2026 was already an impressive year for video games just a week ago. Fantastic titles such as Pragmata, Resident Evil: Requiem, and Saros were already released, and just when you thought things couldn't get any better, one of the world's most popular heroes made his explosive entrance.
LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight had massive expectations set on it. It's been over a decade since the last time the Caped Crusader was the star of a game released across multiple platforms. And since its unveiling, this highly ambitious title developed by TT Games has been compared to the likes of The Batman: Arkham Saga, which set the bar sky-high from day one. Furthermore, every new trailer and gameplay deep dive made us think something truly special was on the horizon.
It would've been incredibly easy for LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight to crash into the ground like Robert Pattinson's Batman the very first time he attempted to glide through the streets of Gotham in his stand-alone movie. Instead, this spectacular game became a key part of the legacy it pays homage to.
Gameplay mechanics worthy of the Batman: Arkham franchise
The combat in LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight is clearly meant to pay homage to and resemble that of Rocksteady's Batman: Arkham saga. There is a free-flow system that allows you to perform combos that can easily go over the 100-hit mark. Furthermore, there's also a dedicated button for quick use of gadgets mid-fight. You can also stun enemies, parry and dodge their incoming attacks, and perform one-hit takedowns that can be either really funny or look insanely awesome.
You can think of the combat of LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight as a simplified version of the Batman: Arkham franchise, perhaps more akin to that of Batman: Arkham Asylum. But the little it lacks in complexity it makes up for with style. You'll often see retro "Wham!" and "Pow!" comic book effects after defeating a villain. Besides, the takedown animations are the very best out of any Batman game ever made. What's more impressive is that the seven playable characters will have different animations, adding another layer of fun to the mix.
This philosophy also applies to other areas in the game. For example, you're able to drive the Batmobile and the Batbike to traverse the grim and dark streets of Gotham City. What makes this all the more impressive is that the car will feel different depending on its selected skin. The Tumbler (based on Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight trilogy) may move a little slower, but nothing can stop you while you're driving it. On the contrary, the Batman Beyond Batmobile moves incredibly fast (since it hovers in the air), but it's a little trickier to control.
Every one of the seven different characters has different gadgets that all change the way you approach a Riddler challenge or a combat scenario. But if that wasn't enough, they all have different customizable vehicles to call with the press of a button.
The one gameplay aspect where LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight falls behind is in its stealth mechanics. They are very basic, and you could make all the noise in the world, and enemies still wouldn't notice you unless you step directly in their line of sight. But despite that shortcoming, the gameplay mechanics are very complex and complete, not only for a LEGO game, but for a modern title in general.
An engaging original story that pays homage to Batman's most iconic moments
One of the very best parts of LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight as a whole is its main story. It is divided into six different chapters and a prologue. However, each one of these sequences pays homage to a different piece of Batman media. In one moment, you can be playing through the events of Matt Reeves' The Batman, only for the next chapter to recreate major moments from Tim Burton's Batman (1989).
Throughout the way, you'll see no shortage of references to other Batman video games, theatrical movies, animated series, live-action TV shows, and comic book issues. What surprised me most is that this story, which is stitched together with plot beats from many different sources, is very cohesive. Granted, it isn't filled with shocking twists and turns like Batman: Arkham City, but it is very fun and ambitious.
I have to give special props to Chapters 6 and 7. They are an absolute blast to play through, and there's a chase sequence in there that made for one of the most fun moments I've had with a video game over the last few months (which is an insanely high praise, considering the chase sequence of Resident Evil: Requiem was also stellar and crazy in the best way possible).
LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight goes over Bruce Wayne's entire journey in becoming the Caped Crusader. It starts a little slow at first, as you'll have to wait until your training with the League of Assassins is over to wear the iconic Batman suit, travel to Gotham, and glide across the city's skyline. However, once it gets going, it never stops. Besides, it is a genuine joy to see how Bruce goes from being a little scared kid to the most legendary protector in the DC universe.
With every new chapter, you'll be able to unlock a new member of the Batfamily. Every new playable character has gadgets that allow you to complete a new set of side activities in the open world, making the completion of main story missions all the more rewarding. Besides, there are gaps of literal years between chapters, which allows characters to grow both literally and figuratively. That's a very nice touch, as you'll be able to see Dick Grayson's transformation from a very young version of Robin to Blüdhaven's protector, Nightwing. That's a welcome change from watching the entire narrative unfold in a single night.
A huge rendition of Gotham City filled with countless activities
Despite spending 18 hours with LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight and finishing its main campaign, I have only completed 60% of the game. That alone tells you the insane amount of side activities there are. AR challenges, driving challenges, random crimes, Riddler puzzles, and unlockable towers—it's all there. Better yet, the great majority of these missions are very fun, which is why I'm intending to fully complete the game despite its main narrative being over.
LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight takes place in the biggest rendition of Gotham in the video game world yet. This huge map is also filled with countless Easter eggs and secrets for players to find. Better yet, it actually feels alive.
There are stores you can go into, and you can hear music coming out of some clubs. Pedestrians walk on the streets, trains move on their tracks, and there are plenty of other cars on the streets. There are very few things to criticize about the Batman: Arkham franchise, but the lack of civilian NPCs is definitely one of them. Fortunately, that problem is completely gone here.
Some of my most enjoyable moments in LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight consisted of simply gliding through the streets of Gotham City without a set objective. After all, you're guaranteed to stumble upon a side activity or a very interesting Easter egg. Personally, I liked this version of Gotham even more than the one in Batman: Arkham Knight, and even though some people are likely to disagree, there's no denying that it comes insanely close at the very least.
Incredible attention to detail, with a few minor setbacks
No matter how you look at it, LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight has incredible attention to detail. That's a sign that the game was made by superhero fans, for superhero fans. TT Games created different takedown animations for all of its playable characters, hid many Easter eggs and secrets on every corner of its huge world, and paid homage to years' worth of stories. There's no denying this is a very ambitious love letter to the Caped Crusader that instantly becomes part of the character's impressive legacy.
I do have to say that I encountered many bugs while playing LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight. Nothing was ever game-breaking. However, characters would get stuck in the middle of an animation, the AI companions would sometimes struggle to reach a specific place, enemies would simply despawn when approaching them, and the list goes on. These are all very minor errors that never really took away from the immersion, but they are still there.
As mentioned before, the stealth mechanics in LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight are very barebones, and the pacing at the very beginning is a bit slow. Fortunately, these minor nitpicks don't detract from what's almost a flawless adventure starring one of the most popular superheroes ever made.
LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight is out now on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
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