Now this is how you make a great game featuring a great comic book/cartoon icon.
User Rating: 8 | Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu GC
All we Batman fans ask of video game producers is to at least consider making a quality product while considering the many lucrative possibilities that come with the license. Taking into account that Batman is, at the core, a crime FIGHTER. I stress the word "fighter" because you cannot have a game featuring the caped crusader without some form of fisticuffs. Knowing how to apply said fisticuffs, as well as Bats' many other attributes (an acumen for methodical planning, problem solving, detective work etc.) to a well rounded product has been one of the most arduous tasks for developers since the first Batman game for the NES over a decade ago. There have been hits (the aforementioned NES Batman, The Adventure of Batman and Robin for SNES); near hits, but mostly misses (the 16-bit Batman Forever, Batman Returns from SNES); and just plain garbage (the awful Batman: Dark Tomorrow, Batman Raturns for Sega Genesis). The last game based on Batman: TAS, Batman: Vengence, was just okay, in my opinion (it was mostly hampered by attempting to do too many things all at once, none of which it did very well), although its overall presentation was good enough. If anything, it showed that the makers at least knew the cartoon well enough, as the game felt like an extension of the series, not just a game with Batman and crew in it. With my take on the whole "there can never be a good Batman game" argument out of the way...on with my opinion on this game... Batman: Rise of the Sun Tzu's first great step is having a good story featuring a couple of well-known villians from Bats' rogues gallery, and the addition of a new, well thought-out villian. In addition, the game features a cast of four playable characters, which adds immensely to the replay value. It also boasts excellent graphics and sounds, inspired by the cartoon series (all the voice actors from the show are here, including the incomparable Kevin Conroy as Batman). This game just has quality written all over it. The game is a straight-up beat-em-up game, and although the constant button mashing action can, at times, become repetitive (if one does not moderate their playing time), the consistent quality of the game always shines through. This is a great game that I truly hope will have a follow up - If only Superman had a quality game like this one... I give this game my highest recommendation for fans of beat-em-ups, as well as Batman fans, or just the plain curious. I'm truly, truly, truly, truly hoping that game producers consider this game's approach to Batman if another is ever to be made...chances are they'll attempt to fix Dark Tomorrow's ugly problems, and create an even bigger mess. It's pretty cheap to buy this game at this point, so grab the game and cherish it like I do. 
