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Once you've completed a level, you'll be able to play it with any two characters you want.
Once you've completed a level, you'll be able to play it with any two characters you want.Once you've completed a level, you'll be able to play it with any two characters you want.

Apart from that, there's little to disappoint. While the Gotham City environments do look a bit samey after a while, it's unquestionably the best looking LEGO game yet. Just as in the other games the camera can cause problems when it comes to precision platforming - expect to die a lot from falling off of platforms. Batman's Batarang, which requires locking on to enemies with an on-screen targeting reticule, is fiddlier to use than it needs to be, too. And the combat is ridiculously simple - just mash punch for the most part, and use the character's specific special ability when needed. But on the whole it's a solid effort that will satisfy the vast majority of fans.

If you're a Batman fan first and foremost, you'll be particularly interested in what characters feature in the game. Here any Dark Knight enthusiast is sure not to be disappointed. There's Batman and side kick Robin, of course, who you'll be using throughout the three-chapter (each with five missions) Hero campaign, but we're most interested in the villains, of which there are absolutely tons.

The Villain campaign, like the Hero campaign, is divided into three chapters, each one with five missions focussing on the exploits of a particular super villain - Penguin, Dr. Freeze and Joker. Because there are many more villains than heroes in the game, playing through the Villain campaign will provide a much more varied, and enjoyable experience.

LEGO Batman is great fun for all the family.LEGO Batman is great fun for all the family.

As always, the main motivation is unlocking cool stuff. For Batman and Robin you'll primarily be concerned with discovering the various suits they can change into that grant special powers. Batman, for example, has access to a demolition suit which allows him to set charges, as well as a suit that allows him to glide with wings, to name only two. Robin's got some nifty suits, too, including a Scuba suit that allows him to dive underwater (in a first for the series characters can now swim) and a magnet suit that allows his feet to stick to metal. Most of the better puzzles in the game require you to combine Batman and Robin's suit powers to progress.

The villains are different in that they don't have different suits to unlock and therefore only have access to one particular special ability. Penguin can pull exploding penguins from his hat, and the super strong, but incredibly dumb Bane (our favourite) is immune to toxins and can lift incredibly heavy objects - Bane chucking buses about is hilariously bonkers. But you won't get bored playing through the villain chapters, despite the lack of suits, since there's so many to use.

That the game feels overly familiar is undoubtedly a good thing. Some, more hardcore gamers, might feel after playing the game that TT's magic LEGO formula might be wearing thin since the core gameplay is almost exactly the same (bar the odd vehicle-based mission). For all intents and purposes TT has wrapped a Caped Crusader skin around its all purpose LEGO engine. It's lost some of that LEGO magic by virtue of it not being based on a film, but we still reckon it's a great purchase if you like Batman and fancy some relaxed gaming with a mate (as always, it's better played with friends). And as a game adults can get something out of at the same time as younger gamers, it's perfect.

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