Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes (360) - Review

This Game is suitable for Little Gamers!


Batman, Batman, Batman! It seems everywhere I look these days all I see is Batman. This is great, as I love Batman! As the world goes crazy for the final part of Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight Trilogy, the gaming world is also going crazy for the caped crusader in his latest adventure, with Lego! Having spent five weeks at the top of the UK charts Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes is a massive success for the Lego franchise and WB Games.

Unlike Nolan's trilogy which depicts the tragic hero, or Rocksteady's Arkham series which clings to the darker side of the Batman. Lego Batman 2 captures the lighter side of The Caped Crusader.  Dare I say, the Seventies side of Batman.

Pop the disc and upon boot up you are greeted with a fly over of Lego Gotham and you are also introduced to one of the best things about Lego Batman... Danny Elfman's Score. Using the music from the classic Tim Burton Batman films is inspired as it immediately sets the tone for the whole game.

As the game opens you are immediately faced with the newest addition to the Lego universe - Mini Figures now talk! Gone are the days of cutscenes full of mumbles and gestures. Now that the characters can talk it really does another dimension to the game. The humour is also greatly improved by having the cast talk. I really enjoyed the relationship between Batman and Superman and the way Batman cannot stand him.
This is then brilliantly paralleled with Lex Luthor not really being able to tolerate The Joker and his wacky antics.

People who have played a Lego game before will have no problem jumping straight in. It's all about the studs and by that I mean the colourful Lego that acts as cash in the game. Batman and Robin fight their way through the early levels smashing scenery to gather studs and reassembling Lego puzzles to open new routes or switches. Instead, of the normal switching characters to utilise certain special powers, Batman and Robin have various different suits they can wear, which allow them to perform certain actions. Robin's Acrobat suit allows him to throw his staff in to wall sockets and then double jump and ascend great heights. Whilst Batman's Bat Suit gives him a sonar gun that can shatter glass and wings in order to glide from heights. Later on come the story missions. Superman becomes playable and he brings his own set of powers, including Heat Vision, Ice Breath, X-ray vision and of course flight.

The game is made up of 15 levels and unlike previous Lego titles which use a small hub to connect them up, Lego Batman 2 introduces and fully opens the world of Gotham City. Gotham is full of extra collectibles and studs to collect. There are also other villains to capture and add to your free play character list. The best part of the open world experience is the buildings of Gotham. Each one is a puzzle, which requires one of your heroes suits or powers to get to the top and unlock the Golden Brick.



Of course, no self respecting Super Hero is going to travel round the city using public transport. So the inclusion of all manners of Bat-vehicles is a welcome addition. There are Bat-mobiles, Bat-bikes, Bat-boat, Bat-wings and Bat-copters to name just a few.

As with all Lego games, completing the main game is only the beginning as the option to unlock and collect every bonus block, mini-figure and vehicle remaining is quite a challenge. During the free play modes you can team up with any of the captured villains and use them to unlock more secrets. I have even heard that there is a bonus level for those willing to unlock it.

Co-op remains in Lego Batman 2 and it means that all you gaming parents can sit down with your kids and play a game together that doesn't involve you throwing your body and limbs around dangerously close to your TV set.

Last year, I reviewed Lego Pirates of the Caribbean and I said that I could not wait to see the direction the Lego franchise would take next. Well, Lego Batman 2 is massive step in all the right directions. Now I cannot wait for the Christmas Lego game. Trip to Mordor anyone?

Verdict: 9 out of 10

Enjoy the Silence

Been quiet round here hasn't it. I know and that's because I have been in gaming heaven. Not only am I playing the amazing Gravity Rush on the Vita, but also the crazy Lollipop Chainsaw, the awesome Lego Batman 2 and then there's the Metal Gear Solid collection on the Vita too.

Usually Summer is a gaming drought, but this year has brought a downpour of excellent summer games. Thank goodness then that July is a little quieter. It gives me a chance to catch up. Meanwhile, expect over reviews of Lollipop Chainsaw,  Lego Batman 2, MGS HD Vita and our take on Minecraft Xbox 360 edition.

Lego Batman 2 - Now with added... er Words?

Yes, Bat-fans that's right. For the first time ever in a Lego game, you will hear a mini-figure talk. Not just one the whole cast of heroes and villains will be speaking stuff through their plastic mouth whole.

Not forgetting the open world enviroment and the chance players to play as classic Batman characters and also other DC Superheroes. Including Nightwing, Robin, Batgirl, Green Lantern, Superman, The Flash, Martian Manhunter, Black Canary, Aquaman, Hawkman, Hawkgirl, Cyborg, and Wonder Woman. Current speculation suggests there will be over 70 playable characters.



Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes launches next Friday 22nd June for all platforms.

After the launch of Lego Batman 2 though, I am not sure if the Lego gaming franchise has got anywhere left to go...



Oh! I stand corrected!

Coming in June - It's Vita Month!

Finally, June sees brand new Vita games launched at an alarming rate at almost one decent game a week. This hopefully is the beginning of the end for inevitable post launch drought. Lets take a look and what we can be playing in the sunshine!

Resistance: Burning Skies (PS Vita) Out 1st June


August 1951: the attack on North America's east coast begins…
As New Jersey fire fighter and National Guardsman Tom Riley, you’re about to come face to face with the brutal Chimeran invasion force in this blistering shooter for PlayStation®Vita System. The latest installment in the acclaimed Resistance franchise focuses on an all-new mission that sits inbetween the storylines of Resistance 2 and 3 on the the PS3. For the first time, a Resistance game focuses on the Chimera invasion of the United States of America. Taking the role of Tom Riley, a New York fireman, as he rises from an everyday hero to a legend of the Resistance.

Key Features:

• The first ever portable first-person shooter with true dual-analog control. Console-quality shooting in the palm of your hand.
• Competitive 8-player online multiplayer across 6 unique maps and 3 modes
• A frenetic campaign mode told from an entirely new perspective in the Resistance
• Developed from the ground-up to take full advantage of the power of PlayStation®Vita System, delivering the ultimate portable shooter experience with front and rear touch control, 3G/Near support, and online play via wi-fi.

The first reviews of this seem to be a mixed bag. Some sites just hate it. Whilst others can see that although what is on offer is lacking compared to the modern FPS console experience, Resistance is still the best portable FPS yet. I shall add my own spin in a review early next week.

Gravity Rush (PS Vita) - Out 15th June


What do you get if you cross Pilotwings and Crackdown? You get Gravity Rush! Take on the role of Kat, a strong-willed girl seeking the means to protect her future in a world that’s crumbling to pieces. Tilt and move the PlayStation®Vita System, taking gravity into your own hands to deliver devastating attacks, uncover the secrets to your past and explore a mysterious world.

Move The World Around You : Manipulate gravity to help you move around, shifting your perspective and enhancing your actions to complete dozens of missions spanning several worlds.

Full Motion Control : Use the PlayStation®Vita System gyro sensor to control gravity. Use the front and back panels to quickly react to shifting surroundings and dodge enemy attacks.

Graphic Novel Storytelling : Experience beautiful cel-shaded graphics brought to life through OLED technology, delivering crisp and vivid colours.

Many are saying that this is the AAA title to get the Vita up and running. With a gorgeous art style and amazing open world to discover. I played the Japanese demo earlier in the year and found it to be a truly unique experience. All of the features make the most of the Vita's capabilities. If you own a Vita, then you need to own this game.



LEGO Batman 2 (PS Vita) - 22nd June

Batman is back to save Gotham City and the action will only build from here!

The Highly-Anticipated Sequel to the Best-Selling LEGO® Videogame of All Time Returns with Help from Super Heroes including Superman, Wonder Woman and Green Lantern.

The game has taken a slightly different part from normal Lego games of the past. Firstly, it is open world. An open world Gotham City acts as a hub world to 15 story based worlds, that may take the player all over the DC universe.
Also, there are many characters to play and they all have powers and and gadgets. For As Batman and Robin, players have a choice of 15 flying vehicles, 15 boats and 25 cars they can use to travel around the map. Pick a flying hero and take to the skies as well.

What else needs to be said about this game? Its Lego + Batman + Open World Gotham + hours of quests and fun!

Metal Gear Solid HD Collection - 29th June

From the critically acclaimed director, Hideo Kojima, Metal Gear Solid HD Collection offers a handful of the most popular Metal Gear Solid titles from the past in true HD for the first time ever. Featuring two complete games, Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty and Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker is absent from this version). The HD Collection offers old and new fans a chance to experience the epic game play, design and storytelling of the MGS franchise. This new vita version is full of new enhancements specific to the Vita version, such as its touch-screen and rear touch pad, which enable gamers to zoom in on the game's cut-scenes, peek around corners, interrogate enemies, cycle through weapons/items, and perform quick attacks with their knife.

The HD Collection also makes use of Kojima Productions' proprietary "Transfarring" system, which allows players to transfer save data from the PS3 version to Vita and start the action from where they left off.