We've Played LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight—It's Everything Fans Want and More

The Direct was invited to a special gameplay preview event for LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight, where we played for two hours, previewing several sections and elements of the game. To play LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight, TT Games set up an incredible setting that felt like a real-life Batcave. With a live feed of the LEGO Batcave playing on massive screens behind me, I sat down at a computer ready to jump into the LEGO Batman's world. 

Legacy of the Dark Knight is a new LEGO game that honors countless different iterations of Batman throughout the decades, all in one single narrative, filled with epic callbacks and hilarious, quirky fun. The game even reinvents the gameplay specifically for everyone's favorite bat-themed vigilante (Arkham fans will be absolutely thrilled).

Here's What We Thought About Playing LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight

Batman: Arkham LEGO?

The first section we played featured a story beat in which Batman and Gordon showed up at The Penguin Lounge to speak with Falcone. The scene started as a clear homage to The Batman, but, as one might expect, it didn't play out the same.

This section clearly takes place at the start of the game, as it serves as an introduction to how to play. If you've ever played Arkham Asylum, then you'll feel right at home. The combat is almost exactly that, just a little less complex.

What's important is that it was just as smooth and intuitive, and it felt wonderful to be doing that kind of acrobatic combat system once again, as it's been quite a while since the last Arkham game. There are basic enemies, shield types that you have to jump over, and unavoidable sword-swinging maniacs; I was right at home.

This LEGO game comes alive in every scene, beautifully crafted with sights to see in every corner. While the combat is unique, all the gameplay quirks you expect from a LEGO game are here. You smash everything for studs, find collectibles, hidden bricks, and solve fun puzzles and minigames—such as an Overcooked-inspired moment. And despite it being the ultra-serious Dark Knight, there is tons of fun to be found, such as taking a moment to go jump in a ball pit. 

One thing to note is that Gordan was the key companion for this level. The creators touted that each character is unique, which I felt while playing Catwoman and Robin (we'll get to them shortly). However, I did not feel that with Gordan, which was a bit of a letdown. His only contribution was a gun that stuck things into place or blocked the flow of stuff. However, I did not attempt to fight as him, so I'm not sure how he handles in combat—perhaps that's where he shines!

Next up was a relatively short and relaxed section that saw Batman help Catwoman with an errand, one that happened to be a heist. The level, which was comprised mostly of heist-themed puzzles, was a Catwoman-themed experience, and the banter between the two of them was fun. Catwoman's special ability is also fun and humorous, as it lets you summon a cat to scout around for you (and potentially aid in combat).

Afterward, we moved on to the moment in the game where you are introduced to Dick Grayson at the Flying Graysons' circus act. This is where Batman first meets the young boy who, by the end of the level, will become his new sidekick, Robin.

It's a vibrant level that capitalizes on platforming more so than any other section I had played thus far. It's clear that the game offers plenty of variety. 

While the level starts out as a casual night at the circus with Dick and his family, Two-Face shows up to cause chaos, leading Batman to become involved. With Dick insisting on helping out the hero he loves to save his circus, the two take on the infamous, coin-flipping villain to save the day.

Robin was the first alternate character I spent a lot of time with in combat, and he felt entirely different from Batman. As one might expect from a circus performer, Robin was far quicker and more agile. Also, his use of his billy clubs gave a fun flair to his combat, as opposed to the usual LEGO fist-to-fists.

The final section we were thrown into was a climactic boss fight between Batman, Robin, and Poison Ivy, which occurs later in the game. The first thing that stood out about this fight is that there were actual mechanics to worry about, and you weren't just mindlessly hitting the boss with little thought.

Now, I was on the hardest difficulty possible. And while it's not Nightmare mode, it wasn't a breeze either. In fact, I was basically at zero life, with zero health, as I dealt the finishing blow. So those wanting a measure of challenge will get that here. I was a big fan of the boss fight, and I look forward to seeing how each boss fight in the game offers their own frantic experiences.

After playing through all the story sections TT Games had set aside for us, we roamed around Gotham City. Open-world settings are not new for LEGO games, but there's something about this Gotham City that feels more alive than any that have come before. It could be because the blueprint was from the Arkham games, a series that perfected the open-world Gotham City. Either way, the result is fantastic.

In terms of traversal, it's exactly what you would think. Each character has their own grapple and glide mechanics that can get them across the city to any point of interest in no time. Then there's also the ability to freely drive the Batmobile (or whatever other car fits the character you're playing, such as a cop car for Jim Gordon), which handles surprisingly well.

There's much to find lying around the city. In just 15 minutes of freeplay in Gotham, I ran into a handful of collectibles and Easter eggs to hunt down: Court of Owl statues to destroy, the Riddler trophies, the Question puzzles, and wanted posters. It's also worth noting that I was told there are plenty of side missions in the city alongside the story's main missions.

My brief two hours with LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight was only a small taste of the full experience awaiting fans when it releases on May 22. Fans of Batman will be missing out if they don't chase down this experience and play through it as soon as they can.

For those dying to see some gameplay, check out the video below to see us struggle against the one and only Poison Ivy herself:

LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. It will also be playable on the Nintendo Switch 2 later this year.