Sessions recuses himself from Russia probe as calls mount for him to resign 'Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham' review: Game serves up mixed emotions Sinister space nerd Brainiac plans to add Earth to his collection of shrunken oddities, and it's going to take the combined efforts of DC Comics' best and worst to fend him off. In "Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham," Batman and the Justice League team up with Lex Luthor, the Joker and other villains as they travel the galaxy to stand against Brainiac.Gamers should have a good idea of what to expect from this third "Lego Batman" game — and the zillionth Lego game. Starting with a small assortment of playable characters, you travel through different locations using Lego-themed tricks to solve puzzles and unlock piles of collectibles. Eventually you have a treasure trove of secret characters, game-altering cheats and bonus content. Although a few levels center on Batman's usual Gotham City hangouts, the game quickly takes off to alien planets.
Lego fans will enjoy that some levels are built in the "mini" style, which makes the normal-sized characters look like giants. Another set of exploratory levels opens up once the story mode is finished, including turning the Green Lantern home world of Oa into a stadium for vehicle races.So what else is new for this installment? The chief draw is an almost unbelievable number of unlockable characters (around 150), with a nice variety available at the start of the game rather than just Batman and Robin. Wonder Woman, Superman, Green Lantern and others all appear early on, and lead to ever more obscure grabs from the DC Comics roster. Almost every character has unique attack animations and abilities to better represent their comic origins. The biggest bonus draw, however, is a level based on the 1966 "Batman" TV show, featuring Adam West himself. Keeping in line with that show's penchant for celebrity guest stars appearing as themselves, "Lego Batman 3" includes substantial voiceover work from West, Conan O'Brien and film director Kevin Smith.
With knowing winks for the DC superfans, the game's cheeky pandering takes center stage. The actual storyline is an afterthought, which might disappoint gamers looking for a Batman-themed superhero adventure. The overall plot is that Batman has to learn to accept his emotions to be a better team player, while the Justice League's mission takes them through the emotion-power-based home planets of the various Lantern Corps. For much of the middle of the story, the League's emotions are scrambled (Cyborg is a coward! The Flash is greedy!), and this is played for tedious comic effect. The game has a simplistic, kid-friendly plot tucked inside fan service that only adults will enjoy, which puts a weird veneer on the entire package. Is it for kids, or is it for grown-ups? The game is for both, of course, but it loses some focus under that broad brush.Occasionally the game delivers audio quirks, like characters talking over one another when you're triggering missions. Plus, the Lego series' long-included "dynamic split screen" is nowhere near as preferable as the normal vertical split option.
Arnett at the world premiere for "The LEGO Batman Movie" in Los Angeles February 4. In the film, Bruce Wayne adopts orphan Dick Grayson, aka Robin. Arnett's "Arrested Development" co-star Michael Cera plays Batman's son and sidekick. Robing and Cera share a bit of a resemblance, don't you think? Batman wouldn't go far without his trusty butler, Alfred Pennyworth. Ralph Fiennes plays the trusty butler. You may recognize Fiennes for his role in Warner Bros.' "Harry Potter" franchise as Voldemort. Commissioner Jim Gordon steps down to retire from his position at the GCPD early in the film. He doesn't have many lines, but Hector Elizondo, who you may recognize from "The Princess Diaries," lends his voice to Gotham's finest. Hector Elizondo holds his LEGO character at the movie's premiere. Barbara Gordon takes over as commissioner of Gotham City from her father and helps fight baddies alongside Batman as Batgirl. Rosario Dawson makes the jump from Marvel ("Daredevil," "Luke Cage") to double as the superhero.
Dawson, at "The LEGO Movie Batman" premiere. Forget the famous Gotham City Mayor Hill. The animated Lego movie introduces us to Mayor McCaskill. You probably wouldn't guess it, but that's singer Mariah Carey. It's not Mariah Carey's first voice-over work. She has also appeared in TV series "American Dad!" All the Joker wants is some recognition as Batman's greatest foe of all time. Zach Galifianakis steps in as the latest incarnation of the Clown Prince of Crime. See all the actors who have played the Joker here. The Joker doesn't go anywhere without a sidekick of his own, Harley Quinn. Jenny Slate voices the Joker's main squeeze. You may recognize Slate from lead roles in last year's "Zootopia" and "The Secret Life of Pets." The Riddler pops up in a few key scenes, hanging out with the Joker's crew. Listen to that voice carefully. It's late-night host Conan O'Brien. O'Brien's not new to the DC universe. He appeared in video game "LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham."
Pay extra attention to Two-Face in the film. Catwoman doesn't say much outside of a few hilarious meows, but the actress behind her is a face you'll recognize. That's Zoe Kravitz who was recently in the "Divergent" series. Kravitz is also set to be in the "Fantastic Beasts" sequel. Superman makes an appearance with some of his "Justice League" pals. Channing Tatum reprised his role from "The LEGO Movie" to play Batman's comrade. "The LEGO Movie" directors also made "21 Jump Street," in which Channing starred. Joining Superman is one of his buddies, Green Lantern, who was also in "The LEGO Movie." Tatum's "21 Jump Street" costar Jonah Hill also reprises his cameo as the Justice League member. He has also provided voice-overs for roles in "Sausage Party" and the "How to Train Your Dragon" series. Pay close attention to pilot Bill at the film's start. That's "The LEGO Batman Movie" director Chris McKay. McKay was an editor on "The LEGO Movie" and voiced a barista in the film.