Parody, when done correctly, can be one of the sharpest, funniest ways to show your love for something. That task comes a little bit easier, and all the more richer, when the target in your sights is a man who dresses up as a bat and demands to be taken seriously all too often. Lego series developer TT Games is no stranger to this world, having jumped into Gotham on more than one occasion in the past and delivered consistently fun pastiches of some of pop culture's most beloved characters for two decades now. In Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight, it's back at the top of its game, built lovingly brick-by-brick with fun always foremost in mind, especially in an open world that eclipses its linear levels. A top-tier Lego game with playful twists on Rocksteady’s Arkham series that hit the mark more often than not, it's a strong send-up of the Caped Crusader, delivered with a kiss from a rose.
Legacy of the Dark Knight embraces its Lego building blocks more than any other game in the series to date. By that, I mean its overall structure is somewhat like if several Batman kits were thrown onto the floor and jumbled up, only to be reshaped into original creations of their own. TT Games has taken storylines from each of Bruce Wayne’s big-screen outings and crafted its own tale from those beloved scenes, just performed in plastic. For example, its first chapter slams together moments from Jack Nicholson’s Joker rebirth in Tim Burton’s 1989 Batman movie with the Falcone-centered Iceberg Lounge infiltration of Matt Reeves’ The Batman, and does so effortlessly with comedic charm.
It’s at its best when being reverential to those movies while also exercising its license to mess around with them at will, consistently throwing unexpected mash-ups onto the screen. The overarching story may not come together quite as well as I’d hope, due to it leaving it quite late to tie earlier events and characters together, but in terms of delivering an enjoyable remix of the movies, it hits the nail on the head. Instead of one epic tale, it’s better to think of each of its six chapters as its own mini comic book run, as new allies fight by Batman's side to thwart the plans of an iconic villain. For example, one string of missions may end in a much less leather-obsessed version of Batman Returns’ Penguin story, but you’ll take on the likes of Condiment King along the way. It’s these deviations from the familiar film stories that often delight the most, and I enjoyed each time I thought I knew exactly what the twist on a certain scene was going to be, only to have a curveball thrown at me laced with delightful nonsense.
Through a series of roughly 20 linear missions, you’ll fight, puzzle, and platform your way around Gotham locations in a way that will feel familiar if you’ve played any Lego games in the past. Where things are different, though, is in its combat, which takes a leaf out of Rocksteady’s Batman Arkham series by introducing its counter and dodge-based melee system, albeit soundtracked with a comic-book-esque Chudd!, Thudd!, and Krakk!. It feels slick to wield as you take on hordes of criminals and rack up combos reaching into the 100s, pressing the parry button whenever a flashing prompt appears over one of their heads. It’s a step up from the traditional Lego formula of just pressing the attack button until foes explode into their component parts, with a reasonable amount of enemy variety keeping fights relatively fresh, even if I was left desiring a little more in terms of interesting encounter design.
I played on the Caped Crusader difficulty, which is a step up from the “Classic” Lego experience, but in truth, never came close to losing a fight. I also realise that a tough challenge isn’t necessarily what TT Games are trying to pose here — though there is Dark Knight difficulty if you’re looking for something approaching it. I would have liked to have been made to figure out how to approach combat encounters a little more, though, with stealth takedowns coming all too easily and brawls not evolving much beyond the early hours. Most fights consist of dealing with multiple waves of basic grunts and the odd brute or ranged sharpshooter thrown into the mix as you roll and jump around a walled arena. Each member of the seven-character-strong roster feels identical to control in basic combat, too, with everyone from Nightwing to Jim Gordon packing the same punch. I would have welcomed a little more variety in their movesets here and in how they move around Gotham, as each is equipped with their own version of wings or gliders that all feel exactly the same. That grapple and launch into a long swoop does feel really good, though, so it’s hard to feel too aggrieved.
Where they do differ, though, is in their gadgetry, with each member of the extended bat-family housing two distinct tools on their belt. I particularly enjoyed sending one of Catwoman’s feline friends to scratch the face off enemies with a quick flash of a laser pointer, as I did summoning in Batgirl’s drone to electrify and stun grouped-up goons. Each playable character also has their own skill tree to explore, including some very fun unlockable ultimate abilities that can be unleashed once you’ve filled up your focus meter by landing successive hits. A particular favourite of mine is Batman’s batarang-powered move, which can unleash a swarm of bats onto a horde, stunning and dealing damage to each of them as they get lost in the flurry of plastic wings and teeth. I’ll admit to being initially worried that the relatively thin number of playable heroes could work against Legacy of the Dark Knight, especially when we’ve become accustomed to Lego games containing rosters stretching into the hundreds, but each character does have a substantial amount of depth to sink skill points into here to make them distinct from one another.
Puzzles, and not combat, are where they show off those unique skills more than anywhere, though. Each level is a great mix of problem-solving and fighting, and although it never becomes truly brain-teasing, it does make you pause for thought every now and then. Knowing when to switch between the two characters you’re locked into playing as during a mission is half of the battle, as you work out if a pipe gushing chemicals can be stuffed up with sealant from Gordon’s handy foam cannon or a small vent can be crawled through by one of Selina Kyle’s cat companions. Of course, like pretty much every Lego game, it’s all playable in two-player local co-op (the lack of online is a frustration), with some puzzles requiring coordination and timing to complete. Many bits of tech also come packed with their own enjoyable minigames, such as Batgirl’s hacking batarangs, which trigger a short puzzle section where you need to avoid enemies in a maze made up of concentric circles. These minigames don’t really develop in complexity over time, but there’s a decent amount of different types, so you’re never doing too many of the same in a row.
After a stop-start prologue tutorial riffs on Batman Begins’ League of Shadows training in a way that takes far too long to get through the basics, it settles into a good rhythm and then really hits the heights late on. A highlight is a late riff on The Dark Knight’s high-speed truck chase, which dynamically switches up the action between vehicle and foot. It carries a sense of momentum that many of the missions prior to it lack, and I would have liked to see more like this when it came to mission design, because when it really sings, like in this sequence, it all comes together wonderfully.
But the critical path has never been what I've enjoyed most when it comes to Lego games. Instead, finding those offshoots and exploring the open world on the hunt for collectibles is really where Legacy of the Dark Knight comes alive. There’s no shortage of things to find in Gotham either – while this version of the crime-ravaged city isn’t the largest, it’s packed full of opportunity. From hundreds of skill token-containing chests and villain-themed trophies to smash in each region to more involved Riddler and Cluemaster conundrums to solve, it feels like there’s something to do on every lofty rooftop and dingy alleyway.
Then there are more involved chains of side-missions to complete, too, which often lead to encounters with Batman villains not involved in the main story. For example, I had a great time following The Case of Waylon Jones, which tasked me with role-playing as The World’s Greatest Detective and analysing compounds by matching up shapes to their corresponding atoms or following trails using a UV light. Catwoman’s hunt for the Falcone fortune is also a great set of side missions, which involve several mini-heists and safecracking antics. It’s never overly complex stuff, but it always offers that welcome bit of variety and helps build out the fantasy further. Legacy of the Dark Knight loves keeping you busy without it ever feeling like busywork. After finishing its main story missions after 12 hours on the dot, I was still left with 53% of its collectibles checklist to complete, but have since achieved 100% at the 34-hour mark.
Rewards for completing these tasks are varied, too, with certain outfits, vehicles, and appearance-modifying red bricks granted depending on the mission. Those rueing the smaller roster size will find comfort in knowing there are still 100 different uniforms to unlock, ranging from comic book classics for the purists to the more maverick lime green, toxic waste-themed Batman Ninja look, if that’s what your heart desires. As well as gaining these from completing levels, you can spend your hard-earned studs at one of Bat-Mite’s many stores dotted around the city. Like a Tom Nook who’s shunned island life for the infinite cold and darkness of Gotham, he’ll offer funny, meta-tinged quips while you browse his wares. Alongside costumes, he also sells decorations to place around your Batcave, granting a level of fantasy that Bat-fans have never had before. The lair itself is a joy to take in, too, with each of your collected goodies proudly displayed in towering wardrobes or exhibition spaces customised to your own desire.
There's charm overload at every turn, with cutscenes that are often hilarious as silliness is always prioritised through slapstick physical humour and goofy dialogue. “We may not have health insurance, but boy does this make up for it”, could be heard from one enemy as I pummelled him and his friends a fresh shade of purple to add a new colour to the funhouse ball pit we were brawling in. There’s a clear love for all things Batman here, with the DC hero and the culture around him always the target of affectionate mockery. That could be riffs on popular memes, such as Michael Caine’s infamous “Batman Begin” Twitter post, or the fact that you may just be wandering around the Batcave minding your own business when the Batphone rings. Who’s on the other end of the line? Well, that would be Bane, gloriously voiced by What We Do in the Shadows’ Matt Berry, who loves nothing more than to crank call you with some wonderfully childish messages.
There’s always something to grab your ears or eyes, from the colourful wonder of the Joker’s parade from Batman ‘89 to the fiery, deathtrap obstacle course of The Flying Grayson’s circus show. But outside of grand spectacle, there are also the small details that I couldn’t stop myself from taking a closer look at, such as the fibrous texture of the heroes’ capes, the way raindrops trace down the scuffs of plastic minifig heads, or the way Batman flails his arms around like an inflatable tube man when on the back of a motorcycle. Zooming around this open-world Gotham is fantastic, too, with each of the 30 vehicles feeling distinct from one another. I particularly enjoy the heft and weight of the tank-like Tumbler from The Dark Knight — the perfect tool for smashing through the city’s destructible decorations and scooping up the stud currency that erupts from them.
