"Na na na na Na na na na BATMAN!” As if the theme of 1960’s Batman show wasn’t catchy enough, Traveller’s Tales has created one of the most inspiring Batman video games in recent memory that’ll have you hook, line and sinker. The only catch is that you have to forget that noir and dark themes of the ‘90’s cartoons and latest films of from Christopher Nolan because LEGO Batman: The Videogame is campy to the core. If you are looking for a brooding Batman, you should look elsewhere because this is all about having fun rather than being the best darn detective of Gotham City.
If you are a Batman fanatic, you’ll feel right at home with the cast of villains presented. Joker, Riddler, Two-Face, Bane, Harley Quinn, The Scarecrow, Man-Bat, Mr. Freeze, Poison Ivy, Catwoman, Penguin, Clayface, Killer Croc, the Mad Hatter, and the Killer Moth all show their grimy faces throughout the title. Traveller’s Tales also included Batgirl and Nightwing, but they show up nowhere within the storyline and are only options in the Free Play mode. But if you are picking up LEGO Batman to play as one of his two-bit sidekicks, you are obviously playing for the wrong reasons because the Batman is all about the Dark Knight and his rogues’ gallery.
The story won’t be the best you’ve ever experienced, but it’ll captivate you from start to finish. Its charm and lighthearted nature is similar to the past LEGO games, so if you’re a LEGO veteran, you should know what to expect. The plot revolves around the villains escaping Arkham Asylum in both scenarios presented. The first scenario lets you play as Batman and/or Robin to stop those dastardly villains in their tracks. The other scenario pits you in the role as the villains with a lot of fun to be had scheming against the Caped Crusader.
In total, there are 30 levels to play through – split evenly between heroes and the villains – and are thoroughly enjoyable if you are a Batman fan. There are four suits each provided to Batman and Robin to change up the gameplay a bit. The Heat Protection Suit is an amusing choice as it turns Batman’s suit into an all red costume that makes him look like Hellboy. For Robin, his Water Suit brings up not-so-fond memories of Aquaman due to the flippers and color choices.
So instead of offering you a wide variety of characters to play through LEGO Batman, players have the option of switching through the costumes of each hero. If you’ve ever played a LEGO game, you’ll know exactly what to expect with the gameplay. You’ll be collecting items, smashing everything in sight, enjoying special abilities unique to each villain, and driving Batman themed vehicles through levels. It’s nothing out of the norm, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing as the slapstick humor is appealing as ever. As expected, the graphics haven’t made a gigantic leap nor has the audio department.
Running into glitches is irritating and mind-bending when thinking about the simplicity of the title. If Traveller’s Tales can figure out how to put a little more production into the graphical presentation and include an online cooperative mode, you might just see the next LEGO title as a potential GOTY candidate if they keep up their stellar success of churning out real winners. LEGO Batman is a surefire hit for this holiday as its puzzles and comedy bring out the best in the title.
