I’m more of a casual viewer, so I’m not 100% in tune with how our SPs and relievers are doing. Obviously I know Miz is having the season of his life, and Harrison is doing really well as well (besides that one A’s game and this most recent outing). What are your takes on everyone else?
After 40 hours, I have 100%'d LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight. There was a lot that I enjoyed about the game, but there were also several things that made me disappointed. Overall, the biggest issue is that the game did not feel like a LEGO Batman game, rather a Batman game that was LEGO. I'll get into that later.
What I Liked:
I really enjoyed the story. Centering the game around Batman's history across different forms of media, such as movies and television shows, was a great idea. My only complaint is that I wanted more. Since it was centered around Batman media, why not include comics since that is something most people do not know.
The game looked really well made. The graphics were really well done, the LEGO look was amazing, and I liked the character designs, the suits and car designs, etc.
The game looked fantastic. The environment is very detailed, the character models are done well, and the LEGO aspect is done very well. The different Batsuits, Batmobiles, and villain designs all look great.
I enjoyed looking for all the different collectibles throughout the game. It allowed me to explore the map, it did keep me busy for maybe 20-25 hours.
The levels themselves are very well designed. Several of them introduced me to Batman stories that I was not very familiar with. For example, I learned more about how Red Hood was originally Joker and not Jason Todd.
What I Disliked:
- It Does Not Feel Like a Lego Game
As I mentioned earlier, my biggest criticism is that the game does not feel like a LEGO game. The traditional LEGO games have included things that encourages replayability and rewards completing the game. Games like LEGO Star Wars, LEGO Indiana Jones, and even the earlier LEGO Batman games had features in the game that made the games unique.
Many of those features are missing in the game. There are no Minikits to collect throughout the levels, no True Hero, and unlocking characters were all removed. The collectibles in the levels felt very lackluster and boring.
- Lack of Replayability
One of the best part of the LEGO games is replaying levels in Free Play. During Free Play, you can collect collectibles or secrets that were inaccessible during your first playthrough because you did not have the required character abilities.
This game removes that gameplay loop. Everything in those levels can be collected in your first playthrough, eliminating the motivation to go back and revisit the completed missions. As a result, the levels lack the replayability feelings that LEGO games have had.
- Limited Character Selection
The decision to limit players to only seven playable characters (six because Robin is basically useless because of Nightwing), was incredibly disappointing. Unlocking the multitude of characters has always been one of the most rewarding aspects of LEGO games.
Here, not only is the roster EXTREMELY limited, but you are often stuck playing specific characters during the missions. The ability to replay levels with your favorite characters in absent, which removes another classic LEGO feature.
- Combat was Lackluster
The combat was one of the weakest parts of the game for me. Most fights became repeatedly pressing "X," with the occasional "B" to dodge and "RB" for Focus attacks. While the combat system works well enough, it very quickly becomes repetitive and doesn't offer much variety throughout the game. Every fight felt the same.
Another issue was the lack of reasoning to use any gadgets during combat. In most situations, basic melee attacks were more effective than using any of the gadgets, which made them feel useless. Outside of using them for achievements or completing specific objectives, I rarely used them.
- Legacy Addition
The Legacy Edition is difficult to justify. On PC, it costs an additional $20 to unlock Joker and Harley Quinn as playable villains, one story mission, a new game mode, and some customization options.
For that price, the amount of content feels lackluster. Considering that previous LEGO Batman games has a long list of villains, charging extra for such a small amount of content is laughable.
- Voice Acting
The voice acting was extremely subpar. Shai Matheson's Bruce Wayne / Batman did not feel convincing, and Ewan Bailey's Joker lacked the energy I expect from the character. Most of the supporting cast was mid at best.
Some of the recurring side characters because VERY annoying to listen to, especially after playing hours on end collecting everything. Bat-Mite and the police dispatcher constantly calling in crimes was starting to annoy me.
Conclusion
In the end, LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight feels less like a traditional LEGO game and more like a LEGO version of an Arkham-style Batman game. While that is not necessarily a bad thing, it comes at the cost of many features that made LEGO games unique.
I still thoroughly enjoyed my time with the game. The story and presentation are all excellent. However, removing many of the mechanics and collectibles that defined LEGO games for the past two decades made the game lose the charm that made other games special.
Do I think this is the best LEGO ever made, as some people say? No. For me, that goes to LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga. It modernized the LEGO game formula while keeping the classic LEGO experience.
Do I think it deserves a $70 price tag for the base game? Also no. I think the game should be around $40-$50, especially considering how expensive modern games have become.
My personal rule of thumb has always been that I want around one hour of gameplay / enjoyment for every dollar spent. At around 40 hours to 100% the game, LEGO Batman falls short of that at full price, even if I had fun while playing it.
My Rating: 6.5/10
TLDR;
Game was fun, but did not feel like a classic LEGO game. They removed a majority of the things that made LEGO games what it is, and reduced it to just another open-world story game.