Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes

I love collect-a-thons. They help satisfy my completionist nature without the need for harder difficulties or frustrating puzzles. However, that doesn’t mean I enjoy collecting random objects for no discernible reason but that I love when the game mechanics are built around the idea of collecting items throughout the game. That’s why I love Banjo Kazooie, that’s why I love Spyro the Dragon, and that’s why I love Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes.

The Lego games have always been a rather stable collection, changing the franchise involved with each iteration rather than the core gaming experience, but Lego Batman 2 does at least take a small step or two over the safety line. It still has the traditional gameplay of collecting as many Lego Dollars as you can, special hidden bricks to help you build and unlock cool extra stuff, and back-tracking almost the entire game once you’ve unlocked the relevant characters. That’s fine and dandy (though the back-tracking does begin to get tedious after a while), but Lego Batman 2 has knocked it up a notch by adding a few new things which have never been seen in a Lego game.

The biggest addition, as far as I’m concerned, is voice acting. Lego games have always relied on a Mr. Bean style appeal where it’s all communicated through physical comedy and motions. Normally I’d defend the old way because I enjoyed that, but the voices are actually fantastic. It stunned me. This has better voice acting than I’ve heard in Uncharted games. The Joker takes the cake, of course, but Lex Luthor is a very close second. The second biggest add-on, though, was the overworld. Lego games have had some version of these before, but in Lego Batman 2 it is HUGE. Gotham City kind of huge. It’s rich, full of challenges, hidden items, and it is an utter joy to explore every nook and cranny of it. You could waste double figure hours in that section alone. I kid you not. It took serious self-restraint to leave it to write this review. That’s not even mentioning some of the kick ass new gameplay elements which I won’t go into detail lest I spoil the moment for you, but I will say this… Laser vision. That is all.

Are there any fault with Lego Batman 2? No, not really. At least none that weren’t present in previous Lego games. The ally AI is absolute dog muck, damn near does nothing except get in your way, and I found some of the back-tracking a tad dull at times but that’s near enough it. The rest of the time is spent lavishing the enjoyment of being able to play as Batman, Robin, Green Lantern, Superman, Wonder Woman and damn near the entire Justice League all in one game against Lex Luthor and The Joker as well as a few more recognisable comic book villains! It almost makes me question why this was branded as Lego Batman 2 and not just Lego DC Super Heroes. I suppose they had to solidify a setting somewhere, that eventually being Gotham City, but this is so much better than the original Lego Batman. I wouldn’t even put this game next to Lego Batman on my shelf because I would feel even making #2 touch #1 would be unjust, let alone tying them together by name!

Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes is by far the best Lego game to date. It keeps the gameplay we all know and love, and pushes the envelope just a bit further so as to create whole new experiences without breaking the flow of old. The splitscreen co-op is perfect. My own mother walked in on me playing and asked to jump in and sat there playing with me for the better part of an hour. I can’t put into words just how unheard of such an occurrence is. This game really is fun for all ages. I cannot think of anybody who would not smile while playing this game.