What can you really say about Legos? Couple things actually:
1. Good chance you had them growing up and had a lot of them.
2. Choking hazard and bane to all bare feet.
3. There are actually video games about it.
Naturally, that last one catches my mind a bit, since there have been a lot of Lego video games that have been coming out for years now, ranging from 'Lego Island', 'Lego Chess', 'Lego Racers', 'Lego Creator', and much more. Normally, these games have been made by the company 'The Lego Group', which has made a good chuck of the Lego video games. However, there are some that use other series, like Harry Potter or Star Wars, and makes action/platformer games as well. In this case: Lego Batman!
(With more Batman villains than you can shake a stick at)
Published by Warner Bros Interactive and developed by Traveler's Tales, 'Lego Batman' is another in a series of Lego-themed games revolving around action, platforming, and taking characters and settings from other series. Here, the Dynamic Duo of Batman and Robin take on various villains who want to take over Gotham in their own way.
Gameplay-wise, if you ever played 'Lego Star Wars' or 'Lego Indiana Jones', the principles are still the same. You can run, jump, attack, and certain characters have special abilities. You are also capable of designing your own character through the main hub area, as well as plenty of Easter Eggs to search through the different levels.
The story for this game is interesting, as you get to play the heroes and the villains depending on the missions. For the purposes of this review, I'll be looking at a compilation of both the villains and heroes sides of the story and trying to piece both of them together in some way.
The story begins when several supervillains break out of Arkham Asylum and split off into different groups. First, the Riddler groups up with Two-Face, Poison Ivy, Mr. Freeze, and Clayface (A rather interesting set-up, at least in terms of intelligence and firepower). Next, the Penguin gets Catwoman, Man-Bat, Killer Croc, and Bane (technically, Catwoman and Bane shouldn't be in Arkham since they aren't actually insane, though it might be different in this universe. Also, Bane combo-broke Penguin's group for not being an animal). Finally, we have the Joker with Harley Quinn, Scarecrow, Killer Moth, and Mad Hatter (a nutty team for a nutty villain). They all run amuck when Batman and Robin finally get onto the scene and with that, our first series of missions beings, with the Riddler's group being up to bat (lol) first.
We learn that the Riddler is planning a big heist at the Gotham Gold Reserves, requiring several different items in order to pull it off. He has his partners in crime slip up in order to tackle each item: Mr. Freeze gets the massively mobile freeze ray ('natch), Poison Ivy gets the plant that can grow several stories high (also 'natch), Two-Face gets the high-powered laser (...'kay), and Clayface gets the giant golden key. Good idea to send one of the strongest villains to get something as simple as a key (then again, this Clayface ain't all there in the head). When they do get the key, the big lug gets distracted by the large amount of gold that was with the key (it was locked in a cell of all things). When Batman and Robin show up, they beat down Clayface, but the Riddler gets away with the giant key. However, since he can't help himself, he leaves a clue for Batman and Robin to have them try and figure out what his next plan is.
With the giant key in hand, the Riddler moves on to acquire the giant freeze ray, with the assistance of Mr. Freeze (naturally). They arrive at the building where it is stored, blasting their way through and acquiring it. When Batman and Robin arrive on the scene, Mr. Freeze does his best to hold them off, but ultimately fails. The Riddler escapes with the freeze ray, as well as leaving another Riddler clue, and meets up with Two-Face. The Dymanic Duo manages to give them a good chase that ends with the freeze ray heading back to the Riddler's lair, Two-Face's truck getting dismantled, and the Riddler escaping thanks to Poison Ivy and leaving another Riddler clue (much to Poison Ivy's confusion).
Anyway, Riddler and Poison Ivy head to the place storing those plants that the Riddler needs. Poison Ivy gets caught up with all the plantlife, until Batman and Robin arrive to fight her. They win, Riddler escapes after the battle and leaves behind another clue. While the Dynamic Duo try to figure out what the Riddler is planning, the villain teams up with Two-Face once more and manages to steal the ray gun without interference from Batman and Robin. With all the items in place, the pair of villains break into the Gotham Gold Reserves, but naturally, the Dynamic Duo appear and arrest the villains once and for all.
...and we're only a third of the way done with this game, folks.
Now onto the Penguin and his master plan. Inside one of the Penguin's subs, Bane, Killer Croc, Catwoman, and Manbat are waiting on the Penguin (good nod to Bane and Killer Croc arm-wrestling, hinting at their violent history in the comic books between one another). Anyway, Penguin arrives and shows his master plan: an army of remote controlled penguin robots (ingenuis!). The villains spread them all across Gotham in boxes, with Penguin taking Bane to acquire a satellite dish to transmit his commands to the penguins over a longer distance. They succeed, but Penguin ditches Bane to the authorities with the dish in hand. Bane throws a hissy fit and manages to knock himself out. Shame they left out Bane's intelligence (and maybe some of Penguin's) but then again, Catwoman acts more like a cat in this one, so its all even?
Anyway, back in the sub, Penguin goes with Catwoman to recover a gem needed to power the machine to control the penguins (apparently). Catwoman succeeds, but gets caught by Batman and Robin. She tries to flirt her way out of it, but fails and gets handed over to the police while the Dynamic Duo go after Penguin and Killer Croc. However, the gem gets taken by a cat amid the chase, with Batman and Robin unable to catch either of the villains.
Sometime later, Catwoman is freed from prison by Killer Croc and Penguin, revealing that she got the gem back thanks to a visit from the cat. Penguin reveals more of his plan, with the machine hiding in the Gotham Zoo. When the police arrive, Killer Croc holds them off while Catwoman and Penguin escape into the sewers. However, Killer Croc gets beaten by Batman and Robin, where they discover where Penguin and Catwoman left to.
Over at the zoo, Penguin, Catwoman and Man-Bat start to infiltrate the complex, which is now guarded by police. When Batman and Robin arrive, Man-Bat does his best to slow them down, but gets captured in the end. However, he manages to stall long enough for Catwoman and Penguin to activate the machine and send the penguins on a rampage. Batman and Robin corner the two and manage to destroy the machine, effectively taking out the penguin army and saving Gotham once more.
That just leaves the Joker and his mad associates: Mad Hatter, Scarecrow, Harley Quinn, and Killer Moth. Joker, naturally, wants to destroy the city via Joker gas and explosives (like you do), but has run out of materials for both and needs to steal them. Batman and Robin hear about the break-in at a chemical factory, where they find Mad Hatter. While that villain is stopped, Joker gets away with his supplies and leaves the Dynamic Duo in the dust.
Joker, in a bit of foresight, manages to trick Commissioner Gordon and capture him, prompting Batman and Robin to rescue him from Harley Quinn. They succeed, Harley Quinn is captured by the police, but Joker escapes via his helicopter thanks to Scarecrow and his plane. Both engage in an airbattle with Batman and Robin, destroying the aircraft and forcing the villains on foot. Scarecrow gets captured by the police during the run, but Joker escapes once more and joins up with Killer Moth.
The two manage to find Harley Quinn being held under Commissioner Gordon's care, but it doesn't last long. Joker escapes with Harley Quinn while Killer Moth deals with the police force. The Dynamic Duo arrive on the scene and take down Killer Moth. The two find the villains at an old cathedral, where Joker plans to detonate his explosives and drown Gotham City in his toxic Joker gas. The two fight Harley Quinn and the Joker, taking out the devices and capturing the pair, saving the day once more.
...and that's it for both the Hero and Villain story modes. Its not too complicated and some of the characters are pretty much exaggerations of their comic book counterparts (i.e. Catwoman) but its still a nice and easy story to follow. Course, the gameplay is the main focus here so it shouldn't be too looked down on. Simply put, if you're interested in a lego game with Batman, consider this a buy.
Until next time...
Lego Batman is owned by Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment.
We learn that the Riddler is planning a big heist at the Gotham Gold Reserves, requiring several different items in order to pull it off. He has his partners in crime slip up in order to tackle each item: Mr. Freeze gets the massively mobile freeze ray ('natch), Poison Ivy gets the plant that can grow several stories high (also 'natch), Two-Face gets the high-powered laser (...'kay), and Clayface gets the giant golden key. Good idea to send one of the strongest villains to get something as simple as a key (then again, this Clayface ain't all there in the head). When they do get the key, the big lug gets distracted by the large amount of gold that was with the key (it was locked in a cell of all things). When Batman and Robin show up, they beat down Clayface, but the Riddler gets away with the giant key. However, since he can't help himself, he leaves a clue for Batman and Robin to have them try and figure out what his next plan is.
With the giant key in hand, the Riddler moves on to acquire the giant freeze ray, with the assistance of Mr. Freeze (naturally). They arrive at the building where it is stored, blasting their way through and acquiring it. When Batman and Robin arrive on the scene, Mr. Freeze does his best to hold them off, but ultimately fails. The Riddler escapes with the freeze ray, as well as leaving another Riddler clue, and meets up with Two-Face. The Dymanic Duo manages to give them a good chase that ends with the freeze ray heading back to the Riddler's lair, Two-Face's truck getting dismantled, and the Riddler escaping thanks to Poison Ivy and leaving another Riddler clue (much to Poison Ivy's confusion).
Anyway, Riddler and Poison Ivy head to the place storing those plants that the Riddler needs. Poison Ivy gets caught up with all the plantlife, until Batman and Robin arrive to fight her. They win, Riddler escapes after the battle and leaves behind another clue. While the Dynamic Duo try to figure out what the Riddler is planning, the villain teams up with Two-Face once more and manages to steal the ray gun without interference from Batman and Robin. With all the items in place, the pair of villains break into the Gotham Gold Reserves, but naturally, the Dynamic Duo appear and arrest the villains once and for all.
...and we're only a third of the way done with this game, folks.
Now onto the Penguin and his master plan. Inside one of the Penguin's subs, Bane, Killer Croc, Catwoman, and Manbat are waiting on the Penguin (good nod to Bane and Killer Croc arm-wrestling, hinting at their violent history in the comic books between one another). Anyway, Penguin arrives and shows his master plan: an army of remote controlled penguin robots (ingenuis!). The villains spread them all across Gotham in boxes, with Penguin taking Bane to acquire a satellite dish to transmit his commands to the penguins over a longer distance. They succeed, but Penguin ditches Bane to the authorities with the dish in hand. Bane throws a hissy fit and manages to knock himself out. Shame they left out Bane's intelligence (and maybe some of Penguin's) but then again, Catwoman acts more like a cat in this one, so its all even?
Anyway, back in the sub, Penguin goes with Catwoman to recover a gem needed to power the machine to control the penguins (apparently). Catwoman succeeds, but gets caught by Batman and Robin. She tries to flirt her way out of it, but fails and gets handed over to the police while the Dynamic Duo go after Penguin and Killer Croc. However, the gem gets taken by a cat amid the chase, with Batman and Robin unable to catch either of the villains.
Sometime later, Catwoman is freed from prison by Killer Croc and Penguin, revealing that she got the gem back thanks to a visit from the cat. Penguin reveals more of his plan, with the machine hiding in the Gotham Zoo. When the police arrive, Killer Croc holds them off while Catwoman and Penguin escape into the sewers. However, Killer Croc gets beaten by Batman and Robin, where they discover where Penguin and Catwoman left to.
Over at the zoo, Penguin, Catwoman and Man-Bat start to infiltrate the complex, which is now guarded by police. When Batman and Robin arrive, Man-Bat does his best to slow them down, but gets captured in the end. However, he manages to stall long enough for Catwoman and Penguin to activate the machine and send the penguins on a rampage. Batman and Robin corner the two and manage to destroy the machine, effectively taking out the penguin army and saving Gotham once more.
That just leaves the Joker and his mad associates: Mad Hatter, Scarecrow, Harley Quinn, and Killer Moth. Joker, naturally, wants to destroy the city via Joker gas and explosives (like you do), but has run out of materials for both and needs to steal them. Batman and Robin hear about the break-in at a chemical factory, where they find Mad Hatter. While that villain is stopped, Joker gets away with his supplies and leaves the Dynamic Duo in the dust.
Joker, in a bit of foresight, manages to trick Commissioner Gordon and capture him, prompting Batman and Robin to rescue him from Harley Quinn. They succeed, Harley Quinn is captured by the police, but Joker escapes via his helicopter thanks to Scarecrow and his plane. Both engage in an airbattle with Batman and Robin, destroying the aircraft and forcing the villains on foot. Scarecrow gets captured by the police during the run, but Joker escapes once more and joins up with Killer Moth.
The two manage to find Harley Quinn being held under Commissioner Gordon's care, but it doesn't last long. Joker escapes with Harley Quinn while Killer Moth deals with the police force. The Dynamic Duo arrive on the scene and take down Killer Moth. The two find the villains at an old cathedral, where Joker plans to detonate his explosives and drown Gotham City in his toxic Joker gas. The two fight Harley Quinn and the Joker, taking out the devices and capturing the pair, saving the day once more.
...and that's it for both the Hero and Villain story modes. Its not too complicated and some of the characters are pretty much exaggerations of their comic book counterparts (i.e. Catwoman) but its still a nice and easy story to follow. Course, the gameplay is the main focus here so it shouldn't be too looked down on. Simply put, if you're interested in a lego game with Batman, consider this a buy.
Until next time...
Lego Batman is owned by Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment.
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