Lego Batman: The Videogame

Lego Batman: The Videogame is a action-adventure video game, created for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, Nintendo DS, Mac OS X and Wii. The game is based on the comic book character Batman and the Lego Batman toy line. It was developed by Traveller's Tales and published by Warner Bros., who also handled marketing and financial aspects of the game. It was released on September 23, 2008, for the PlayStation 2, Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo DS, PlayStation Portable, and PC. The game is similar to the Lego Star Wars series and Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures, in that it is both a game based on a licensed property, and has environments, objects, and creatures made out of Lego. The Mac OS X version of the game was released in April 2009 by Feral Interactive.

Gameplay[]

The core gameplay of Lego Batman is similar to that of previous Lego games, such as Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures and the Lego Star Wars series. The player controls any one of a wide assortment of characters from a third-person perspective, primarily fighting enemies, solving puzzles, and collecting Lego "studs", the game's form of currency. Using attack combinations in combat will multiply the amount of studs earned. The game is set in Gotham City, with mainly realistic environments. Only interactive objects are made of Lego bricks. Occasionally, players must assemble Lego objects to proceed further in the level, cross obstacles, or unlock new suits. Players are able to fight on land, sea, and in the air, using a number of character-controlled vehicles, including the Batmobile, Batboat, and Batwing. New moves to the series first featured in Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures are featured in this game. New abilities introduced in this game include picking up and carrying enemies and walking on tightropes across buildings. Up to two players can play in co-operative mode.

There are thirty levels in the game (fifteen for the heroes and fifteen for the villains) as well as some secret levels, including Wayne Manor and Arkham Asylum. There are many different environments in the game, usually based upon the villains' crime styles, including an ice cream factory, a garden center, the Gotham sewers, and Gotham's seedy underbelly. The game is divided into chapters, each containing five levels. Chapters are divided equally between heroes and villains. Completing a hero chapter will unlock the corresponding chapter for the villains. As in previous Lego games, levels are unlocked for "Free Play" mode once they are completed in Story Mode. "Free Play" allows the player to replay any level they have completed, but with any characters they have unlocked so far. This permits access to special areas containing additional collectables, where the player was unable to get to before. This is unlike Story mode, in which the player may only switch between the two characters involved in that scene.

The level hub for the heroes, similar to the Mos Eisley Cantina in Lego Star Wars and Barnett College in Lego Indiana Jones, is the Batcave, where the player can purchase additional characters and view unlockables. The corresponding hub for the villains is Arkham Asylum, where players can create their own character using parts from characters already unlocked, as well as a limited array of weapons.

Individual characters are able to use many unique abilities related to their comic book powers and talents. For example, the Joker is able to attack enemies and activate machines with a hand buzzer, and the Penguin can glide with his umbrella. Poison Ivy, Catwoman, and Harley Quinn can all seduce guards to make them open doors.

Players are able to swap the costumes of each of the main heroes (Batman, Robin, Batgirl, and Nightwing) with many differing ones, each containing unique abilities and different color schemes. Batman starts in a classic grey suit, while he and Batgirl can wear the Glide suit (a suit that lets Batman/Batgirl fly for a short time), the Sonic suit (a suit that can break glass), the Demolition suit (a suit that lets Batman/Batgirl set down bombs), and the Heat Protection suit (a suit that lets Batman/Batgirl survive in extremely hot temperatures). Robin and Nightwing can wear the Technology suit (a suit that can activate Tech panels), the Water suit (a suit that lets Robin/Nightwing go underwater), the Magnet suit (a suit that lets Robin/Nightwing climb up magnetic walls), and the Attract suit (a suit that can vacuum up loose Lego pieces and turn them in for bonuses). Devices providing these suits must be built with Lego bricks during Story Mode, but when the player finds those suits, they will be linked to their corresponding characters in "Free Play" mode.

The Hush character can be unlocked after finding all 25 hostages in the villain and hero levels (excluding the Vehicle Levels). Once the game reaches 100%, the Ra's al Ghul character can be purchased and used as a playable character; and the Azrael, Huntress, Black Mask and Spoiler characters can be created in the character creator.

The PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Windows versions offer 720p and 1080p displays.

Nintendo DS[]

The Nintendo DS version was altered to accommodate the memory and size limitations of the DS as well as include touch screen controls. Characters' special abilities, such as Batman's grappling hook (when pulling background objects) and detonation capsules, and elements such as switches can be controlled by using the touch screen. Some characters' special abilities, attack moves, and jump moves have been changed. For example, Batman can do double-jumps in the DS version, but not in the console versions. Also, when Batman and Robin use a suit switcher pad, they cannot switch back to the previous suit. There are no cinematics, just slideshows featuring comic book-style panels.

The Nintendo DS version also features several more characters not available in the console versions and includes an exclusive unlockable minigame called "Villain Hunt", which is used to unlock 10 of the extra characters: Killer Moth (classic version), Man-Bat, Dr. Hugo Strange, Mr. Zsasz, Black Mask, Firefly, Ventriloquist and Scarface, Ra's al Ghul, Hush, and the Joker (Tropical suit). Some other characters did not make it into the Story Levels, but can be unlocked in different ways than in the console versions. They include: Talia al Ghul, Azrael, Huntress, and Killer Moth (alternate version as depicted from the Teen Titans TV series).

Mobile phone[]

A mobile phone version of the game was also released. However, this plays much more like a straightforward platformer with scrolling beat 'em up elements, removing key gameplay features such as the ability to switch between characters with different abilities. The game is single-player only and players can only play as Batman.

Plot[]

LEGO Batman: The Videogame is notable for being the first Traveler's Tales LEGO game to have an original plot. Unlike previous Traveler's Tales LEGO games, it's based more on the concept of a franchise, rather than following the plot of a particular movie or other story from it. The game features Batman and Robin fighting crime and villainy in Gotham City. Batman's most dangerous and murderous foes have all escaped from Arkham Asylum and divided themselves into three groups of five, each led by a "clever" and well-known villain with plans to achieve a personal goal:

Riddler is after the city savings in the Gotham Gold Reserves.
Penguin plans to seize control of Gotham using remote-controlled penguin robots.
Joker intends to blow up the cathedral and spread his deadly laughing gas across Gotham.

Each group is accompanied by hundreds of thugs and small timers who murder and steal under their orders. Each group member also has a specific set of goons that are tailored to their crimes.

The villain missions mainly show how the villains set up their plans, while the heroes show the fates and outcome of the villains and their sadistic plots. The general pattern in each story is that the leaders often leave their associates at the hands of Batman or the police once their use is over. Eventually, Batman & Robin disrupt all their plans and send all the villains back to Arkham. The Riddler is captured due to the clues he leaves behind, Penguin's robots and equipment are destroyed, and the Joker fails to detonate the bombs. The last scenes show most of the villains being oddly content to be back in Arkham except for the Joker, the Penguin, and the Riddler as their plans have failed.

Playable characters[]

There are three episodes with five per level, in which there are five villains. They are listed below:

Riddler's Revenge[]

Riddler's Revenge is the first one. The Riddler wants to steal gold from the Bank Vault. The characters are the following:

Riddler – The Riddler is the leader of the group who tries to steal the city's gold. Unlike the original version, his cane can control people with a question mark above their heads. He was defeated due to leaving clues.

Clayface – The first boss the player must defeat. He and the Riddler steal the bank key though he was defeated because he stayed behind. In Arkham Asylum he is seen making pottery with his clay body. Unlike some other characters he can double jump and he has super strength.

Mr. Freeze – The second character to be defeated. He can blast ice from his cannon and resembles the comic version. He assists the Riddler by stealing the freeze cannon in his own factory but he stayed behind so he could thaw out freeze women who were assisting him. Unlike most characters he has super strength. In prison he is seen playing with two dolls. Unlike most characters he is immune to toxins.

Poison Ivy – The third and only female character assisting the Riddler. She is able to double jump and assists the Riddler in stealing special seeds. She can make plants grow and is immune to toxins. She is considered an easy boss as the player must first defeat her evil plants and then if the character keeps fighting, can defeat her. In Arkham Asylum she is seen growing plants.

Two-Face – The fourth character who is seen the most with the Riddler. This pays a homage to Batman Forever as he was seen with the Riddler. He helps by stealing a special weapon, driving him away, being a boss twice, and doing a level involving the car chase. Unlike most characters he is immune to toxins. In prison he is seen flipping a coin.

Trivia: The Riddler's gang contains all of the villains of Batman in the films of Joel Schumacher (Batman Forever, Batman & Robin), except for Bane, who was traded by the villain Clayface.

Powered-Crazed Penguin[]

Penguin – The Penguin is the leader of the group. He wants to use his penguins to take over the city. Unlike most characters, he can lay bombs and fly. He can use his umbrella as a weapon.

Catwoman – The first boss character of Power Crazed Penguin and later a boss in the final level where the player must defeat the Penguin. She is sent to Arkham Asylum but later escapes. She can double jump and get past most doors by her looks. Her whip allows her to use it as a special attack. In prison she is seen mad because Penguin didn't rescue her and later being cat-like.

Bane – The only character not used as a boss (except in the Nintendo DS version). He helped Penguin get the satellite dish for his machine though he was defeated and sent to Arklam Asylum. He was seen in prison banging into the bars implied to breaking out. He is immune to toxins and has super strength.

Man-Bat - One of the only characters able to glide. He is a buyable character who can be played with if bought in the free play. He has a bat-like behavior and usually seen upside down. In prison he is seen upside down reading a newspaper.

Killer Croc – A reptilian like character of super strength. He is seen twice with the Penguin. He is immune to toxins and expert at swimming. In prison he is seen chewing on the bars so it is implied he is trying to escape.

Trivia: The Penguin and Catwoman teaming up is a homage to Batman Returns, as well as the Penguin's use of remote-controlled penguin robots as weapons. Additionally, the level occurring in Gotham City Zoo mirrors the battle between the Penguin and Batman in the film.

The Joker's Return[]

Joker – The leader of the group. He plans to use laughing gas bombs to spread laughter throughout Gotham. Unlike most characters, he is immune to toxins. For a weapon, he can use a joy buzzer. He also uses a joy buzzer to operate generators.

Mad Hatter – The only character in the group that doesn't get a mission. He and Joker go to a chemical plant to make the laughing gas. He can double jump and mind control. In Arkham, he is seen having tea with a rabbit homaging Mad Hatter's tea time with the March Hare.

Scarecrow – He and Joker go to the art gallery after Scarecrow's biplane crashes. They need to find a way to get out. In the Nintendo DS version, he is immune to toxins. In console versions, he can mind control. In Arkham, birds are on his shoulder picking at his skin.

Killer Moth – Only available on console versions. He can glide. Joker and Killer Moth have to rescue Harley Quinn from Commissioner Gordon. To rescue her, Moth has to control a giant robot. He gets caught by the Batwing's light. In Arkham, he is attracted to the cell's light bulb. In the DS version, he is unlocked through Villain Hunt.

Harley Quinn – The deputy of Joker. She can double jump. She and Joker go to the Fairground to capture Commissioner Gordon so that Batman can get him. Then, she goes to Gotham Cathedral to activate Joker's plan. In prison, there are posters of Joker in her cell and she is admiring them and making kissing sounds.

Trivia: The Joker's use of the Cathedral for his plan is similar to the final battle in the 1989 Tim Burton film Batman. Additionally, The Joker and Harley Quinn dance in the bell tower much like Joker and Vicki Vale (forcibly) danced in the movie.

Development and release[]

An early build for the PlayStation 2 console was shown at certain conferences (such as at Game On in London) by TT Games Publishing's Head of Production Jonathan Smith, with a small playable area featuring exactly the same HUD as Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy.

DC Comics also had an input into the game, providing the developers with reference materials for the game's characters.

The game's soundtrack is Danny Elfman's score from Tim Burton's first 1989 film about Batman. The Nintendo DS version of the game uses some music from Batman Returns.

Characters's vocal effects were provided by Tom Kenny (as Riddler and Penguin), Steve Blum (as Batman, Joker, Killer Moth, Killer Croc and Two-Face), James Arnold Taylor (as Robin and Nightwing), Fred Tatasciore (as Bane), Grey DeLisle (as Harley Quinn), Dave Wittenberg (as Scarecrow), Ogie Banks (as Mr. Freeze and Clayface), Vanessa Marshall (as Poison Ivy and Catwoman) Tara Strong as (Batgirl) with Chris Edgerly and Keith Ferguson as various.

A special bundle features the PlayStation 2 Slim with Lego Batman was offered for $129.

During the 2009 holiday season, Lego Batman and Pure were bundled with select Xbox 360 packages as a bonus, in a double-sided box.

Reception[]

Lego Batman received generally favorable reviews. IGN gave the game a 7.7 for the Wii, PS2, PS3 and 360, stating that while the game has plenty of replay value, it also retains problematic elements from the previous games in the series and does not necessarily add anything new. The DS version received an 8.0 rating. GamesRadar gave it an 8 out of 10, noting that Traveller's Tales was able to be more open with the license than previous games. In a review for PC Gamer, John Walker noted that the large number of locations in Gotham as a "welcome improvement" over Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures. Combat is styled in the manner of the 1960s Batman series, and the game includes clever puzzles. The drawbacks mentioned include the fixed viewing perspective and the frequent respawning of opponents. "Iconic characters, such as Clayface and Robin, have been turned into village idiots," writes Ben of Game Informer who nevertheless later adds, "this game is filled with cool playable characters...Nightwing, Harley Quinn, Joker, Killer Croc, Bane, Catwoman, and Man-Bat only scratch the surface of the game's catalog of great characters."