Lego Batman (View comments)
Posted by: Travis Brantner
Sometimes mixing and matching things can work out really well. Disney and Final Fantasy. Chocolate and peanut butter. Women in skimpy bathing suits and jello. The list could go on and on. But there are times when things can turn ugly. Disney stars and internet technology. Fox and superhero movies (yeah I’m looking at you Daredevil, Elektra, and X-Men movies that should have been called ‘watered down Wolverine and those other guys.’)
So when Lego Star Wars was released in 2005, people were skeptical. To be honest, they had every reason to be since previous Lego games weren’t really that great. Sure the racing game on Nintendo 64 was ok. But let’s face it; none of them were anything to write home about. However, Lego Star Wars surprised a lot of people and it was enjoyable, although a little over rated. The trend continued with Lego Star Wars: The Original Trilogy, which kept a lot of the same, and then Lego Indiana Jones (which I haven’t had the pleasure of playing yet). Nothing surprised me more though when Traveller’s Tales announced Lego Batman: The Videogame.
I personally wasn’t that thrilled with Lego Star Wars. It was fun, but in my opinion, it got old very fast. To say that I was terrified was an understatement. I mean hasn’t Batman had enough terrible to mediocre videogames? It also didn’t help when Traveller’s Tales released only a little bit of information at a time. A press release here, a small teaser video that wasn’t gameplay related there. Needless to say, I was ready to call this game a mediocre clone of the other Lego Games.
Things changed though as the release date got nearer and nearer. Gameplay videos and explanations of the features were released and I found myself actually excited for the game, asking for it for my birthday. I received the DS version and found one of, if not, the best super hero games ever.
Let’s begin with the basics. The inmates of Arkham Asylum break free and align into three groups, each focused on a different goal. You control Batman and Robin (in Animated Series garb) to take down these villains and save Gotham City. This is really nothing new in the terms of story, but to be honest, it really didn’t matter. What did matter was the humor and cute little jokes told through comic like panels (instead of the low budget animation from Lego Star Wars). There were honestly quite a few times that I chuckled.
The graphics were also really great for a DS game. No blocky edges, no clipping issues, and no blurring. The graphics also retained a cartoon look that reminded me of the Animated Series, but with Legos and a comic flavor, which I loved. However, one problem is that being on the DS (a lower powered handheld), the graphics weren’t as polished as other versions. There were no shadows (making depth and jumping platform to platform a chore sometimes), no reflections (which always adds to the mood), and no real source of light, leaving everything to have the same lighting conditions. The only major issue though was the lack of shadows. I died quite a few times when I would try to jump across a pit, only to discover I was too far to the side when I jumped.
The game also added something new in the form of close combat moves, which added to the realism and depth of the license. A few thugs come running in with guns? Disarm them with bat-a-rangs, then punch their lights out. Or stand back and destroy them with more bat-a-rangs. Once I got the hang of the controls, I was navigating the stages like an expert, using the touch screen for bat grappling and opening doors to using the buttons to leap and swing. It became second nature.
With everything good though, there’s always a bad. Sometimes the bat-a-rangs didn’t work right, and I really got tired of having to switch between Batman and Robin consistently to get through a stage. Go a few yards, switch to Robin, hit a switch, switch to Batman, go a few feet, hit a switch, change back to Robin. I also wanted to play as Batman and Robin in their normal suits! I hated having to be one of the super-suits once you found one.
Flaws aside, Lego Batman: The Videogame was a really fun (and addicting) game that added a few new things to the Lego games. The pros greatly outweigh the cons, and there’s a lot of replayability since there are so many unlockables and hidden areas to access, it’s not even funny. I’d happily recommend it to anyone, whether they’re a superhero fan or not.
Graphics: 4
Sound: 5
Control: 4
Story: 4 (would have been a 3, but the little jokes put it up a point)
Replayability: 5
