Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight - The Final Preview

Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight offers a "diet Arkham" experience, blending detailed open-world exploration, fun mission design, and robust combat with a lighter tone and mechanics. A recent preview demo showcased three early campaign missions, including navigating Penguin's iceberg lounge, foiling Two-Face’s bombing attempt as Robin, and a multi-stage boss fight with Poison Ivy. The combat system, reminiscent of Arkham’s attack, dodge, and counter mechanics, felt familiar and satisfying. Despite its comparative simplicity, the core formula remains engaging. Surprisingly, Lego Batman also incorporates Arkham-style stealth, allowing players to eliminate enemies one by one using comedic takedowns, provided they stay out of narrow vision cones. Three difficulty options, including a "dark knight" level with unlimited lives turned off and more special enemies, promise increased challenge. A standout mission, "Haley Circus," played as Robin, emphasized platforming. While basic compared to other platformers, it presented unexpected challenges requiring precise timing. The Poison Ivy boss fight highlighted the slick combat system, with multiple phases demanding varied reactions to different flora attacks. The game's open world, a gorgeous rendition of Gotham City, draws inspiration from Rocksteady’s Arkham interpretation, evoking a moody atmosphere but with a wider palette of influences from art deco animated series and cinema. It’s densely packed with activities, including Riddler trophies, Clue Master puzzles, traversal and combat trials, and fast travel point unlocks. Side quests, such as the "Falcone Fortune" involving Catwoman’s unique abilities to break into apartments, add further depth. A major highlight is driving various Batmobiles, including iconic models from different films. The arcadey handling provides a good sense of weight and speed, making responding to crimes at high speeds thrilling. Legacy of the Dark Knight celebrates all iterations of the Caped Crusader, creating a joyful and significant evolution of LEGO IP games by blending cinematic recreations with an engaging open world.