LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes review

Tuesday 10 July

Whoever said “nobody likes a hero” clearly hasn’t played LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes. Batman & Robin are joined by Superman (yes, really) in one of the biggest and best LEGO games to hit consoles. Stephen Ebert took gaming’s latest literal blockbuster for a spin.

LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes feels like one of the more ambitious LEGO games ever made. For a start, the characters actually speak, rather than comedy mumble their way through the script.

It was a big risk that could have taken the fun away from the series. Instead, LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes feels (slightly) less like a parody of the Batman films, and more like a proper superhero adventure, also starring villains The Joker, The Riddler, Lex Luther, Two Face, Penguin and Catwoman. The risk paid off.

The good

Voices. Actual human voices are now a part of the script. It means you’ll hear none of the comedy mumbles from previous LEGO games. The comedy is less slapstick as a result. The old style worked wonders, but a spoken script brings the story to life in a way a silent cast would never have, especially when you’ve got characters such as the wisecracking Joker around.

The essence of each character, and the spirit of the Batman movies is wonderfully captured as a result. You feel like you’re playing a Batman game as much as you are a LEGO game, and that’s to the credit of developer Traveller’s Tales, who’ve once again done a cracking job at bringing the LEGO blocks to life.

And that’s all part of the charm. The LEGO games could have gone stale years go, but they never feel old. The loving design, clever levels and humour in LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes makes it a pleasure to play at all times, no matter whether you’re chasing The Joker in the Batmobile in one of the game’s more action-filled set-pieces or exploring the LEGO world. The gameplay is both fun and challenging.

There are plenty of puzzles to get stuck into, that never feel too difficult or too easy. Those who do get stuck will find helpful hints to help them out. Like the rest of the games in the LEGO series, LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes is one of the few games capable of crossing the ‘casual’ and ‘hardcore’ divide between gaming fans of all ages.

It’s also a game to be played with someone else. The levels, and fun puzzle-solving elements are well suited to both single and co-op two-player action requiring players to work together to open doors, collect blocks and LEGO pieces that can only be collected by certain characters.

The bad

If there’s anything bad to be said about LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes, it’s that navigating around the city can be a bit of a pain, but thankfully not one that’ll make you want to stop playing. What is slightly more annoying is a temperamental camera that can sometimes obscure the action – not so helpful when scaling the many high ledges found in some of the levels.

The bottom Line

LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes is not only the best LEGO game you’ll play all year, it’s possibly the best superhero game you’’ll play all year, too.