E3 2008: Lego Batman

Those crazy guys at Traveler’s Tales are at it again. After spending several games in the Star Wars universe and then a game with Indiana Jones, it is time for Batman to get some Lego Love. We spent some time at the Warner Bros Suite at E3 2008 and sat down for a hands on demo of the upcoming Lego Batman game. The result was a fun title that continues to improve upon the popular formula.

The biggest improvement first seen are the visual upgrades. Traveler’s Tales has done a lot to improve their engine. There are many more details that are visible in the background and all of the characters have great colors. The game also features a very large number of details on the character models. Each of the Legos moves realistically and exactly how you would expect their real-life counterparts to move. Sadly, the game is not based upon the new movie. It is true that the title is a bit darker than the other Lego games–but it is nowhere near the same intensity level as the movie. So it will still be safe for all ages.

Sadly, there is still no online co-op play. When asked for the reasons for this, I was told that they felt like players want to experience the action live with someone next to them and that not many players would utilize an online co-op mode. I questioned this decision and was told that they were always looking for ways to improve their titles and that they may consider online co-op for the next title. When asked what that next title would be, we were told that several games were being looked at. It would appear the top candidates are Harry Potter, Superman, and Lord of the Rings. And while we are on the subject of missing features–there will also be no support for PlayStation 3 Trophies.

So since the game is not based on the new Dark Knight movie, what is it all about? We weren’t given a completely firm answer to this. What we were told is that players will be able to experience both a good and evil storyline. Each story will be told from the same events but will occur at different times. For example, when playing as Batman and Robin, you will need to save Commissioner Gordon who has just been kidnapped. For the “bad guys” storyline, you will be kidnapping Commissioner Gordon. This will give the player plenty of different scenarios to play and will give some added fun of playing the “bad guys.”

Traveler’s Tales was also not willing to reveal the entire lineup of characters that will appear in the game. Thus far we are aware of Joker, Mr. Freeze, Harley Quinn, Penguin, Clayface, Riddler, and Catwoman appearing alongside of Batman and Robin. We were also not able to see all of the villains in action. From what we did see of characters like The Joker, Harley Quinn, Bane, and Mr. Freeze, each character will have their own unique abilities to make it through a level and solve any puzzles. In addition, each character has their own unique attacks: The Joker has a hand buzzer, Mr. Freeze freezes people, Bane has super strength, the Penguin can drop explosive penguins, The Riddler controls people’s minds, and Batman and Robin have tech suits with different abilities.

Lego Batman is shaping up to be the very best Lego game to date. With the release date just a few months away, we can’t wait to get our hands on the final product. Should we learn of any new details, we will bring them to you before the September 3, 2008 release date.