Batman returns with his second ever lego video game titled Lego Batman 2 DC superheroes. Lego video games for consoles have come a long way since their first outing with Lego Star Wars and a lot has changed as this would be the first time not only to play as other DC superheroes in this particular game, but also the first time to have characters actually speaking dialogue instead of grunts and squeals. There is a lot of big stuff this game sets out to accomplish and lucky for the company Traveler Tales, it pays off.
The Joker is wreaking havoc on Gotham City as he interrupts an award show where Bruce Wayne was about to receive an award for the cities finest. Bruce changes himself into Batman, and with Robin by his side, they head out into the city to stop the Joker in his tracks. the Joker is defeated rather easily by Batman and the cops put him in jail where he belongs. Suddenly, Lex Luthor, the archnemeses of Superman arrives at Joker’s jail cell and busts him out using a secret weapon powered by kryptonite. Along the way, The Joker takes the weapon to free other Gotham City inmates to cause mayhem and destruction in the city. Batman and Robin are gonna need all the help they can get as they’ll be forced in teaming up with other DC superheroes from near and far.
Unlike last time, the storyline is a lot more interesting as there are many twists and turns that make the adventure our heroes go on much engaging. There are also some decent character arcs especially with Batman and his acceptance of admitting when you need help. Like mentioned before, this is the first Lego video game to have full-on dialogue which is a huge step up for the Traveler Tales company. The voice actors for the characters are clearly having a lot of fun with their respective roles and it makes the overall experience a lot more memorable for the player.
The mechanics of the gameplay are very simple for Batman and Robin as they play pretty similar to the previous installment. Both of them have basic attacks and moves but they also have power-up suits that will allow them to get to areas that were inaccessible before. Aside from Batman and Robin, you’ll also get a chance to play as other DC superheroes such as Superman and Wonder Woman from time to time. Each of those characters has their own special powers that can be used in the story or free play mode and they might be handy when collecting things in the hub world. Speaking of which, the hub world of Gotham City is huge and there are many different challenges to face some of which including taking out the escaped villains from prison and then having the option to play as those characters in Free play for a certain price of stubs.
Graphically, it’s a step up from before as the lighting, visuals, and overall scale feels massive and almost freeing. The details of the Gotham City hub world are downright impressive and I do like how during story mode they try to do something outside of typical Lego video game platforming as you may find yourself falling through the sky avoiding objects or using a bat copter in the first-person mode to take down Joker and Luthor’s ships. The level of detail is off the charts and everything you see on screen comes together to make for one grand experience.
Lego Batman 2 DC superheroes is a step up from its predecessor with an engaging storyline, upscaled graphics, and gameplay that is both fun and changeling without being too hard to figure out. This is a great game for younger players but I bet even seasonal players may find a lot to enjoy in this inflectionally fun and well-crafted sequel.
(Final Grade: B+)