LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight previews are here (and this is what they say)

Two years ago, superhero fans worldwide were able to step into the shoes of the Caped Crusader and explore the streets of Gotham City in Batman: Arkham Shadow—a fantastic VR title. Before that, the last time the iconic hero was the star of his own stand-alone video game was back in 2016, courtesy of Batman: Arkham VR. But if you were looking for a non-VR experience, then Batman: Arkham Knight would be Bruce Wayne's last adventure in this form of media, which hit shelves in 2015, over a decade ago.

Needless to say, a lot of time has passed since the world's greatest detective stole the spotlight on consoles, but that's about to change.

LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight is just around the corner. Batman is finally coming back to the video game world, and it looks like the wait will prove to be worth it. Players are about to re-experience many iconic moments in the Caped Crusader's history once more, except this time they will be built with LEGO bricks. But will TT Games' upcoming title be able to successfully fill a decade-long void? Well, early previews suggest this will be the case.

LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight early previews are stellar

May 22 can't come quick enough. Multiple outlets had the opportunity to play LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight early, and they all seem to agree on one thing: We're about to witness something truly epic.

If you were a fan of the Batman: Arkham trilogy, chances are that you already know about The Arkham Channel, a legendary YouTube page dedicated to breaking down Easter Eggs found within Rocksteady's saga and posting playthroughs. After playing LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight, they highlight that we're about to dive into "a much more lively Gotham City, with something to explore around every corner and plenty happening in the streets."

The channel highlights that the controls are really different from those of the Arkham saga, which was to be expected. However, LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight "builds on the core free-flow mechanics from the Arkham games." Furthermore, they state that gliding feels similar to Rocksteady's games, although you can't gain altitude after doing a dive bomb.

Blue Thunder Gaming posted a video breaking down many gameplay mechanics from LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight, and also praised the game's open world: "Everywhere that I'm looking right now, you can go to. There are no restrictions, and it is absolutely gorgeous (...) The open world feels alive, too. It's not just criminals."

One of the biggest complaints about the Batman: Arkham franchise is that most of its titles have maps that feel a little devoid of life, given that there are no regular citizens roaming the streets. It's usually just the Caped Crusader against hordes of criminals. That's why it's all the more reassuring to learn that LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight will finally break that pattern.

During Game Informer's full preview, it's noted that there's a clear gameplay difference when playing as someone other than Batman. With seven playable characters to choose from, this level of gameplay variety is bound to make fans happy. Furthermore, they were also really impressed with the number of activities to do in the open world. However, it was noted that the stealth mechanics weren't as deep as those of the Arkham saga:

"On that note, while I appreciate its inclusion, stealth was the weakest element in the parts I played of Legacy of the Dark Knight. There's no crouch button – characters merely hunch over when near unsuspecting enemies – and unless enemies were lined up and facing away from me (which did happen a few times), I was caught very quickly."

IGN claims that LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight is "the best-feeling Lego game I’ve personally played. So far, it seems more fully formed and wider scoped than the bash-around fun Lego IP games of the early 2010s." Furthermore, the gaming outlet also praises the game's handling of the Batmobile, as it is smooth to drive: "thundering through traffic feels fantastic – especially when you hammer the throttle and engage that iconic afterburner."

Eurogamer doubles down on the idea that LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight is a game tailored for kids, with puzzles that aren't overwhelming and balanced combat difficulty. However, the outlet also notes that you'll also need mastery of the combat mechanics, especially in the game's most difficult levels. Another key thing to highlight is that the LEGO environments are "very" destructible. But the cherry on top? The preview claims that LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight could "be the ultimate Lego Batman experience."

2026 has already been a fantastic year for video games, and the streak seems to be ending no time soon, especially thanks to the release of LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight. Fortunately, it won't be long before we can discover what Warner Bros and developer TT Games have in store for us.

LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight will be released on May 22, 2026.

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