Batman: The Enemy Within episode 4 finally delivers on some promises made last season, but it still leaves me with more questions. With a decent plot, some very good character interactions, and one really annoying bug, episode 4 will delight anyone looking for more John Doe. I will keep it to a minimum, but there will be some minor spoilers.
After the events of episode 3, Bruce Wayne and the villains head to Bodhi Spa to steal the virus from Sanctus in a more violent version of Ocean’s Eleven. Almost nothing goes according to plan, and no one is safe from the consequences. It’s a solid setup for the episode and later events.
Throughout the episode, you have some choices that do not impact the story and some bigger choices that seem to shift attitudes more than actual plot. In one situation, the other character seemed to be responding more to another answer than what I actually chose. It’s not huge, and I want them to tell me a good story. I just don’t like seeing the machinery underpinning the system.
Episode 4 was most successful in its approach to character interactions. If you have seen the trailer or played prior episodes, you know John Doe is a caterpillar in a cocoon, and episode 4 has plenty of moments where you can push or pull him, even though it never stops his forward momentum.
These interactions are the most fascinating part of the episode, because you can see him struggling internally to match what he believes to be true with what is happening in front of him. There is a great sense of walking this balance between trying to prevent a catastrophe, while trying to help someone who will eventually cause catastrophes.
I did not enjoy a glitch that forced me to keep pausing and resuming the game to prompt dialogue. Normally, I can pause and resume without any issues, but I found the characters awkwardly staring at each other mid-dialogue like a soap opera waiting for the next scene to switch and only continuing a sentence when I paused.
It only lasted until I hit the next loading screen, but the impact of that scene was lost in my own aggravation.
One other thing to note is that the episode felt a little shorter than other episodes, but I don’t feel cheated by that. Even though I wish we could have talked directly with a couple other characters, episode 4 tells a focused story with a good endpoint. There is no artificial bloat here.
Overall, Batman: The Enemy Within Episode 4 is a step in the right direction that leads us into the big episode 5 showdown with this season’s most interesting villains. Bruce Wayne’s mask is off in more ways than one, and John Doe is realizing his full potential with some interesting moments for him and Bruce.
I enjoyed my time with episode 4. As long you don’t encounter the same dialogue glitch, I think you will too.
Batman: The Enemy Within Episode 4 PS4 Review
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Overall - Very Good - 7.5/107.5/10
Summary
Batman: The Enemy Within Episode 4 tells a good story, but it is the interactions with John Doe that make this episode worth playing. If you have been waiting to see him take his next steps to becoming a legend, episode 4 has plenty to offer.
Review Disclaimer: This review was carried out using a retail version of the game bought at the expense of the reviewer. For more information, please read our Review Policy.
Reviewed using base PS4.
