Lego Batman 2 Review (PS3)

Batman’s back in mini figure form, and this time he’s accompanied by a host of super-powered, as Telltale Games release their best lego game yet!

Every time I review a lego game, I find myself wondering how TT Games are going to top themselves the next time around. I think it’s safe to say that Lego Batman 2 raises the bar yet again, as TT Games and Warner Bros Interactive come together to produce the largest, most immersive lego game to date, and to top it off, the mini-figures can talk now!

The story in Lego Batman 2 takes a massive step forward, as the inclusion of dialogue provides more meaningful cut-scenes that all players can comprehend. Lego Batman 2 sees the villainous forces that are Lex Luthor and the Joker team up in order to take on both Batman and Superman. Combining villains in this manner opens the door perfectly for a range of DC heroes, allowing players to take control of lego versions of all their favourite justice league characters.

The wide array of super hero mini figures is another strength of the game. This shines through even more when you consider the awkward implementation these heroes often provide when placed in their own games.  TT Games have successfully provided all aspects of each super hero, providing players with a true taste of their ability without finding themselves in possession of a single   A prime example of this comes with Superman, who is pretty much able to do everything, except smash glass and blow up metal. This limited power effect is seen across all heroes, as whilst their key abilities match the ones players would expect, the characters remain somewhat grounded, ensuring the need to switch between characters remains as important as ever.

In total there are 15 story levels, most of which will take you more than an hour to complete. These levels all come packaged with the game’s newly added dialogue, adding a bit more context and guidance to everything you do. I felt that there was a major improvement over past lego releases with Lego Batman 2, as the game varies third person adventures with vehicle shoot-outs. This variation adds to the game’s immersion, as the vehicle levels act as the perfect separator from the constant slew of third person mini-figure controlling that is usually seen in the Lego games.

Replayability is another great part of the lego games, and one that is massively present in Lego Batman 2. As with each game before, players who wish to complete the game 100% will need to revisit each level once they have unlocked the relevant characters. Past this individual level replay ability, Lego Batman 2 benefits from a massive open world environment, which provides countless hours of playtime on its own.

The open world is something that doesn’t really open up properly until you complete the game, but is pretty explorable from the moment you unlock Superman. The game world is easily the lego equivalent of Arkham City, as players can freely explore the streets of Gotham City and it’s surrounding space, including Arkham Asylum, the Botanical Gardens, Wayne Manor and the Joker’s fairground. As mentioned, this is something that doesn’t really open up fully until players complete the game, as free to play  unlocks at that moment, allowing players to take on every gold brick challenge available in the city.

Overall Lego Batman 2 provides a much greater play experience than any previous lego game. It builds upon all the successes of previous instalments, and takes them to the next level. This game is a must for all fans of both lego and comic-book title, as it promises countless hours of fun.

10/10