Telltale's new Batman series starts on August 2nd

Next month you’ll be able to see what it’s really like to be Bruce Wayne. Today Telltale Games — the studio behind renowned episodic series like The Walking Dead and The Wolf Among Us — announced that its take on Batman will be making its debut on August 2nd. Called "Realm of Shadows," it’s the first of five planned episodes, all of which are expected to launch before the end of the year.

"It starts in a familiar place."

Like most Telltale games, the new Batman will be play out largely like an interactive drama focused on making tough moral decisions, punctuated by moments of action. But unlike most Batman games, the series will see you splitting time equally between Batman and Bruce Wayne, as you explore both sides of the character; your choices in one role can influence what happens in the other. You can get an idea of how things will play out in the debut gameplay trailer above.

The game also takes place in its own version of the Batman timeline, distinct from other games, movies, or comics. "It starts in a familiar place," Telltale CEO Kevin Bruner told The Verge back at E3, "but it does not end in a familiar place." The game will be available on a huge range of platforms when it’s available next month, including PC, Mac, iOS, Android, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One.