In 1995, it was abundantly clear that the Sega Genesis was entering its final years. Both the Playstation and Saturn were in stores, with the Nintendo 64 not far behind. In spite of this, developers such as Treasure and Clockwork Tortoise Inc. were pushing the 16-bit console far beyond conceivable limits. Wait. Clockwork Tortoise Inc? Yeah, I uh... probably should've looked up the developer of The Adventures of Batman & Robin sooner. To be fair, they had only released two games before getting disbanded in 1996, both of which sharing the same name but are otherwise quite different. Today's look is the Run & Gun they developed, and it's quite impressive, if a little uneven.
The basic and I mean basic plot is that a handful of Batman's most notorious archenemies have busted out of Arkham. As Batman or Robin, you must take the fight to them over 4 stages, all of which are divided into multiple sections. Both heroes can also team up to form some sort of dynamic duo, provided of course you have a second player in your life. In any case, since this game draws inspiration from the likes of Contra and Gunstar Heroes, you can expect to shoot through hordes of goons, swarms of devious flying objects, and a wealth of massive bosses.
Unlike some other Batman game, no hero is firing a gun. Instead, you'll be flinging batarangs, shuriken, or bolos at a fast yet strangely rhythmic pace. Letting go of the fire button for a brief moment charges up a stronger projectile attack. When close to enemies, the fire button becomes a punch button. It's a very elegant method for those context-sensitive situations. Punches tend to swiftly eliminate whatever they come into contact with, making up for their lack of reach & coverage. Absolutely do not forget about your jump-kick either. It has two angles of attack, though I figure you'll use them to dodge attacks more effectively; kicking whatever is in the way is a nice bonus.
Rather than an attempt to design enemies that could appear in every stage, Tortoise opted to instead design henchmen that are villain appropriate. Since the first crook you'll be chasing is The Joker, his goons are dressed in clown attire and swinging crowbars like they're robbing every store in Gotham. Even the larger guys are in on the heist with their bulky sacks filled with ill-gotten goods. It's a nice bit of flavor that serves both narrative and gameplay. Most of the goons aren't armed with guns because they hadn't accounted for Batman showing up literally the second they started their crime spree. Dealing with their seemingly endless numbers, along with the occasional burly dudes and the few who brought guns, all while the towering city burns. I tell you, it's almost majestic. This game is a near-constant barrage of visual effects, and they're astounding. I could definitely live without the screen-flashes though. They tend to occur during massive explosions or when picking up the screen-clearing skulls.
Shortly after dealing with the first boss, the next enemy-type is introduced: little helicopters bearing a maniacal smile. In most cases, enemies tend to be either the kind that walk on two legs with hopes of battering & blasting the heroes, or smaller flying "popcorn" adversaries. Easy to destroy yet quick to overwhelm. It's here that the pattern of this game emerges. Each area is a straightforward slice of minimalist architecture and waves of baddies. Whether they're running or flying, you're always being pursued. You can fight all you want, but that health meter won't last. The pacing is a step below frenetic. It's clearly communicated when you should keep moving, and when you should take a brief moment to assess the next attack.
The Adventures of Batman & Robin effortlessly juggles a multitude of pulse-pounding scenarios... for the first 15 minutes. If you're familiar with the game, then you already know that I'm about to discuss the shmup section. Utilizing the rare combination of a side-scroller with a topdown-perspective, this part of the game has our heroes blasting a myriad of airborne vehicles out of the sky. This section can be further divided into three parts. The first, where you're flying over the streets of Gotham, looks amazing even today. The third, where you attack Two-Face's giant air fortress, features a series of intense battles. Then there's the second part, the one I'd prefer to skip entirely because it's just missiles and helicopters and more missiles and a couple of jets and some more helicopters and a few planes and ENOUGH! For reasons unknown, Clockwork stretched this portion of the game out way too much. Seriously, it's 15 minutes. I've reviewed entire shmups that could be completed in that amount of time.
While I could pretend to say that I hate dwelling on stuff like this, you know I'm lying because otherwise what else would I have to complain about? This is a prime example of a vehicle section that takes a good idea too far. Shaving it in half would've made an immense difference. There are other parts of the game that could use a minor trim. I'm talking like a minute here and a minute there. Mainly, I believe that there's a stellar 45-50-minute-long game here. Trying to push it past the hour mark is when the cracks start to appear.
Before going any further, I have to take a moment to appreciate Mad Hatter's stage. From its theming to the level-design, this is expert craftmanship. It starts with a visually subdued yet mechanically intense backstage section, which culminates in a fantastic-looking Cheshire Cat boss. Falling further into this twisted Alice in Wonderland world, Batman hops across giant mushrooms and is then attacked by a giant toy that tries to hop on him. The following section as well as the Mad Hatter battle are just exquisite. I'd argue it's the game's peak...
...Which is unfortunate because that still leaves the entire last stage to get through. There's nothing outwardly bad about the Mr. Freeze portion of the adventure, but its highs are a little disappointing compared to what came before. Even on my first playthrough decades ago, I remember thinking that there had to have been a fifth stage or an ultimate final boss. Unfortunately, neither are the case. This isn't something to dwell on, especially considering the harsh constraints of game development. Still, I wish there was a better finale.
Being slightly uneven and too long at points aren't nearly enough for me to dissuade anyone from checking out The Adventures of Batman & Robin. It is in every respect a stellar showcase of the Mega Drive hardware, and a really damn good game. There aren't enough words to describe just how phenomenal the Jesper Kyd soundtrack is. The way it syncs up with every throw of a batarang is a triumph of sound-design. Expect a stiff challenge, but don't be too concerned about potentially hitting a brick wall. Restoratives, extra lives, and credits are generous enough that players can make meaningful progress with every attempt.
Absolutely give it a shot.
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