"They say he can't be killed. They say he drinks blood. They say..." We say (obviously said in Eckhardt's distinguishing gruff voice), developer Traveller's Tales clearly knows it's onto a good thing. With LEGO Batman we have been served up the new instalment of its LEGO franchise, this time rather than directly lampooning a fixed source (like the Star Wars or Indiana Jones films) the developer has taken on a far broader muse – the Batman universe. Not only does this mean the game has significantly more creative freedom, it's also a welcome change from further fattening George Lucas' hip pocket.
Those who have played any of the previous titles in the franchise will recognise the format used in LEGO Batman. In Story Mode, you initially play as Batman and Robin, working your way through a series of chapters containing design elements influenced by the levels' boss (five of the more recognisable villains from the Batman universe). To get there, you must decipher a plethora of puzzles, beat up countless cronies and destroy practically everything around you to build the tools you need to propel yourself through the game. Amidst all this wanton destruction (the kind of destruction we like) you'll be rewarded with Studs; LEGO currency which can be used to purchase characters, vehicles, cheats and more – and will make Free Play mode all the more enjoyable (enticing you to replay the game for more collectables).
Did we mention the gadgets? Oh, there are gadgets. Puzzles encountered in the story mode are usually solved by the use of specifically-designed gadget suits for each occasion. This might mean a heat resistant suit for extreme temperatures, or a gliding suit for those hard-to-reach places. Good fun if not a little frustrating; particularly when you know the exact suit you need and don't have access to it. The solution is usually to beat the living hell out of everything around you until you find something useful.
Boss fights are a little lacklustre. We'd prefer the developer spent more time and effort is spent on what is meant to be the climax of each chapter. Usually, bosses are conquered by destroying surrounding objects to construct a gadget or item to assist in the fight. You'll find that some of the puzzles throughout the game are significantly more challenging than any boss you'll encounter. Unfortunately, the fight will be over before you had the opportunity to really show off your sweet new skills.
Once you've completed a few of the Batman and Robin chapters, you'll gain access to Arkham Asylum, the villain hub, and once there you can choose to complete the story mode through the eyes of your nemeses. Is it wrong that we had more fun being insanely evil? The Batman villains have their own unique abilities and don't have to rely so much on gadgets and suit-changes. The Riddler, for instance, can control peoples' minds to pull levers and open doors and so forth, and Clayface possesses car-throwing super strength. Because of this, playing as a villain is a more fluid experience and a great deal less frustrating in terms of problem-solving.Continues