LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham promises to be the ultimate game for DC superfans, much like LEGO Marvel Super Heroes was for the comic publisher’s arch-rival. It’s a Batman game, of course, but it’s much more, with over 150 of the most (and not-so) well-known characters gracing the screen. Batman and Robin are front and centre, but there’s also Superman, Flash, Catwoman and Cyborg to name a handful. There are villains too, like Joker, Lex Luthor. Killer Croc and Firefly. Plus there are the more obscure characters, like Krypto the superdog, Black Manta, Blue Beetle and Beast Boy, who can turn into a bird, a shark, dormouse and a gorilla. Oh, and don’t forget Bat-Cow. Play as any of the key characters and you’re able to switch through a handful of costumes in an instant, each with their own characteristics. The Dark Knight’s arctic suit comes with a freeze gun that turns his enemies into ice blocks, while 1960s Batman – voiced by Adam West no less – pulls his cape across his face to stealthily sneak past foes.
Other nice touches include a telephone box, which pops up when Clark Kent changes into Superman. The game itself adheres to the tried-and-tested formula anyone who’s played a LEGO game will be familiar with. It has drop-in, drop-out co-op, the puzzles are simple and the action is light but fun. There is innovation though, to some extent. In one new level our DC heroes encounter the Reach mothership, a giant tentacled battle station which must be taken out in a 2D retro-style shootout. It’s plays a lot Resogun, but it’s much more forgiving – it’s a LEGO game after all, so you don’t die when you take a hit, but lose your weapons upgrades and power-ups instead. The 1960s level is the highlight though, perfectly riffing off the TV show from 50 years ago. The original TV theme plays in the background while the dynamic duo go about their business, while cutscenes are interspersed with the familiar spinning Batman symbol. Every punch and kick is accompanied by 'Kapow' and 'Thwack' bubble popping up on-screen, while Adam West narrates the entire level.
But best of all you access the level by pulling on a bust of Bruce Wayne, which then reveals a secret entrance behind a bookcase, leading down to the Bat Cave. If LEGO Batman 3 is created with the same passion and enthusiasm for the DC universe as Marvel Super Heroes was for its world – which, at this stage, is looking promising – then this is definitely a LEGO game worth looking out for. We’ll find out more nearer the end of the year, when it comes out of PS4, Xbox One, PS3, Xbox 360, Wii U, PC, 3DS and PS Vita. Alex is IGN's UK Editor-in-Chief and wishes he was as cool as Batman. Still, follow him on IGN and Twitter.There's rarely a half-year goes by without a new Lego game from TT Games. Thankfully the quality continues to shine through. Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham, is the next game in a seemingly neverending line of titles.It should come as no surprise that the successful formula stays more or less untouched here. We're tasked with conquering a world built by bricks as Batman and Robin, but there's a major twist this time around.
We're not going to spend the majority of our time in Gotham. Instead we're heading into space.Batman and Robin get Justice League to help them, hence the inclusion of Superman, Wonder Woman, Cyborg, Flash and company as playable characters. Once again we take on The Joker, who's just as keen to trick us in space as in Gotham City. The new location allows for some nice, new gameplay elements. The most important of them is that Batman and some of the other characters have proper flight skills. Batman sports a suit with an integrated jetpack, that must be recharged after use. All suits can now be accessed quickly and easily with aid of a selection wheel, making for a better flow in the action.The jetpack suit opens up the typical level structure, where you'd normally just stroll around on foot. Of course, there are still many areas that can only be opened by certain characters with their special abilities. So we need to unravel ways we get them there, because not all characters can fly or jump high and far enough.
But they might be able to build unique machines from an trashed pile of lego bricks. Such as the case is in the Batcave below Wayne Manor where we need to assemble the rocket to fly off into space.There the next big surprise awaits us: the Batwing Spaceship. Batman owns a jet that reminds us a bit of an X-Wing. Robin naturally takes the role as wingman in his own mini-spaceship (as if he didn't feel inferior enough already). In the subsequent mission, they're tasked with liberating a space station that The Joker has hijacked. The iconic villain sits inside, manning a retro computer, playing a game that produces strange experiences outside the space station - such as huge rattling fake teeth that chase Batman and Robin and must be quickly shot down. The studio's humorous take on serious subject matter is now legendary, and there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy it in dialogue and cutscenes. Kids love it, but even adults will find it difficult not to smile frequently.This "simple space shooter" as Assistant Game Director Stephen Sharples puts it, is a shameless but well crafted clone of Resogun, though when asked about this, the developer quickly deflects that line of questioning.
That said, the inspiration is easy to spot as there are smart bombs that clear the screen and you fly around a rotating space station and combat waves of enemies. In the end there is a Boss Fight against Jack in a Missile. Who but the Joker would come up something as silly as that? The game will feature several vehicle levels of this nature, but TT Games didn't want to share any further details on them.After besting Jack in a Missile, Cyborg and Flash will help the two Gotham heroes board the space station. We tinker and puzzle around the outer shell of the station, while Cyborg turns himself into a giant robot or a washing machine (there's that humour again). There are completely separate suits for all characters. And of course Cyborg is also capable of flying, just like Batman.Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham provides us with some charming over-the-top insanity that is aimed primarily at kids and their sense of humour. The gameplay and the puzzles are simple as usual, the changes made have been handled with care and all of them seem meaningful.