Welcome to the latest addition to the LEGO game family, LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes. For fans of the LEGO series, you can expect all the fun and entertainment of the previous games. If that is not enough to peak your interests, there are new features which go where no LEGO game has gone before.
The core format of LEGO games makes up a large part of LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes. Once again, there are story levels, which assign you specific characters to play as. After completing the level in story mode free play mode will be unlocked, which allows you to switch freely between any characters you have acquired. Other returning mainstays are gold bricks, red bricks, mini kits, and citizens in peril.
Heh meh blah ro mmm rah, concentrate on the subtitles and miss the cut scenes. The standard we have come to expect from LEGO games. Well not this time around. Yes that’ s right, the LEGO people finally speak with real words! On top of that, Telltale Games used some high profile voice actors, including both Steven Blum and Nolan North.
If that is not a big step forward in itself, how about the vastly expanded game environment? Traditionally, LEGO games have a main “hub” area of varying size. In this hub you can access both story and free play levels, along with additional sections to explore. This time, the Batcave becomes the central hub. In the Batcave, you can select any of the vehicles you have unlocked and jump right in the driver’s seat. The vehicle automatically begins its exit, and once outside, a brand new experience begins. Now the whole of Gotham City is at your disposal. Indeed, an open world Gotham City is now your personal playground. Everything is there, from Ace Chemicals to Wayne Manor, Arkham Asylum to Gotham City Zoo.
So what exactly is there to do in Gotham? Plenty! The map can be accessed at anytime and begins covered in a black cloud. As the story levels are completed, sections of the clouds lift revealing what lies underneath. There are also remote Bat Computer Terminals placed throughout the city. Activating these terminals will reveal more sections of the map. Once activated, you will gain access to either land, sea, or air vehicles based on the terminal location, such as street level, rooftop, or at a dock.
Depending on play style, game completion can be rather easy or somewhat challenging. If you prefer the easy route, any clear section of the map may be scanned, revealing items of interest for a few seconds. These include villains, vehicles, gold bricks, red bricks, citizens in peril, and gold gates.
Hovering the Batman Logo cursor over a villain’s head gives the option to “show villain”. This will trigger a brief cinematic, transitioning from a far view and zoom to a close up of the particular villain. Using the details of the video, you will search for and find the villain and battle it out until they have been defeated. When victory is achieved, you will be given the opportunity to purchase the character. The gold gates are also scattered around Gotham, with each one having a minimum number of gold bricks collected before you can build them. After having the required number of gold bricks and erecting the gate, a hero will emerge which can then can be purchased.
The remaining items to gather in Gotham are studs (in game currency), red bricks, gold bricks, and citizens in peril. Having a difficult time finding any? Just scan the map and set a marker to guide you to it. Red bricks give you access to game modifiers, such as stud multipliers, invincibility, brick detectors, and more. There is also a puzzle aspect to obtaining all these Gotham Goodies. Many are located on rooftops, and even with a flying character, it will not be as simple as landing and picking it up. Most will require you to start from the ground and will make use of some or all of Batman’s and Robin’s special suits to reach the summit and unlock the gold brick’s container.
The core game controls and mechanics are on par with the LEGO series. Lego Batman 2 does have a couple of downsides. Upon obtaining a gold brick, auto save activates. While the game is saving, your character will be stuck in place until the save is completed, which average about 15 seconds per brick found. Other than that, I only came across some minor game freezing issues. This only happened much further in the game when I had many of the red bricks activated and had been continuously playing for 6 hours or more. The game graphics are sharp with well designed environments that display in resolutions up to 1080p. To add to the fun, you can grab a friend and enjoy the dynamic split screen co-op mode.
As part of the title states, DC Super Heroes, there is a generous amount of unlockable characters. All the classic heroes and villains from the DC universe are to be found. The same can be said for the vehicles as well. The Batmobile, Batwing, Batboat, Batcycle, and separate vehicles for each of the villains.Grab one to navigate your way around Gotham or just cruise around and enjoy the scenery.
All in all, this is the most impressive LEGO game to date. Even after completing the story, you will have countless hours of enjoyment exploring Gotham. Having finished the game to 100%, I can say I will continue to play because of the abundance of fun. I rate this game a 4.6 out of 5. Enjoy!