LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham (PS3)
Certification:
Format:
Category: Adventure > Free Roaming
Released: 14/11/2014
At a Glance
LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham is the most ambitious LEGO game starring the Caped Crusader yet. While it does, of course, have Batman and Robin front and centre, it could almost have been called 'LEGO DC Superheroes', such is the size of the cast and the scope of the adventure.
The 'Beyond Gotham' part of the title is certainly justified. This time out, the Dark Knight is out in space on a cosmic adventure. Braniac, who's more often known for bothering Superman, has been stealing entire cities, shrinking them down using the power of Lantern rings to add them to his sinister collection.
So, right off the bat (pun slightly intended) you can see that the scale of the game has been expanded since previous entries to the series, drawing on the mythos of both Green Lantern and Superman. There's a cast to match this newfound scale, with more than 150 characters ranging from icons like Wonder Woman to the lesser-known (but no less important) figures like... well, Bat-cow. Expect The Flash, Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, Zatanna, Lex Luthor, The Joker and Swamp Thing to name just a tiny handful.
Players can unlock different versions of characters, too, like the 1960s TV Batman (voiced by Adam West!) who lifts his cape to sneak past foes, or Arctic Batman, with a freeze gun.
Gameplay is, as series fans will expect, along the usual LEGO lines. There's a dash of combat, a spot of platforming, a fair amount of environmental puzzle-solving and drop-in/drop-out cooperative play. As ever, it's all delivered with a light touch and a healthy dose of humour. That's not to say there's nothing new here, however. In one level, for example, our heroes encounter a battleship belonging to the Reach and the encounter plays out as a 2D shooter, much like Resogun.
Let's be honest, though, most players will come for the sense of fun and the chance to play with that HUGE cast of characters.
The 'Beyond Gotham' part of the title is certainly justified. This time out, the Dark Knight is out in space on a cosmic adventure. Braniac, who's more often known for bothering Superman, has been stealing entire cities, shrinking them down using the power of Lantern rings to add them to his sinister collection.
So, right off the bat (pun slightly intended) you can see that the scale of the game has been expanded since previous entries to the series, drawing on the mythos of both Green Lantern and Superman. There's a cast to match this newfound scale, with more than 150 characters ranging from icons like Wonder Woman to the lesser-known (but no less important) figures like... well, Bat-cow. Expect The Flash, Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, Zatanna, Lex Luthor, The Joker and Swamp Thing to name just a tiny handful.
Players can unlock different versions of characters, too, like the 1960s TV Batman (voiced by Adam West!) who lifts his cape to sneak past foes, or Arctic Batman, with a freeze gun.
Gameplay is, as series fans will expect, along the usual LEGO lines. There's a dash of combat, a spot of platforming, a fair amount of environmental puzzle-solving and drop-in/drop-out cooperative play. As ever, it's all delivered with a light touch and a healthy dose of humour. That's not to say there's nothing new here, however. In one level, for example, our heroes encounter a battleship belonging to the Reach and the encounter plays out as a 2D shooter, much like Resogun.
Let's be honest, though, most players will come for the sense of fun and the chance to play with that HUGE cast of characters.