Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight Review

Lego games have always loved Batman, but this is the first one built like a Batman game. Traveller's Tales takes the free flow combat Rocksteady made famous, smooths it down so a child can chain counters and gadgets, and drops it into an open Gotham you cross by grapple, glide and Batmobile. The story begins with Bruce Wayne training under the League of Shadows and runs through the rogues everyone knows, drawing on the films, the television shows and the comics at once, and the jokes land far more often than they miss.

Gotham is the star: dense, moody and packed with landmarks, with a Batcave that fills up with suits and vehicles as you play. Seven playable characters, from Batman and Catwoman to Jim Gordon and Talia al Ghul, bring their own gadgets and skills, and the local co-op is as easy to share as the series has ever been.

The weaknesses are familiar ones. Stealth is little more than a way to open a fight, the map is crowded with collectibles like an open world checklist, and the roster is small next to older Lego games. The second half of the story also feels rushed. None of that stops this being the richest Lego game in years and a surprisingly convincing Arkham game for players of any age.