LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight is here, and it may not just be TT Games' best bricky offering yet, but also the best Batman game to grace consoles. Starting out with the obvious, which every eagle-eyed LEGO Batman has heard on the road to release, Legacy of the Dark Knight is truly Arkham-lite. Between the familiar puzzles, fluid combat, frequent use of gadgets, and the sprawling open-world, those who have spent time in Rocksteady's Gotham will feel right at home in TT Games' latest and greatest offering, albeit in a more family-friendly package.
That's not to say that Legacy of the Dark Knight is solely for Arkham diehards, as much of the gameplay that fans have come to expect from TT Games remains intact, most notably the style of 2022's LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga.
Legacy of the Dark Knight will appeal to most gamers, whether it be through the narrative, combat, puzzles, or the endless collectibles to be found, but the experience offers something particularly special for diehard Batman fans.
TT Games' Best Gameplay Yet Is On Display In LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight
LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight's biggest update from its predecessors comes in the Arkham-esque combat systems. Those systems may be simplified and more approachable than Rocksteady's Gotham saga, but chaining combos together while employing unique gadgets feels just as smooth and satisfying.
Legacy of the Dark Knight has more to unlock than ever, with an overall game-wide skill tree, individual upgrades for each character's gadgets, and a variety of costumes and vehicle cosmetics. These unlockables offer unexpected depth and allow players to tailor the gameplay experience to their style and preferences.
TT Games crafted the perfect sandbox to experience Legacy of the Dark Knight's stellar gameplay with the largest and arguably best open-world Gotham yet. The explorable city feels vibrantly beautiful while jam-packed with key locations from DC lore, and it maintains the dark, dreary spirit of Gotham all the same.
Scattered throughout Gotham, fans will find not just collectibles to find, but puzzles to solve, utilizing the gadgets and abilities uncovered throughout the roughly 15-hour main story. Of course, the difficulty of these puzzles will vary from gamer to gamer, but they are rarely too challenging and always good fun.
Core gameplay elements come together nicely in Legacy of the Dark Knight's boss fights, which often require balancing combat expertise and puzzle-solving to best take down Batman's greatest foes. Encounters like Penguin, Mr. Freeze, Poison Ivy, and the spoilery final boss each brought something individual to the table, although Bane and Ra's al Ghul both, sadly, came across rather generic.
LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight Is Truly a Batman Fan's Dream
Boss encounters are mostly sprinkled evenly throughout Legacy of the Dark Knight's six chapters (and prologue), each of which time skips through eras in Batman's career. That being said, while the pacing feels well balanced throughout the first three chapters, the game's latter sections often push the Batmobile's accelerator a little too hard, making the story's conclusion somewhat rushed.
It must be made clear that Legacy of the Dark Knight weaves together narratives, characters, and designs from various Batman comics, movies, and games into one original narrative. Those hoping to directly play through The Dark Knight or The Batman may be left disappointed, but the unique decision largely pays off.
Legacy of the Dark Knight does, of course, have an overarching narrative, but naturally not one with the depth or complexity of its Arkham big brother. For the most part, this is simply the tale of the Bat-Family growing over the years, albeit with a Nolan-esque League of Shadows threat brewing in the background.
Evading concerns that Legacy of the Dark Knight would lean too heavily on the Joker, many will be surprised to learn that the Clown Prince of Crime is placed sparingly throughout. That said, when he appears, it is with all the pzazz one could hope for, with interpretations based on The Dark Knight's Heath Ledger and Batman's Jack Nicholson, appearing at different times.
Despite honoring Batman's history in a deep, meaningful way throughout, one key aspect of the Dark Knight's legacy goes somewhat underutilized: Robin. Not only is Dick Grayson the only Boy of Wonder featured in LEGO Batman's latest offering, but he only carries the mantle for a few short missions, making the transition into Nightwing feel somewhat unearned and arguably rather rushed.
Legacy of the Dark Knight's adjustment from a 200+ character gallery to a limited seven-character selection works well, given the added combat depth, gameplay tools, and character depth it has left each with. However, the game may have benefited from adding a few more members of the Bat-Family, like Tim Drake, Jason Todd, and Damian Wayne, although who knows what DLC could bring.
First and foremost, LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight is all-out Caped Crusader chaos and a true joy to play throughout. The latest LEGO Batman experience will put smiles on the faces of kids and adults alike, from those who grew up with the early LEGO games and lifelong Dark Knight fans, to the younger generation, and even players who have never touched a Batman story but are simply looking for their next open-world action experience.
Final Rating: 8.5/10
LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight is available now for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2.
