Batman has been a part of my life for over 30 years now. Through various movies and video games, and not to mention the wealth of incredible stories told through the comics, he quickly became my favourite superhero. To this day, the world of Gotham City and the Caped Crusader still fascinate me, with Absolute Batman being one of the best takes on the source material I’ve ever read. With so much history to choose from, LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight has the potential to make one of the best games possible involving Bruce Wayne and his alter ego.
One of my fondest memories was watching Batman Returns with my cousin at a one-screen cinema near my hometown when I was ten-years old. I quickly fell in love with the world, the characters, and the story. Everyone has a favourite Batman, and mine has always been Michael Keaton. That’s not to say the others haven’t been great. Some are obviously better than others (Matt Reeves did a much better job than Christopher Nolan, don’t hurt me!), but regardless, there’s something fascinating about Gotham City and the freaks that inhabit it.
TT Games has made not only made its greatest game of all time, but one of the best Batman games ever. The Arkham trilogy aside, this is excellent. To claim this is a legacy is bold. However, the developers have encapsulated everything fans love. They’ve made something unlike anything I’ve seen before. There’s one story that runs through it, but the way each and every Batman movie is incorporated made me smile from ear to ear every time a reference popped up. Some are more obvious than others, but every one was cool as hell.
It’s not only the movies that get referenced here. Many of the comics feature throughout, as does Rocksteady’s Arkham series. There are also a ton of pop culture and gaming references that always made me happy. At it’s heart, though, is a love letter to Batman and everyone that makes the stories so beloved. Each movie is given its time in the limelight. Nolan’s trilogy feels like the most used, from the opening tutorial with Ra’s al Ghul in the Himalayas to one of the standout moments chasing The Joker across Gotham, taken straight from The Dark Knight.
We get recreations of that famous scene where Pattinson’s Batman walks in slow motion towards The Penguin in his overturned car; the scene at the circus with Two-Face from Batman Forever; the legendary museum scene from 1989’s Batman; and the walk through Arkham Asylum as The Joker as you escort him from Rocksteady’s first game in the trilogy to name just a few. It’s a celebration of a legacy, and from these big set pieces to blink-and-you-miss-them Easter Eggs, the game is filled with so many amazing references.
LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight also has some solid gameplay. Easily the most in-depth of TT Games’ catalogue, it takes much of its inspiration from Rocksteady. Combat is methodical and varied. Fighting off a gang of criminals involves punching, blocking, and countering, along with using gadgets to take enemies down. Throughout the campaign, Batman partners with various friends to not only fight but utilise for platforming and puzzle-solving. Each one has their own gadgets and costumes, and I enjoyed playing as them all.
Catwoman can cut glass to get inside various rooms and buildings, as well as call upon cats to crawl through small vents; Nightwing and Robin are similar, with both being able to connect platforms with rope and use their staff; Jim Gordon has a foam gun to put out fires and block pipes pumping out water and gas; Talia can teleport to unreachable areas; and Batgirl uses tech to hack control terminals, switch off security systems, and more. Each chapter takes advantage of every friend, but you can freely switch in-between missions.
These missions take you to famous locations across Gotham, such as the Iceberg Lounge and the ACE Chemicals. They often have you using your skills to progress, fight off waves of bad guys, and take down one of the villains from Batman’s rogue’s gallery. Despite having a similar formula, they never get repetitive due to the variety of puzzles and fantastic level design. This is a gorgeous game, and every environment is filled with delightful details and secrets. My favourite to explore was the Gotham Museum, due to some pretty cool Justice League artefacts.
Along with completing missions, you can freely return to the Batcave. Here, you can admire all the suits you’ve unlocked for your heroes; check out all of your vehicles; check out what challenges to complete; decorate with furniture and items unlocked; and more. From time to time, the Batphone might even ring with random phone calls from one particular villain who once broke the Batman’s back. Alfred is there to keep you company, and I would often return just to do some important redecorating.
Batman would never be as popular if it wasn’t for the villains he faces. LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight is filled with them. From big names like The Penguin, The Joker, Two-Face, and Poison Ivy, to lesser known enemies like Calendar Man, Killer Moth, and Solomon Grundy, they’re everywhere. Some you don’t even get to fight yet exist within the world. Seeing a billboard featuring a musical called Bats with the Cats font, staring Kirk Langstrom, was great nod to such an underused yet awesome villain.
The actors do an excellent job of giving the characters life. Easily my favourite was Matt Berry’s Bane. I laughed so much hearing him straying the line of recreating Tom Hardy’s dialogue while providing his own take on the character with excellent delivery in his own unique style. What We Do in the League of Shadows, if you will. Throughout the campaign, there was never a moment I got bored, but I could never wait to get back to exploring Gotham City and seeing what secrets I could find, along with the countless collectables and side missions.
There are WayneTech caches to find; Riddler puzzles to solve; fast travel locations to unlock; combat, traversal, and racing time trials to complete, and so much more. By taking time to complete all the extra content, you’re rewarded with new suits for Batman and his friends, and not to mention the studs to go and spend in Bat-Mite’s various stores throughout the city. There’s so much to do even when the story is over, and even missions can be completed again in case certain collectables were missed the first time around.
LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight is filled with joy. As someone who has loved this character for so long throughout all his iterations, there’s so much to love. While traversal can be frustrating not always being able to grapple to a place you want to, and combat feeling a touch to slow, I still adored every opportunity I got to explore and soar throughout the streets of Gotham. The way TT Games has crafted the game gives the title its credence, and I’ll be amazed if we get a better Batman game any time soon.
