Lego Dimensions has spanned many IPs, but none more than Batman, with almost every iteration of big-screen Batman appearing in the Lego games. With the release of The Lego Batman Movie, Traveller’s Tales once again dips into the Batman well once again with Lego Dimensions The Lego Batman Movie Story Pack—and it ain’t your Grandma’s Batman.
Lego Dimensions The Lego Batman Movie Story Pack is a middle of the road, cookie cutter Lego game. Anyone who has played a Lego game in the past will not be introduced to anything new, except maybe some frustration. While I have played many, many, Lego games—there are Lego Dimensions characters all over my living room—this particular title was accompanied by more cursing than in past Lego titles. While most people who have played Lego games have experienced a situation here or there that leads to frustration, this game has a few more of those moments.
At one point I got locked out of a boss battle. After the cutscene—which Player Two triggered—my character was on the outside of the barricade looking in, unable to cross into the battle. While this was easily remedied by adding another character to the Lego Dimensions portal and then switching to them, it was inconvenient. Often players stumble across situations in Lego games where that lack of instruction can lead to some scratching of heads while trying to figure out how to advance. Lego Dimensions The Lego Batman Movie Story Pack has some of those moments, but none more irritating than a simple pipe puzzle. The puzzle itself involved pushing three buttons to rotate some pipes in the background so power could reach a switch. I will state that in single-player this puzzle is rather self-evident, however in split-screen (because the camera does not zoom in on the area where the pipes rotate) it is difficult to see what the buttons are doing. My Player Two actually got so frustrated that they abandoned me—a Batman without a Robin. This allowed the camera to zoom into the pipes, making the puzzle obvious. We both felt rather stupid, but were able to advance. The most bewildering moment came when I lost complete control over my character. She just started to walk around by herself, as if she was following Player Two like an AI. Yes, yes, I checked, my controller was on— so, huh? I couldn’t even switch between characters; I was completely frozen out. This issue was solved by removing the character from the portal, and only then was I allowed to embody another superhero.
The aesthetics are on par with any Lego game out there. Bright, bold and adorable. TT have done enough Lego games that creating an interactive Lego world at this point must be effortless.
The world is a mishmash of Batman canons. Batman just adopted Dick Grayson, yet players have the ability to turn into Nightwing. Barbara Gordon becomes Commissioner, but she is rather young and acquires the Batgirl title mid-game. For hardcore Batman fans, the canon of this title can be a teeth-grinding experience. And with Batman being voiced by Will Arnett, Batman is more comedic and silly than fans are used to. However, this Bat-personality does fit into the inoffensive Lego world, making it an excellent title for young and old Bat-fans to play together, despite the suggested age cap of 14. Adults enjoy Lego too!
The Lego Dimensions The Lego Batman Movie Story Pack voice cast is star-studded, with Zach Galifianakis voicing The Joker. His performance isn’t horrible but lacks the creepy edge that usually accompanies The Joker. Rosario Dawson lends her voice to Batgirl, and her performance is stellar, and by far the best the cast. She captures Barbara’s well-known, no-nonsense personality perfectly. The oddest casting of all is Micheal Cera as Robin, but this Robin is a weird combination of goofy and rambunctious, so it does work but is also slightly irritating.
Lego Dimensions The Lego Batman Movie Story Pack is a decent instalment into the Lego library and is suitable for all ages. For fans of the Lego games, I can easily say that despite some frustrating moments it is worth a play, but wait for it to drop in price. However, if you need to satisfy your Lego addiction right now, pick up a cheaper level pack. Just try not to step on any Lego pieces.
Oh, Adam West. He is your Grandma’s Batman.
