Lego Batman Returns in a New Game Packed With Bat-Nostalgia
Revealed today at GamesCon, Legacy of the Dark Knight is a 'brand-new open-world action-adventure video game that invites players to embark on Bruce Wayne's epic journey to become the hero of Gotham City.' It's 'inspired by decades of Batman films, television, comic books, and games, and jam-packed with Batman nostalgia, DC lore, and TT Games' signature brand of fun-filled LEGO humor.' And, frankly, that might be an understatement. Check this out.
As you can see, Legacy of the Dark Knight isn't just one Bat story. It looks to be almost all of them. There's stuff in there from the Tim Burton movies, the Christopher Nolan movies, the Matt Reeves movie, Lego games, The Animated Series, and more. What's interesting about that, though, is it's not quite a direct one-to-one tale. If you remember Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga from a few years back, you literally played through each movie in the series. It doesn't seem as if that's the case here.
Instead, you just kind of go in and out of everything as part of one larger story. The game features 'a story-led campaign from origin to legend, bringing together iconic moments from the Caped Crusader's 86-year history in film, television, comic books, and games.' The open world Gotham City has 'puzzles to solve, challenges to complete, rewards to collect, crimes to stop, and surprises to discover around every corner, alleyway, and rooftop, as well as familiar locations such as Ace Chemicals, Gotham Botanical Gardens, Wayne Tower, and Arkham Asylum.'
But no, Will Arnett is not voicing Lego Batman in this. That is Matt Berry as Bane at the end. And you don't only have to play the game as Batman. According to the game's official site (which is really quite slick and worth checking out), there are seven playable characters: Batman, Jim Gordon, Robin, Nightwing, Batgirl, Catwoman, and Talia al Ghul. Plus, 'each character is equipped with unique skills, combos, and gadgets—like Batman's Batclaw, Jim Gordon's foam sprayer, Robin's line launcher, and Catwoman's whip.' Head to that site for even more info. The FAQ is particularly jam-packed with details.
And while there's no release date, we do know that Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight is coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC in 2026.
Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what's next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
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