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LEGO Batman Legacy of the Dark Knight is exactly what a Batman fan would want: a fun, open-world adventure that combines the fun combat from the Arkham games with the humour and charm of the LEGO universe.
Drawing inspiration from decades of Batman movies, comics, shows, and games, it's a satisfying origin story of our favourite Caped Crusader, which also brings a lively LEGO Gotham filled with iconic allies, villains, gadgets, and collectibles. Despite a few performance issues and repetitive moments, its an enjoyable Batman experience packed with fan services and loads of charm.
From origin to legend, one brick at a time
Legacy of the Dark Knight doesn't just tell Batman's origin - it tells us the Batman story, bringing in sequences from decades of live-action appearances and remixing them into a cohesive and fun narrative.
You start the game as Bruce Wayne, and I don't mean Bruce the billionaire. I mean Bruce the little kid, as his childhood isn't something that the game rushes past. You get to see him with his parents, before the tragedy strikes, how he's running around their garden, looking for his costume and hat, and chatting with his mum and dad. These moments offer a little glimpse into what Batman was like before he became the Bat, and lore wise they are very valuable. The moments with his parents, as well as their death, are the moments that defined him as a person.
The story is well written in that specific LEGO way: they are aware we all know Batman's story, so they follow along that line, add humour where it's appropriate and create original moments that feel earned and not really fan service-y.
Back to the story. So, Bruce believes that Carmine Falcone, a mobster, is the reason his parents got killed, and that same Falcone was never arrested for his crimes. So he decides it's time to take matters into his own hands, as now there is also a personal stake involved. What he doesn't know is that Falcone is just a small fish in the pond, and that Gotham has other, bigger enemies.
Batman doesn't fight him alone, the game brings in characters that become his sidekicks, such as Jim Gordon, the Bat Family, as well as Catwoman, whose relationship with Batman they've transferred perfectly into the LEGO universe. It's fun, it's playful, it's PG 13.
Each out of the six chapters brings in different companions for Batman. You train alongside Talia al Ghul at the League of Shadows, you take on Carmine Falcone with Jim Gordon, the game gives you options for different situations, and where Batman can't complete something, his allies can.
My personal favourite, Alfred, is also there to provide support, humour, and dry wit, the kind of presence that helps Batman from straying deeper into the darkness.
The Rogues Gallery also shows up, in full force. The Penguin appears, The Joker is (obviously) there, and we also get to spend some time with the Riddler, Two-Face, Poison Ivy, and others.
There is also...Batmite. He's a superfan who just had to find a way to get into the game, so he opened a shop where you can spend the blocks you collect. It's a DC nod to all the long time fans, mixed with humour as the name Batmite just sounds like Batman's clumsy alter ego.
The humour hits perfectly, and it’s really well done. The jokes are very well done and they don’t seem forced, they managed to get a few chuckles out of me. One of them being when the Batphone rang and Alfred said: “I bet it’s a telemarketer”. Man, I love Alfred.
The cutscenes follow the same logic, they're really well animated, maintaining LEGO's signature charm while delivering parts of the story that brings on emotional weight even though they carry the LEGO goofiness we're used to. The voice acting is awesome across the board, but the highlight for me is Batman's voice; it somehow sounds serious and intimidating, but also as if someone is consciously "doing the Batman voice", which adds both the genuine and self-aware aspect.
The game knows when to play moments straight, and when to lean into goofiness and absurdity, so LEGO's take on Batman works and doesn't collapse into a parody.
You will be going though a prologue and six chapters, fighting famous Batman villains while also developing his relationship with his sidekicks and other characters from his life. Every chapter you finish gets you a costume, and during the levels you can grab collectibles which turn into Batcave souvenirs.
The story doesn't try to reinvent Batman and his world, or deliver any shocking revelations that long time fans won't see coming. It's telling the essential Batman story - from an orphaned child to a trained warrior and legendary hero - with enough original touches, humour, and genuine love for the franchise. You get to see Bruce Wayne before he was Batman, understand what drives him, and watch him become the hero Gotham needs.
Arkham meets LEGO
LEGO Batman LotDK obviously draws inspiration from the Arkham series' freeflow combat system, but it also adapts it to make it more approachable and LEGO friendly.
You can punch, dodge, roll; combat is very fun and fluid without demanding too much skill. If you're into gadgets, the games you that option as well, but it's not a requirement, if you want, you can just punch your way through the game.
However, the combat can feel a bit repetitive during extended sessions, as you're mostly punching, dodging, and using gadgets in a similar pattern, but overall it's fun enough to stop the repetition from becoming extremely bothersome. Stealth kills are available as well, and they all have funny animations; my favourite being when Batman scares a thug to death.
The game gives you the option for full on combat or using more stealth tactics, neither of those will put you at a disadvantage. And a big plus, in my eyes, is the fact that Batsy crouches automatically so you don't have to press (what is usually) L3 or R3 and worry about contributing to the chance of your controller getting stick drift.
Stealth sections are well-designed and not tedious, which is a relief. Using your grapple hooks, gadgets to distract, and the detect skill - which is helpful with basically anything in the game - won't allow you to be stuck on a section for too long.
The bat gadgets are fun to use and they fit into the gameplay nicely. Batarangs for ranged attacks and distractions, Batclaw for grappling and pulling objects - you'll be getting most of the tools you'd expect to find in a Batman game. Your companions will also get their gadgets, Jim gets a foam gun, Catwoman can use her claws, a whip, and she can summon a cat that you can control, which in my totally unbiased opinion might just be the highlight of her gameplay (I am definitely not a cat owner). When someone becomes your party member, you have the option to switch between them, depending on what task you need to get done, and even that has its own LEGO animation, which I found neat.
The skill tree is a nice addition to the LEGO formula. You'll be able to upgrade abilities across two branches: combat and exploration. The more you invest in skills, the more competent Batman becomes - more moves, more traversal options, better detective skills. It's not an Elden Ring-esque RPG system, but it's enough to satisfy that side of the gameplay.
Traversal via the Batmobile and while gliding is amazing. It's fun, smooth, and the camera movement is nicely done - which is a high praise considering how much I complain about that element of games. Your party members will hop into the Batmobile, or if you're controlling them when you summon a vehicle, Batsy will hop in their ride.
The open world is inhabited enough to feel lively, you'll see people walking around as well as cars on the road. Now, it's not Night City levels of activity, but it's enough to make travelling around fun. Each level has its own secrets and collectibles to find, rewarding exploration.
Puzzles are fun and easy, fitting LEGO's accessibility. Most of the time, in order to progress, you'll destroy something and then build another thing to help you progress; get over a ledge, climb higher, activate a mechanism. You'll also come across quick-time events, but don't worry, they aren't tedious but naturally integrated into the story and action moments, never feeling out of place.
The game offers three difficulties, but I found it best to play on hard as it's not really a hard game, and the added difficulty just adds a bit fun. Whichever way you go, you won't make a mistake, the game is after all designed to be approachable, and it succeeds in that completely.
LEGO style, Batman aesthetic
The visuals of the game are the classic LEGO style, minifigure proportions, exaggerated animations, and everything built from LEGO bricks. But all of that has been pushed through Batman's style: dark, moody, and gritty. it's a combination of Batman's atmosphere and LEGO's inherent playfulness.
Some locations might feel a bit dull visually, despite being inhabited. Some indoor environments and industrial areas lack visual variety, but the main locations (Batcave, Arkham Asylum, Wayne Tower) don't have this issues, they are detailed and fun to explore.
The sound design supports the gameplay properly; the punches have impact, there are activation sounds for the gadgets, you can hear the Batmobile's engine roar. Haptic feedback, especially while driving, has been used nicely, adding tactile response that adds to the immersion.
Now for the performance, well...Not a fan of that. I encountered a few technical issues, where I had enemies glitch out, as well as party members. Some of the situations were only solvable by reloading, which obviously sucks. In one fight, I couldn't do anything bit roll backwards and punch, one while gliding i got stuck in a pipe.
All of these things slightly sour the experience, as I believe they could've been avoided. It's noticeable and frustrating, which is a shame because so many things have been done the right way in this game. At least I didn't experience any FPS drops or stuttering, as the game does run smoothly and looks very polished.
The hero we deserve
LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight is fun, accessible, filled with fan service, and genuienly fun to pllay. Arkham and LEGO mix together well (maybe because they're so different), creating an open-world Batman experience which both respects Batman's lorer as well as never takes itself too seriously.
TT Games brough us fluid combat, amazing traversal, and an open world packed with activities, all packed into what a Batman game should be when you turn on the LEGO filter.
The game is not perfect and some aspects of it still need polishing, but it's the definitive LEGO Batman experience, and it's a game that I'm happy I got to experience. Turn your phone off, grab your batsuit, and become The Shadow of Gotham for a few hours. Trust me, it's worth it.
The Good
Excellent gameplay- Fun and fluid combat inspired by Arkham games
- Strong DC story and characters
- Rewarding open world
- Great progression and variety
The Bad
Few technical issues- Some areas lack visual variety
- Combat can seem repetitive
