LEGO Batman review (X360)

A war has been waging this past week. No not good vs. evil, this is much worse. Writer vs writer at Boomtown HQ, because quite simply this has been a massive game in terms of anticipation and excitement and we all wanted a piece of it.

The LEGO Star Wars and most recently Indiana Jones games were quite simply a class act. It was something we’d not had before, brought a nice change to the gaming world and the games managed to be just as good and entertaining for the adults as well as the kids. So it’s not difficult to see why LEGO Batman comes with a lot of pressure on its shoulders. But if anyone can handle it, surely the caped crusader can?

A new beginning

In a break from tradition and the other LEGO based games, LEGO Batman isn’t based on any of the movies. The game contains brand new storylines created specifically for it and this doesn’t hinder it at all.

The only real downside from not having the movie tie in is on the humour side. In Star Wars and Indiana Jones you recognised the different parts of the movie in the cut scenes and would usually laugh at what the developers did in their version. You still have the cut scenes and humour, but for some reason it’s just not quite as funny as it is in the other games.

Playing as Batman and Robin, who it would appear has been based on the very camp 80s series version, your aim is to catch all of the goons and super villains who have teamed up together and have just escaped from the Arkham Asylum. There are three chapters which contain 5 episodes and a different villain in each episode that you need to defeat. There is of course the main boss to defeat on the fifth episode of each chapter.

Does my bum look big in this?

To help you defeat these bosses, villains and goons, and to also destroy anything in sight, you have the use of body suits. Throughout the levels you will have the opportunity to use a new bodysuit which will have a use somewhere, specifically designed and placed so you can carry on throughout the level.

As you progress through the game you will unlock upgrades for these suits, which of course means they work better or carry more power. These become useful in the Free Play mode, making things a little easier for you and allowing you to do more.

Our heroes do have one weapon as well which they always carry and cannot be changed. Their Boomerang can be upgraded so more objects can be locked onto and attacked with. It’s a vital piece of equipment which you will use more than you realise. Getting those pesky goons that are hiding away on top level balconies and hitting objects that need to be destroyed so that you can progress through the level, are just two uses for this piece of equipment.

A new dimension of thinking

As well as the non movie related theme, Travellers Tales have for the first time given you the option to play as the evil characters in their very own levels, once you have completed at least one Hero chapter.

For me this is a great bit of thinking by TT. The Villain levels are based on the Hero levels story line and as you’re playing as a villain, it is of course their perspective you are seeing the level through. So if that pesky Batman and Robin weren’t actually around to spoil all of the villains’ fun, this is how things would pan out.

Flying like a bat

Travellers Tales has also re-introduced whole levels where you pilot a vehicle, something which wasn’t in their last game, Indiana Jones. The main downside of the Star Wars games was some of the vehicles were slightly difficult to control. Well in Batman things haven’t got any better. In fact in most cases, they have got worse.

They are drivable, but it is such a frustrating task that you want to finish the level as quick as possible. It is a massive shame as the rest of the game is so polished and well thought through. It’s not just in the vehicle levels either. Playing in the other levels, you have to at times get into certain vehicles and it’s these vehicles that handle the worst.

But not moving like one

For some reason, the vehicles don’t move how you would expect. You’ll be going one way, need to go the other and move your analogue stick so you would move where you want. Not always the case in Batman. It’s so unpredictable you can find yourself going round in circles at times and it’s this problem alone that has caused me the greatest problem when it came to the final score.

You see, this is a great game. It has a fantastic unique story that is accompanied well by the cut scenes. You understand what is going on and what you are playing for. It looks lovely, much better than the LEGO Indiana Jones did and although it still suffers from some screen tearing, it’s not as much as occurred in Indy.

Does our hero win?

There is so much to do, with both the Hero levels and the Villain levels, plus all of the things you need to find, max out the stud counter on each level and there is also a couple of little secrets once certain things have been completed – but I’ll let you find them out.

This is a great game and is only let down by the dodgy bit of vehicle control. There is a lot to do, but it never really becomes repetitive. TT have done a great job of keeping the reputation that has been built up from the other games in the series intact. The one thing that stops it getting a better score than LEGO Indy is the vehicles. But it’s such a small part of the game it really shouldn’t stop you from going out and buying it, and it is certainly one that should be in that little list of ‘must haves’ in your gaming collection.