I have to admit that deep down LEGO games are my Kryptonite. There is something about the whimsical nature of LEGO minifigures fashioned after some of my favorite franchises that just brings out the kid in me. To this day playing with LEGO blocks is still a joy. As an adult I find that after I build a set with my kids, I simply want to marvel at the genius in engineering. The kid inside of course just wants to play with the newly constructed toys, but I wouldn’t be a very good father if I took my kids’ toys away and played with them while they watched.
And that is why the Traveller’s Tales LEGO games work so wonderfully. My kids and I can play together without having to worry about taking each other’s toys. The development studio has time and again managed to create truly magical worlds out of nothing more than building blocks. Of course, each game has focused on popular franchises with existing worlds, stories and characters to build from, but the simple gratification of smashing something into a shower of coin studs has yet to be duplicated by other games. There is just something fun and vibrant about the way each game is presented, even though that presentation can be viewed as formulaic. It is a formula that works.
Each consecutive LEGO title has found a way to improve upon a new idea or feature implemented from the previous game. The first LEGO Harry Potter introduced a fully functional Hogwarts school to be explored in between each chapter. I know, I know. LEGO Indy 2 had a functional world hub before Harry Potter, but Indy 2 is a game best forgotten otherwise it would taint an otherwise great track record. The third LEGO Star Wars brought a whole new level of visual fidelity and confirmed that Traveller’s Tales could branch out from simply copying a story previously told and add new gameplay mechanics into their tried and true formula.
While LEGO Batman 2 doesn’t have a real-time strategy element, the game does bring two new concepts and handles both with an almost effortless perfection: Talking and flying. We recently posted a teaser trailer for LEGO Lord of the Rings, and that was the first time I was aware that Traveller’s Tales was planning on including minifigures with actual voices. Upon watching that trailer I admit that I wasn’t completely sold on the idea. For one, the inclusion of lines cut directly from the Peter Jackson movies almost felt like I was just watching a highly polished machinima. Secondly, all of the previous LEGO games had gotten along fine without voice overs, so why change the formula now? I feel like an Apple fan the moment after Steve Jobs has told me about a new feature that I didn’t realize I needed and hearing the words, “you’re gonna love it.”
Hot damn. Voice in LEGO games makes a huge difference. It IS the feature I didn’t realize I needed. Sure, pantomime can be used effectively to tell a story, but hearing the subtle nuance of vocal inflection during banter between Batman, Robin and Superman completely enhances the humorous narrative. Now maybe the voice work wouldn’t be as strong as it is in LEGO Batman 2 if the script wasn’t so good (I’ll keep total judgment on the voice work until LOTR comes out later this year), but the folks at Traveller’s Tales nailed a fun comic book romp that manages to bring together so many DC characters. While the title doesn’t focus as much on intertwining as many Batman enemies as the Arkham games from Rocksteady, there are plenty of nods to locations within Gotham and the characters from the comics to keep an OCD nerd like myself busy for quite a while.
The other new feature I mentioned earlier that LEGO Batman 2 handles wonderfully is free-roam flying. Obviously, if a game includes Superman, gamers would expect him to be able to fly. Flying is handled by double tapping the circle button and then tapping or holding the cross button and aiming a little crosshair to propel the hero forward through the open world of Gotham. Subtle shifts with slower movements can be tricky at times, but overall the flying aspect allows for all sorts of height to both the story levels as well as the open-world levels. This is a nice change of pace and visual scope from the previous LEGO titles. Flying up to the top of Wayne tower and then looking out across the whole of Gotham City goes to show that the folks at Traveller’s Tales are committed to enhancing the systems and game engine to provide new and fun experiences with each title.
The one drawback to this newer open-world game engine is that objects don’t always appear when you first come up to them. The quickest comparison I can make is to that of an Unreal Engine game. Often times a world will load up but the textures don’t always pop in right away. The same feeling of objects loading into the player’s immediate area a few seconds (or sometimes even minutes) later can be a bit off putting. Fortunately this problem mostly occurred during my open city hunt for all 250 Gold bricks and not within the actual story levels. It is so easy to quickly move from one location on the map to the next that expected objects may not be loading into memory as fast as you can travel to the next location. I’m curious if this problem occurs in the PC version (or even the Vita version) and is more symptomatic of memory restrictions on the PS3 or if it is inherent to the game engine itself. It isn’t a big problem, but one that is noticeable.
One other minor annoyance is that in between story missions, players can roam and explore the streets of Gotham City, but a lot of the open-world content seems pointless to play around with until after the story is finished. Gold Bricks can be found but not collected without having the correct specialized suit for either Batman or Robin. The suit usually is nearby, but most of the time there is an environmental puzzle that almost feels overly complex just for the sake of keeping the gamer engaged. Some of these environmental puzzles can be shortened considerably by switching to another unlocked character, but unfortunately the unlocked characters can’t be accessed until the story has been completed. While this isn’t a bad thing (why else would you be playing the game if not for the story?), it seems a bit artificial or arbitrary to keep unlocked characters from being played until finishing the campaign.
I don’t want to go over all of the traditional features of the Traveller’s Tales LEGO games other than to say that yes, there are Red Bricks which boost gamer stats, Gold Bricks to unlock additional characters and a hidden world, mini kits throughout each story level (which build cute micro versions of several vehicles used within the game) as well Citizens in Peril, which are just average Joe LEGO characters trapped by devices or who somehow managed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. These trademark collectibles extend the core gameplay experience by allowing players a chance to scratch that “gotta catch ’em all” itch while exploring and playing through the story levels again with powers not necessarily available on the first run through.
LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes is a fantastic summer game that offers up a fun original story with humor and comic references that both kids and adults should enjoy. Bright, vibrant story levels, gobs of collectibles, and flying, driving, and even running through a large open city provide plenty of fun for the whole family.
Pros:
+ Open city environment with plenty of collectables
+ Voice acting provides a fun new element to the LEGO games
+ Flying is fun
Cons:
– Objects don’t always load up in the open city right away
– The additional DC Heroes don’t unlock until late in the story
– Switching to “purchased” characters in the open city can’t be done until the story is finished
Game Info:
Platform: Reviewed on PS3, also available for PC, Xbox 360, Wii, DS, 3DS and Vita
Publisher: Warner Bros.
Developer: TT Games
Release Date: 6/19/2012
Genre: Action-Adventure
ESRB Rating: E10+
Players: 1-2
Source: Review copy provided by publisher
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500 square miles of toy brick-built Gotham City sprawls out for players to explore as their favorite DC Comics superheroes in LEGO Batman 2, shipping this summer for PC and all modern consoles and handhelds (save for PSP). Watch the new trailer for a full unveiling of the heroes, villains, gadgets, vehicles and talking minifigures that populate this open world sandbox of fun. Screenshots accompany the video in three flavors, including console, Vita, and 3DS.
Consoles:
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PS Vita:
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Nintendo 3DS:
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Happy Memorial Day weekend, friends and readers of VGBlogger!
I’m pooped after a long day of spring cleaning, which mainly consisted of about three hours of vacuuming in high humidity 90-degree heat, so I’m going to keep things short and sweet and let you proceed to browse the latest edition of Screenshot Saturday while I kick my feet up and catch up on some gaming for the rest of the night (after watching the end of the Sixers Celtics game 7, if it’s not over already). Datura and Jam Live Music Arcade need finishing up, but those require too much effort for my lazy mood right now. So, I think I’m going to dive into some Starhawk multiplayer and then sneak in some time with Max Payne 3 or Future Soldier. (Or maybe both!)
Check out all the new screenshot galleries and enjoy the remainder of your long holiday weekend!
LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes (PS3, Xbox 360):
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LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes (PlayStation Vita):
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LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes (Nintendo 3DS):
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DmC – Devil May Cry (PC, PS3, Xbox 360):
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Sleeping Dogs (PC, PS3, Xbox 360):
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The Cave (PC, PSN, XBLA):
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Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance (Nintendo 3DS):
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Mass Effect 3: Rebellion Pack (PC, PSN, Xbox Live):
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KickBeat (PlayStation Vita):
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Jet Set Radio (PlayStation Vita):
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Resistance: Burning Skies (PlayStation Vita):
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Hitman: Absolution (PC, PS3, Xbox 360):
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Dead or Alive 5 (PS3, Xbox 360):
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XCOM: Enemy Unknown (PC, PS3, Xbox 360):
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Super Monkey Ball: Banana Splitz (PlayStation Vita):
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Of Orcs and Men (PC, PS3, Xbox 360):
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Krater (PC):
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Ys Origin (PC):
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PlanetSide 2 (PC):
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Bullet Run (PC):
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ShootMania Storm (PC):
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Spec Ops: The Line (PC, PS3, Xbox 360):
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Gungnir (PSP):
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Bang Bang Racing (PC, PSN, XBLA):
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Dungeon Defenders – Summoner Hero Class DLC (PC):
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Auto Club Revolution (PC):
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Pro Cycling Manager 2012 (PC):
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Check Out These Links:
- Ninja Theory’s Devil May Cry Slated for January Launch
- KickBeat Brings Breakdance Kung Fu to PlayStation Vita
- LEGO Batman 2 Introduces Open-World Gotham City, Talking Minifigures
- Deathmatch Goes Portable in Resistance: Burning Skies
- Square Enix Reveals North American Kingdom Hearts 3D Collector’s Edition
- Get Ready for Square Enix’s Nintendo 3DS Summer of Fun
- Hitman: Absolution’s Special Edition is for Professionals Only
- Updated Mass Effect 3 Multiplayer Infographic
- XSEED Games Now Publishing Ys Series on Steam
Some cool stuff to check out, too. We’ve got pics of Sony’s awesome-looking PlayStation Move title, Sorcery. Plus shots of other PS3 exclusives like Starhawk and the long-awaited Ratchet & Clank Collection containing the three classic PS2 titles enhanced in HD.
The Amazing Spider-Man‘s latest screens introduce super villain Iguana, and in other Marvel video game news Zen Studios has unveiled the next Marvel Pinball table pack called Avengers Chronicles, which is coming as DLC to Marvel Pinball (PSN) and Pinball FX2 (XBLA) and as a standalone download for PS Vita.
Battlefield 3‘s first digital expansion pack, Close Quarters, is coming in June, bringing with it four tight, close-quarters multiplayer maps and an HD Destruction upgrade as seen in a six-pack of new screenies.
Other featured titles include Of Orcs and Men, Demonicon, Quantum Conundrum, Sumioni: Demon Arts, Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance, The Gunstringer‘s new DLC add-on El Diablo’s ‘Merican Adventure, Datura, Sleeping Dogs, now free-to-play EverQuest, browser-based MMO strategy game Command & Conquer: Tiberium Alliances, Resident Evil: Chronicles HD Collection, Ys: The Oath in Felghana and Ys Origin for PC, and LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes.
Sorcery (PS3-PlayStation Move):
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Starhawk (PS3):
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The Amazing Spider-Man (PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, DS, 3DS):
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Battlefield 3: Close Quarters DLC (PC, PS3, Xbox 360):
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Marvel Pinball: Avengers Chronicles (PSN, XBLA, PS Vita):
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Ratchet & Clank Collection (PS3):
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Of Orcs and Men (PC, PS3, Xbox 360):
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Demonicon (PC, PS3, Xbox 360):
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Quantum Conundrum (PC, PSN, XBLA):
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Sumioni: Demon Arts (PS Vita-PSN):
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Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance (Nintendo 3DS):
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The Gunstringer – El Diablo’s ‘Merican Adventure DLC (Xbox 360-Kinect):
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Datura (PSN-PlayStation Move):
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Sleeping Dogs (PC, PS3, Xbox 360):
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EverQuest Free-to-Play (PC):
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Command & Conquer: Tiberium Alliances (PC):
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Resident Evil: Chronicles HD Collection (PS3-PSN):
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Ys: The Oath in Felghana (PC):
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Ys Origin (PC):
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LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes (PC, PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, 3DS, DS, PS Vita):
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Warner Bros. officially pulled the curtain back on LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes today, revealing new details that position the game to be the largest and most ambitious LEGO video game to date.
For starters, the game will take place in an expansive Gotham City hub area modeled as an open-world environment. As Batman, Robin and other iconic DC superheroes, like Superman, Wonder Woman and Green Lantern, players will get the chance to fly (as Superman) and pilot the Batmobile, Batwing and Batboat around the large city, hunting for collectibles and secret areas and just plain having fun exploring a virtual LEGO sandbox. The storyline, which sees our band of DC Comics Super Friends fighting to save Gotham from The Joker and Lex Luthor, will follow a linear path through this open-world hub.
Another significant–and potentially controversial–development is the introduction of real, English-language voice acting. Warner Bros. and TT Games haven’t revealed the voice cast yet, but no longer will their minifigures ramble on in the cute LEGO language equivalent to Simlish. As you can see (and hear) at the end of the first trailer, The Joker speaks words you can actually understand. What are your thoughts on the change, LEGO game fans?
LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes will be available this summer for PC, PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, 3DS, DS and PS Vita. Trailer, screenshots and fact sheet details await your prying eyes below.
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]]>GAME OVERVIEW:
Batman and Robin return in LEGO® Batman2: DC Super Heroes, the highly-anticipated sequel to the best-selling LEGO® videogame of all time, which to date has sold more than 11 million units worldwide. This time the Dynamic Duo join forces with other famous DC super heroes including Superman, Wonder Woman and Green Lantern to stop the notorious villains Lex Luthor and The Joker from destroying Gotham City. Batman fans of all ages will enjoy a new and original story filled with classic LEGO videogame action and humor as players fight to put the bad guys back behind bars.
LEGO Batman
GAME FEATURES:
• Experience an original LEGO adventure that has Batman and Robin teaming up with Superman to defend Gotham City from The Joker and Lex Luthor.
• Discover a new storyline that introduces a massive Gotham City hub full of fun exploration, collection and vehicles.
• Traverse Gotham City’s open realm by walking, flying or unlocking and controlling a variety of cool vehicles including the Batmobile, Batwing and Batboat (Xbox 360, PS3, Wii and PC)
• Experience for the first time in a LEGO videogame, talking LEGO minifigures.
• Master new suits and gadgets, such as Batman’s Power Suit and Robin’s Hazard Suit equipped with a Pressure Cannon that can absorb and dispense hazardous liquids.
• Collect 50 DC Comics characters, including The Flash, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern and many others.
• Flex your new super abilities and soar through the air with free-roaming flight, freeze and push objects with Super-Breath, and heat up and cut holes through objects with Heat Vision.
• Create unique super heroes with customizable characters.
• Play with friends and family using easy drop-in/drop-out co-op play that features dynamic split screen (Xbox 360, PS3, Wii and PC).