Sunday 1 July 2012

Lego Batman 2: The Blocky Review

Lego is slowly becoming a dynasty with each game greater than the last. Lego Batman 2:DC Super Heroes is the 12th installment in this long line of blocky portraits and just so happens to be the best yet. Lego lovers all around the country gather to play these games with their kids and Travellers Tales know it. Like all of its predecessors Lego Batman boasts the same level of charm and charisma that we have grown to expect from the series.

As with all Lego games the story is merely a small portion of the endless pursuit of gold bricks, mini kits and secret areas but none the less there is still a great story buried under a pile of studs. Lego Batman 2 focuses on not just Batman but includes some awfully familiar faces as the dark knight and boy wonder seek help from the justice league in a bid to stop Lex Luthor and the Joker from taking over the world. With each level comes a cutscene that just oozes charisma, whether it is in the form of a reference to the comics or just the off the cuff remarks Batman makes about Superman, you will feel like you are part of the gang.
In an interesting turn of events this is the first Lego game to have voice actors. It was argued that part of the charm of these games came from the silly expressions and slapstick comedy that riddled the game with laughs but with the introduction of dialogue and acting from some familiar voices the game excels above the rest in terms of quality and hilarity.

Keeping in tune with the rest of the Lego games however is the endless need to pursue the in game collectables. As usual you can expect to find yourself replaying levels as the expansive cast in order to open hidden doors and unlock unfound treasure in a nearby chest.
Although the basic idea of collectables still remains there is now a vast map in which the red bricks, citizens in peril and new characters are scattered across. The map plays out very much like your own Lego sandbox. You can drive, fly or run through the streets of Gotham saving anyone and everyone you come across for those few extra studs you need for the next big purchase.

The gameplay itself is reminiscent of the previous Lego Batman but the suits have been streamlined, there is no longer umpteen suits you have to find in order to open that big door. The new suits for Batman and Robin allow the player to do multiple functions in one suit and cuts out a lot of the back and forth between small sections just to uncover a minikit or some extra currency. That’s not to say there is a lack of interactable objects, with the addition of the justice league there are some really cool areas you can access using their powers. For instance only the Green Lantern can build green lego constructs, Aquaman can swim and Cyborg can melt stuff with his eye laser.

As touched on previously this game is not just about Batman, the majority of the cast is made up from his rogues gallery and comrades but there are some great cameos from the best and brightest DC has to offer. Alongside the Justice League you will find Captain Boomerang, Braniac, Lex Luthor and a whole host of villains to toy with.
Lego Batman 2 is chockablock with replayability and quirky references to the comics that spawned such an awesome game. The amount of time you can invest exploring Gotham, fighting bad guys and saving the day provides you with a feeling of satisfaction you might struggle to find in other games, especially if you have a girlfriend or child to share the experience with as the dynamic duo. Everyone should buy this game just to punch Superman in his smug face a few times and you might even have fun saving the world while you’re at it.

I give it a stellar 9 out of 10.

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