by Robert Workman on Monday, September 22, 2008
LEGO Batman: The Videogame follows almost the same formula as previous LEGO games with Star Wars and Indiana Jones. Except here, the variety of missions and the opportunity to play co-op locally with a friend makes it better than most Batman-licensed failures.
You begin with the Dark Knight and boy wonder, Robin, as they battle numerous criminals. You'll fight The Riddler, Two-Face, Poison Ivy and Clayface at first. As you proceed, more enemies from the DC comic universe appear, including the Penguin, Man-Bat and, as expected, The Joker.
To reach these dastardly fiends, you'll pound enemies with your fists or by throwing them around. Along the way, you'll find different suits to help you complete your mission. One puts Robin in a huge metallic getup that enables him to walk up metal walls. Another lets Batman glide, so he can access ledges. There are also switches to activate, puzzles to solve and hidden goodies to find, including blue bolts, special LEGO pieces and other items.
Where LEGO Batman excels over previous LEGO games is its variety of missions. The hero missions are cool, complete with exciting vehicle segments (including a fun ride in the Batmobile) and different characters to control. Villains also get their share of the spotlight. Not only do you control The Joker and the Penguin (among others), but they also get their own missions. From stealing an ice cannon to facing off against an impatient Commissioner Gordon, these stages are just as much fun as the heroes'. Don't be surprised if you find yourself growing attached to Joker's antics with his electrified hand buzzer.
LEGO Batman: The Videogame lets you play with a friend in two-player co-op and we strongly recommend it. Playing solo is acceptable, but working alongside someone to rid Gotham City of its crime (or, if you're a villain, increase it) is way more fun. It would've been nice for Warner Bros. Interactive to consider online play, however.
Developer Traveller's Tales has done a great job with the presentation. The soundtrack is straight-up Batman, complete with selections from Danny Elfman's film soundtracks, along with a few original compositions, and the grunts from the LEGO characters are humorous and never annoying.
Character design is excellent, although Poison Ivy looks like she has green chest hair. Other than that, the graphics are the best of any LEGO game, whether you walk through city streets or raid Mr. Freeze's icy warehouse. The camera angles do get hectic from time to time, leading to an occasional accidental fall off a ledge, but that doesn't ruin the experience.
Sporadic problems do show up with the artificial intelligence, though. For instance, you'll be on a girder pushing a grappling hook to your computer-controlled partner and then bringing him over. After walking away from the switch, what does he do? He grapples back onto the hook and hangs there until you directly take control and lead him to where you are. There's also a problem with some boss battles as they too often devolve into a quick "I can beat you up faster" session, rather than a stylish showdown.
If you're sick and tired of LEGO games, then LEGO Batman: The Videogame probably won't change your mind. However, if you enjoy them as much as we do, then you shouldn't hesitate to shine the Bat-Signal and answer the call.
Lego Batman: The Videogame Game Guide
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Spore, the highly anticipated game from the creators of The Sims, gives players their own personal universe in a box. Create and evolve life, establish tribes, build civilizations, sculpt entire worlds and explore a universe created by other gamers. Spore gives players a wealth of creative tools to customize nearly every aspect of their universe: creatures, vehicles, buildings, and even UFOs. Players can then seamlessly share their creations with the world or explore infinite new galaxies created by other gamers. (Screenshot 1 of 112)
Spore, the highly anticipated game from the creators of The Sims, gives players their own personal universe in a box. Create and evolve life, establish tribes, build civilizations, sculpt entire worlds and explore a universe created by other gamers. Spore gives players a wealth of creative tools to customize nearly every aspect of their universe: creatures, vehicles, buildings, and even UFOs. Players can then seamlessly share their creations with the world or explore infinite new galaxies created by other gamers. (Screenshot 2 of 112)
Spore, the highly anticipated game from the creators of The Sims, gives players their own personal universe in a box. Create and evolve life, establish tribes, build civilizations, sculpt entire worlds and explore a universe created by other gamers. Spore gives players a wealth of creative tools to customize nearly every aspect of their universe: creatures, vehicles, buildings, and even UFOs. Players can then seamlessly share their creations with the world or explore infinite new galaxies created by other gamers. (Screenshot 3 of 112)
Spore, the highly anticipated game from the creators of The Sims, gives players their own personal universe in a box. Create and evolve life, establish tribes, build civilizations, sculpt entire worlds and explore a universe created by other gamers. Spore gives players a wealth of creative tools to customize nearly every aspect of their universe: creatures, vehicles, buildings, and even UFOs. Players can then seamlessly share their creations with the world or explore infinite new galaxies created by other gamers. (Screenshot 4 of 112)
Spore, the highly anticipated game from the creators of The Sims, gives players their own personal universe in a box. Create and evolve life, establish tribes, build civilizations, sculpt entire worlds and explore a universe created by other gamers. Spore gives players a wealth of creative tools to customize nearly every aspect of their universe: creatures, vehicles, buildings, and even UFOs. Players can then seamlessly share their creations with the world or explore infinite new galaxies created by other gamers. (Screenshot 5 of 112)
Spore, the highly anticipated game from the creators of The Sims, gives players their own personal universe in a box. Create and evolve life, establish tribes, build civilizations, sculpt entire worlds and explore a universe created by other gamers. Spore gives players a wealth of creative tools to customize nearly every aspect of their universe: creatures, vehicles, buildings, and even UFOs. Players can then seamlessly share their creations with the world or explore infinite new galaxies created by other gamers. (Screenshot 6 of 112)
Spore, the highly anticipated game from the creators of The Sims, gives players their own personal universe in a box. Create and evolve life, establish tribes, build civilizations, sculpt entire worlds and explore a universe created by other gamers. Spore gives players a wealth of creative tools to customize nearly every aspect of their universe: creatures, vehicles, buildings, and even UFOs. Players can then seamlessly share their creations with the world or explore infinite new galaxies created by other gamers. (Screenshot 7 of 112)
Spore, the highly anticipated game from the creators of The Sims, gives players their own personal universe in a box. Create and evolve life, establish tribes, build civilizations, sculpt entire worlds and explore a universe created by other gamers. Spore gives players a wealth of creative tools to customize nearly every aspect of their universe: creatures, vehicles, buildings, and even UFOs. Players can then seamlessly share their creations with the world or explore infinite new galaxies created by other gamers. (Screenshot 8 of 112)
Spore, the highly anticipated game from the creators of The Sims, gives players their own personal universe in a box. Create and evolve life, establish tribes, build civilizations, sculpt entire worlds and explore a universe created by other gamers. Spore gives players a wealth of creative tools to customize nearly every aspect of their universe: creatures, vehicles, buildings, and even UFOs. Players can then seamlessly share their creations with the world or explore infinite new galaxies created by other gamers. (Screenshot 9 of 112)
Spore, the highly anticipated game from the creators of The Sims, gives players their own personal universe in a box. Create and evolve life, establish tribes, build civilizations, sculpt entire worlds and explore a universe created by other gamers. Spore gives players a wealth of creative tools to customize nearly every aspect of their universe: creatures, vehicles, buildings, and even UFOs. Players can then seamlessly share their creations with the world or explore infinite new galaxies created by other gamers. (Screenshot 10 of 112)
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