Legacy of the Dark Knight is worth it

Batman‘s gaming credibility is in a weird place right now. Arkham Shadow made waves for VR enthusiasts, but Gotham Knights and Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League pushed fan discourse to the extreme. Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight picks up TT Games’ long-storied history with the Caped Crusader, giving DC Comics’ detective another open-world to explore. After seeing the game’s Opening Night Live trailer, I knew I needed to play it, so I set out on a three-day odyssey to make it happen.

While most of my Gamescom previews and interviews are booked in advance, some new Switch games are only available to play within the vast halls of the Koelnmesse in Cologne. For Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight, TT Games set up two different booths to get a taste of the new Batman game. One booth recreates the Monarch Theatre, the place where Bruce Wayne’s parents are murdered in cold blood, accompanied by a life-sized Lego Batmobile and costumes donned by Christian Bale and Robert Pattinson. The other is found over a sprawling Lego booth, sporting everything from Fortnite to Minecraft collaborations.

The average wait for the Monarch Theatre can take up to three hours, and the wait at the second booth may be even longer. During my three-day trip to Gamescom, I attempted to play the game multiple times, but the wait was worth it. Legacy of the Dark Knight’s demo throws me into Tricorner, one of many districts found across Gotham City. The preview is locked to Tricorner, but peeping at the full map screen reveals an expansive rendition of Batman’s home that is noticeably bigger than previous gaming renditions.

It doesn’t take long for my Arkham series muscle memory to return, as combat is essentially beat-for-beat like Rocksteady Studios’ famed fighting mechanics. As this style of battle was tailored for Batman in 2008, it doesn’t feel lazy that TT Games is lifting it. After all, major superhero games have been ripping it off for years now. But even in his Lego form, Batman’s fists still pack a mighty wallop, and using gadgets in the mix is as intuitive as ever.

Using Batman’s grapple gun to bring enemies in for a decimating uppercut never gets old. By my side is Commissioner James Gordon, with a likeness that seems partially inspired by Jeffrey Wright’s iteration in Matt Reeves’ The Batman. It makes sense, considering that Legacy of the Dark Knight promises to span Batman’s multi-decade history, with Christopher Nolan’s trilogy already confirmed as a playable part of the game. I just hope Ben Affleck and Zack Snyder‘s stint is included in the mix.

Tapping up on the D-Pad spawns the Batmobile in front of me, building it out of Lego parts before my very eyes. It’s Robert Pattinson’s car, but a brief look into the game’s cosmetics menu reveals the Tumbler, Bat Cycle, and plenty of slots for unlockable alternatives. The same applies to costumes, with Bateman’s first appearance suit and Bale’s costume waiting in the wings. And no, he’s still not wearing hockey pads. After spinning up some donuts in the Batmobile, I roam around the streets, with radio notifications alerting me to nearby crimes.

Legacy of the Dark Knight is doing something that only one other Batman game dared to do: put civilians on the streets. Like the underrated Gotham Knights, TT Games follows in WB Games Montreal’s footsteps by populating Gotham City with pedestrians, but with considerably more density. They’ll frequently note Batman’s presence, make genuinely funny statements, and flee at the sight of terror. It’s the same kind of vibes that Treyarch nailed with Spider-Man 2 on the PlayStation 2, and I couldn’t help but unleash a childlike grin while playing.

Sadly, there are no story missions to play in the demo, as on-site Lego staff are quick to move attendees on within 15 minutes. Before I get the tap to free up my space for another player, I take to the skies. You won’t find any advanced diving mechanics to sustain momentum here, but gliding around the city is satisfying anyway. I love that TT Games is bringing over the grapnel boost from the Arkham games, as it serves to give you a Detective Mode-style scan of the area when it is deployed.

Gotham City here isn’t as grim as Matt Reeves’ version or as non-descript as Christopher Nolan’s. Instead, it leans on the pulp of older eras, meshing the pages of Archie Goodwin’s and Barbara Kesel’s comics with Joel Schumacher’s neon-lit vision. It reminds me of Gotham Knights’ excellently diverse rendition of the city, and I can’t wait to see how each area is constructed.

There’s real potential for Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight to be an essential part of the Nintendo Switch 2’s roster when it launches next year. I’m just sad the wait is going to be a long one.

Check out more Gamescom coverage with my hands-on impressions of the Xbox Ally, my interview with Resident Evil: Survival Unit producer Shinji Hashimoto, or my thoughts on Broken Mirror Games’ I Hate This Place. And if that isn’t enough, you discuss it all over at the Pocket Tactics Discord server.