused game and it relies on this mechanic heavily by its midpoint. The level design ends up being confusing as hell and inconsistent. Platforms you can stand and swing aren’t always obvious leading to constant falls. It makes what should be some of the more interesting levels like the mall and red triangle circus a nightmare rather than the fun playground they should be. The last level is an absolute train wreck of all the game’s problems and legit made me want to slam my controller.
The platforming is not the only reason Batman Returns is aggravating. The game has a litany of other problems. The hit detection is bad and means you’ll trade blows with most enemies if you use melee attacks. The enemy placement is consistently bad. There are frequent off-screen enemies that are all but impossible to avoid. Sometimes they are in areas where you have to take a hit in order to progress. If the grappling hook failing to deploy doesn’t kill you the leaps of faith will.
Yet there are times when the game isn’t falling apart that it is genuinely fun. Any segment that allows you to spread your cape and glide around is fun. Early on you have to wend your way down a crumbling tenement building. You can glide or if you are feeling brave use the grappling hook to do so but either way it is exciting. After beating the penguin in the mall he drops a massive spiked ball that you have to stay one step ahead of to avoid being crushed. Even the boss battles are enjoyable despite their difficulty. But these moments are few when spread out in such a long game. If the game’s flaws were not so abundant this could have been a solid game. Instead it is a difficult mess.
In Closing
Batman Returns is a frustrating game and not worth seeking out. You can see that there was some effort put into it but bad execution ruins it. With a little polish Batman Returns could have been great. Instead it is one of the most forgettable titles using the license. Play the SNES version instead.
