As we all grew up hearing “I am vengeance. I am the night. I am Batman”, and if you grew up as obsessed with Batman like I did, then LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight instantly will feel special. Developed by TT Games and published by Warner Bros. Games, the game takes players through Bruce Wayne’s rise from a masked vigilante to Gotham’s legendary protector, pulling inspiration from decades of comics, films, shows and games.

From the moment I jumped in, it was obvious this was not just another LEGO game but a proper love letter to Batman fans, packed with DC lore, classic villains, and the kind of references that will have die-hard fans grinding the entire time. For now, “To The Batmobile”.

Rather than focusing on one single Batman story, LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight feels like a massive tribute to the Dark Knight’s entire history, blending together iconic moments, characters and storylines from comics, films, shows and games into one big LEGO adventure. The story follows Bruce Wayne’s journey from his early training with the League of Shadows through to becoming the legend we all know today.

You will build the Bat-Family along the way with familiar faces like Gordon, Robin, Nightwing and Batgirl. I was quite surprised by how well the writing balances serious Batman moments with the classic LEGO humour, without ruining the tone of the game and being a die-hard fan, seeing those legendary villains like The Joker, Bane and Ra’s al Ghul woven so naturally into the story made it hard to want to put it down.

I was pleasantly surprised by how deep the gameplay loop was compared to older LEGO titles. The skill system gives you a reason to keep progressing and experimenting with different characters instead of mindlessly just running through levels. You can unlock new abilities and slowly build Batman up through the game, which makes it feel rewarding, especially when certain upgrades would completely change how some encounters played out.

The upgrade systems never once became overwhelming; they stayed simple, which made unlocking new gadgets and combat improvements genuinely enjoyable. The gameplay for me really shone through, with how heavily it leaned into Batman: Arkham in the combat, gadgets, combos, and fast transitions between enemies, keeping things feeling fresh. The gliding mechanics were another great highlight for me, especially moving around Gotham from rooftop to rooftop.

It felt super smooth and almost cinematic, making exploration around Gotham enjoyable rather than a filler between missions. Combined with the puzzles, collectables and constant fan service to Batman fans, the gameplay kept me hooked from the start.

Playing LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight on PlayStation 5 felt really polished in terms of controls. Everything was easy to pick up straight away, and it felt super tight during combat and traversal, which never became boring.

Flying around, using gadgets, chaining attacks and swapping between characters all felt super smooth and responsive. The thing that stood out to me the most was how familiar the combat system felt, clearly inspired by the Batman: Arkham series.

The free-flow combat, counter system, and the way fights transition between enemies smoothly gave battles a satisfying rhythm that instantly took me back to the Arkham games, with a slightly more light-hearted LEGO twist. It made combat feel far more engaging than I could have expected, while still keeping that simple pick-up-and-play LEGO games are known for.

Visually, it absolutely nails the darker Gotham atmosphere while still keeping that bright, colourful charm the LEGO games are well known for. Gotham instead feels massive and packed with detail, from the rain-soaked alleyways lit by neon to the signs on the towering skyscrapers, which we have all seen before but still feel fresh.

The game leans heavily into the darker blacks, greys and blues during its more serious Batman moments, but then throws in bursts of colour through villains, gadgets and LEGO effects that keep it from feeling gloomy. As a Batman fan, some areas genuinely gave me the same feeling I got while exploring Gotham in the Arkham series, just with the classic LEGO personality layered on top. It suited the experience perfectly because it still felt gritty and heroic, without ever forgetting that it’s also meant to be fun.

The sound design brought the entire experience together for me, especially with how strong the soundtrack and voice acting were throughout the game. The music constantly evoked a darker Batman atmosphere while still maintaining the fun energy LEGO games are known for, with many tracks feeling heavily inspired by the Arkham series and classic Batman themes. During combat, the soundtrack ramps up a bit, making the fight scenes feel more intense, which is fun.

The voice acting was a dead-set standout for me because the characters had a sense of personality and energy, rather than just feeling like filler between missions. Batman especially carried that serious Arkham tone, while some of the other characters brought more humour and lighter moments that balanced it out perfectly. Overall, the audio complemented the visuals perfectly.

LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knights feels like the ultimate Batman fan game disguised as a LEGO title. TT Games somehow managed to capture everything that makes Batman such an iconic character, from the darker Gotham atmosphere and Arkham-inspired combat, right through to the humour, gadgets, and the ridiculous amount of fan service packed into every corner of the game. As someone who grew up obsessed with Batman, this honestly felt like stepping into a playable tribute to the Dark Knight’s entire legacy.

Written by: Hayden Nelson