Batman might know how to keep the citizens of Gotham City happy, but he hasn't exactly done the same for video gamers in his long, illustrious career.  He's been in NES games, Game Boy games, and has pretty much had at least a game or two on every system following those two.  The newest title - Rise of Sin Tzu - may not be exactly stunning, but it is at least a step in the right direction.  Following the tradition of having a ton of Batman games on the market, there is actually a Game Boy Advance game of the same name, but it's largely different from this title.

The game features a new character - a villian, to be exact - created by the revered Jim Lee.  The fellow's name is Sin Tzu, and he's a brilliant strategist.  A lot of strange things are going on in Gotham City, and in order to get to the bottom of things (where, surprise, Sin Tzu is waiting) you'll have to battle through hordes of thugs and mutants.  You'll also come across a few other bad guys that have appeared on the television show, including Scarecrow, Bane, and Clayface.

That's essentially the gist of the game: you battle through truckloads of enemies until you get to a boss, then repeat, until you finally reach the final battle.  It's definitely not a new concept, and it certainly isn't presented much differently here than anywhere else.  You start off by picking a character: Batman, Nightwing, Robin, or Batgirl are all available for your choosing.  They're each slightly different in terms of speed and power, but all fairly balanced so that one isn't drastically better than another.

The bulk of the game is undoubtedly in the combat.  Goons are continuously coming at you from all over, and while the AI is never that good, some of the thugs do put up a good challenge.  What you'll find to beat up these guys really isn't much different from any other beat-em'-up; you can punch, kick, jump, block, and grab.  By mixing up combinations of these moves, you'll discover a range of combos which will ultimately benefit you in the fight against crime.  Thankfully, the gameplay isn’t as shallow as that; there are a few other incentives to keep playing.  As you progress, you're given the opportunity to purchase new combos with points earned while fighting - a nice touch.  And when you perform these combos, you'll build up a power meter, which can be used to execute some very powerful special attacks.

A number of gadgets are also at your disposal.  There are flash pellets and smoke pellets, which can put your enemies at bay for a few moments.  Batarangs can be used to disarm or stun enemies, but there are a few other types of batarangs, too: the electric type is basically a more powerful version, and the ricochet batarang can hit up to four different enemies with one throw.  Bat Grapples can also be used similarly to knock down a few enemies at one time.

The game's level design is never particularly great.  You'll often wander through city streets devoid of anything but random boxes, tires, and explosive barrels.  The uncooperative camera doesn't help at all; it merely follows the action at an almost-overhead point of view, turning a complete ninety degrees when the level allows it.  Sometimes the action can't be seen at all, as when your character gets pushed behind some objects that are taller than himself, the objects make no attempt to become transparent, and the camera doesn't attempt to modify its angle at all.

Two-player cooperative play is definitely the best way to play the game, as the somewhat boring gameplay seems a lot more fun when you're going through with a friend.  The camera in this mode is almost worse, as it's absolutely no better when trying to keep track of two characters.  It doesn't even zoom out, which means that there are many times when both players are fighting different groups of enemies that happen to be completely off-screen.

The graphics in the game aren't anything to write home about.  Character models could use a few more polygons to smooth them over a bit, and textures throughout the game are a bit muddy, but at least the animation is pretty good.  Combos come together fairly fluidly, and that's a good thing in a game so reliant on them.  Environments don't look awful by any means, but a ton of re-used graphics throughout each level means that they'll seem pretty bland by the time you finish a stage.

Sound in the game is good, but nothing outstanding.  Sound effects are no doubt the most important point here, and each punch and kick does seem to differ from the one before it, which is nice.  The music in the game is decent, too.  You'll get your fair share of the Batman theme and some other tunes reminiscent of those heard throughout the TV cartoon.  You'll also find each character spout out lines as they kick butt in the game, and while some of them are actually cute the first time, you'll be really sick of hearing each one thirty times.

All in all, the game is solid, but never really ground-breaking.  Some drab levels, dumb enemy AI, and a decent combat system come together to make a game that can be fun at times, but is actually a bit dull many other times.  Two-player co-op play is actually fun for a while though - it seems that going at it with a friend, despite the game's flaws, is a good way to waste some time.  It's not too impressive and it shouldn't be at the top of anyone's must-have list, but the game could make for a great rental on a lazy weekend.  Check it out if you and your buddy are Batman fans looking for a few hours of fun.

Gameplay: 6.0

A lot of decent but little more than that combo-based combat with a lot of pretty dumb enemies makes for a decent time, if you have a friend to play with.  Don't expect anything amazing, though.

Graphics: 6.5

With merely okay character models in a pretty drab setting, the graphics aren't too great - but they get the job done here.

Sound: 7.0

Fitting music, good sound effects, and little quips that are at least funny the first time meant that I had no problem keeping my TV's volume on.

Concept: 5.5

The lack of originality in this game is unfortunate.  It's really nothing more than a 3D adaptation of every other 2D beat-em'-up in existence.  The addition of the new villian, Sin Tzu, however, is a nice touch and a good reason for Batman fans to play the game.

Difficulty: Medium

The game does offer three different difficulty levels, and each seems to be in tune with their description.  Easy is easy, Normal might take an extra try or two, and Hard will give you a bit of a run for your money.

Multiplayer: 7.5

For some reason, even games with fairly simplistic gameplay are a heck of a lot more fun if you can play alongside a friend.  This game is no exception.  Unfortunately, co-op isn't perfect, as the camera's flaws are even more apparent in this mode.

Overall: 6.5

If you're a Batman fan, and you've got a friend to play with, you will probably enjoy The Rise of Sin Tzu.  The gameplay isn't really deep, and the game doesn't do well in many particular categories, but the inclusion of an original character means that the game should hold your attention for a good few hours - perfect for a rental!