LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham is the third game in the LEGO Batman franchise released for PC, multiple popular home consoles, and handhelds. It is an action-adventure game in the vein of other Traveller's Tales LEGO games, featuring Batman and a large cast of DC superheroes and supervillians. The game features Story Mode and Free Play levels like its predecessors, but also contains a lot of open-world exploration, with several hubs containing side missions for the player to explore and complete. Beyond Gotham takes place after the events of DC Super Heroes. It features Batman and the Justice League facing off against the Legion of Doom, and later both parties team up to face Brainiac, an android invader that uses the power of the Lanterns to shrink cities for his collection. The game shifts its focus away from Batman and on to the other members of the Justice League. In particular, much of the attention is centered on the Lantern Corps, with the Lanterns playing a large role in the plot and the inclusion of the Lantern Planets as hub areas.
Pursuers in the Sewers Space suits you, Sir! Big Trouble in Little Gotham LEGO Batman: The Videogame · 2: DC Super Heroes · You might wonder what ground is left for TT Games to cover with its popular LEGO Batman series, considering the second instalment's 70-strong roster reads like a who's who of DC Comics.Well, LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham quite literally takes the franchise above and beyond, switching the action to deep space and giving fans the chance to explore the furthest reaches of the DC Universe.With blocky incarnations of everything from the Lantern Corp homeworlds to the Justice League Watchtower to smash your way around, this promises to be Batman's biggest LEGO outing to date.The game picks up immediately after the events of LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes, with the evil alien mastermind Brainiac wreaking havoc across the universe after gaining possession of the Lantern Corp's Power Rings.The level we tackled saw Batman and Robin boarding rocket ship to propel them to the Justice League Watchtower and liberate the orbital headquarters from Legion of Doom occupation.
This stage was divided into several very different segments, showcasing the variety on offer in LEGO Batman 3, and the new twists TT Games has applied to the smash and build formula established in previous instalments.We started out in the Batcave, guiding the Dynamic Duo around various hazards towards the Bat Rocket, which was our ticket to the cosmos.While LEGO Batman 3 barely deviates from the family-friendly blueprint that has won over so many in the past, the developer has shaken up some aspects.Suit swapping appears to play a bigger role, and TT Games has overhauled the radial menu system used to switch between them, allowing players to change garb in a split second.We got a chance to play around with a few outfits from both Batman and Robin's wardrobes, giving us a feel for the numerous powers and abilities players will have at their fingertips.For instance, the Dark Knight can break certain objects when decked in his Power Suit, see through walls with the Sensor Suit, and shatter glass using his Sonar Suit.The Boy Wonder can hoover up nearby items using the Attract Suit, light up dark areas in his Illumination Suit, and spawn a mechanical mini Robin that can be controlled remotely when garbed in the Techno Suit.The outfits on offer give LEGO Batman 3 more of a high-tech feel than its predecessors
, in keeping with its intergalactic theme, and the powers that come with them create all kinds of possibilities where the puzzle aspects are concerned.We felt like we were switching to a new character every time we changed costumes, and given that there will be more than 150 playable heroes and villains in the final game, the amount of content on offer looks promising.After Batman and Robin blasted off into space, the game took on an entirely different form, morphing into a side-scrolling space shooter in the vein of Resogun.Kalvin Martinez / Nov 26th, 2014 It is no secret there are a ton of Lego video games every year. Whether it is based on a popular movie license or based upon a building set, there will be Lego video games available throughout the year. How does a Lego game distinguish itself from its siblings? Where can you change the formula or do something new? Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham somewhat answers those questions, but circuitously. It distinguishes itself by virtue of its license and its gameplay foundation.
The break in the formula comes in the form of expanding the scope from simply Batman to the larger DC universe, and it takes the series to new heights. Batman and trusted side-kick/ward, Robin, are back, but the threat they face this time is more than either of them can handle by themselves. Brianiac has captured Hal Jordan and six other prominent members of the Lantern Corps. Now, he plans to use the power of their rings to shrink the Earth and add it to his collection of miniatures. Clearly this aggression cannot stand, but Batman alone cannot stop this menace. The collective might of the Justice League must mobilize to save the Earth from a tiny fate. In going beyond Gotham, Lego Batman 3 has the feel of an episode of the Justice League. It has a grand scope with the Earth hanging in the balance and heroes from all corners of the DC universe coming together to stop the threat. Brianiac’s plan acts as a good overarching threat and serves as a backdrop for the story to explore some fun avenues, like uneasy alliances (i.e. Lex Luthor) and venturing to the home of the other Lantern Corps.
Humor remains a big component in Lego Batman 3, as it does in every Lego game. However, the humor is more focused, with a good balance between the Gatling gun approach to jokes and funny character choices. Naturally for a game focusing on Batman, he shines brightest, and the exaggerated qualities of the character are played for solid laughs. Gameplay for the Lego video game franchise is usually the most glaring issue. With the exception of Lego City Undercover, the series generally bleeds together in terms of combat and puzzle elements. While Lego Batman 3 doesn’t re-invent the wheel, the experience is more enjoyable thanks to the variety provided by Batman and Robin’s (and other characters) ability to change form and new flying missions. As players progress through the game, specific characters gain the ability to change suits that will help them get past different obstacles. For instance, Batman gains a space suit that gives him the ability to fly and destroy gold bricks.
Other characters have their own unique abilities, like Wonder Woman’s bracers being able to reflect lasers, Martian Manhunter being able to phase through objects and become huge, and Green Lantern being able to use his ring in a variety of useful ways. Levels become puzzle-like, with different obstacles that need to be overcome. The objects barring your path are not dissimilar from ones found in other Lego games. There are things that need to be dug up, gold bricks that need to be destroyed by lasers, silver bricks must be blown up, and green handles need to be thrown by BIG figures. While most of these gameplay elemenets will be familiar, the array of abilities players need to use in combination at certain points makes up for the feeling of déjà vu. While the puzzle-ish elements of the game are fun, there remains the huge issue with combat. Outside of boss battles, combat is reductive. It involves just mashing on the action button until all the goons are gone. It would be nice if the game used the Lego City combat style, especially considering it is based on superheroes.