Batman: Partners in Peril

• Release Date: 1996
• Genre: Adventure
• Style: Interactive Movie
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Game Description

View a living comic book on your computer screen with Batman: Partners in Peril. As the story progresses frame-by-frame (either at the hands of the computer or under your manual command) you'll see over 80 animations ranging from the simplicity of a shot from one of the Penguin's umbrellas to the fluency of QuickTime animation segments taken directly from an early Batman cartoon series. Certain frames will contain file folders that help provide further clues to the plot.

The story involves the "perilous partnership" of the Riddler, the Joker, and the Penguin as they do what they do best -- terrorize Gotham City. If that isn't enough, Catwoman has decided that she wants to play, too. Batman and Robin certainly have their work cut out for them on all 23 animated pages. Luckily, Batgirl decides to help out as well. And where would the Dynamic Duo be without a few tips from Alfred? To find out what unfolds, just follow the bat-signal to Batman: Partners in Peril.

Roots & Influences

This game directly adapted an episode of an early Batman cartoon to interactive comic book format and featured an initial price tag of $9.99.

Review: Overall

In some instances Batman games turn out to be a lot of fun (e.g., Batman for the NES). But at other times (most times, unfortunately) the results are NOT pretty.

Such is the case with Batman: Partners in Peril. Don't be confused, folks. This isn't a game. All it amounts to is an episode of an early Batman cartoon adapted into an interactive comic book. For 23 pages you click from frame to frame to see how the story unfolds. Some frames feature a quick, simple animation while others show us a 5- to 10-second QuickTime clip from the adapted episode. There's very little else going on here. If you can click a mouse, you can "beat" this game. Holy terrible game, Batman!

The only thing saving this from the absolute worst rating on the All-Game scale is the story involved. Within the 20 minutes or so of story we get to see the Penguin, the Joker, the Riddler, and Catwoman go up against the Dynamic Duo and Batgirl. Sure, the story's lame. It doesn't even make much sense. But it's always fun to watch a conglomeration of super-villains try to thwart our heroes. Their presence makes it much more bearable than the Man of Steel's equivalent title, Superman: The Mysterious Mr. Mist.

Still, the fact that this title does little else than let you click your way through an episode of a show that you can watch daily on Cartoon Network makes Partners in Peril something that not even the most devoted Batman fan can appreciate. It might be good for a young tyke learning to use a computer but that's about it. Use your Batcomputer for something else.

Review: Enjoyment

It's mildly amusing to see several of Batman's foes team up against him at once. (Note the word "mildly.")

Review: Graphics

The non-QuickTime frames actually look better than those with the animation lifted from the episode.

Review: Sound

I don't know about you, but when I read Robin's character in a Batman comic, I automatically equate his voice with that of Casey Kasem. Seriously, though, the sound can be annoying, especially when it shifts from soft in the QuickTime clips to loud in the other frames.

Review: Replay Value

Is 20 minutes enough game time for you? If not, you can always repeat exactly what you did once again. Believe me, you won't.

Review: Documentation

There's no instruction booklet but you can figure it out pretty easily anyway.

Production Credits