WB Games Confirms ‘LEGO Batman: Legacy Of The Dark Knight’ Has Just Seven Playable Characters
In a move that feels downright insulting given the franchise’s history, WB Games has confirmed that rather than an expansive roster of both popular and obscure character from across the hero’s cinematic history, their upcoming LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight will instead feature just seven (7) total playable minifigs.
The first proper LEGO Batman entry since 2014’s LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham, the newly announced LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight leaves behind the comic book inspirations of its predecessors and instead invites players to relive the brick-ified events of The Caped Crusader’s film adventures, from Tim Burton’s Batman (1989) all the way up to Matt Reeves’ The Batman.
Further, rather than the series’ more ‘open brawl’ style of combat for one more akin to that seen in Rocksteady Games’ Arkham series, complete with counter-timing indicators, explosive Bat-Gel, and playable vehicle sections, as set behind the wheels of various Batmobile and Batcycle models.
Unfortunately, a new setting and an updated combat system are not the only changes coming to the streets of LEGO Gotham City courtesy of dev studio TT Games.
As noted above, where past titles have seen fit to offer players a veritable buffet of heroes and villains to choose from, with the two most recent, LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham and LEGO DC Super-Villains, both featuring rosters upwards of 200 different heroes and villains, that won’t be the case when it comes to Legacy of the Dark Knight.
And it’s not just a ‘trim the fat’ situation either; Per its official WB Games support FAQ, the game “will feature seven playable characters, including Batman, Jim Gordon, Robin, Nightwing, Batgirl, Catwoman, and Talia al Ghul,” each of whom “is equipped with unique skills, combos, and gadgets – like Batman’s Batclaw, Jim Gordon’s foam sprayer, Robin’s line launcher, and Catwoman’s whip.”
Meanwhile, for those curious, it unsurprisingly looks like the only villains Batman will face in his next build-an-adventure will be those from his own rogue’s gallery, with WB Games noting that “players will face off against Gotham City’s most notorious DC Super-Villains, including The Joker, The Penguin, Poison Ivy, Ra’s al Ghul, Bane, and more.”
While this severely slimmed-down selection of characters is sure to disappoint many, a silver lining exists in the fact that Legacy of the Dark Knight has been confirmed to feature a bevy of alternate costumes for its cast, including the titular detective’s thus-far-revealed The Dark Knight (2008), Batman: Brave and the Bold, The Batman, Golden Age (as first seen in Detective Comics Vol. 1 #27), and Rainbow (Detective Comics Vol. 1 #241) suits.
(Again, not quite as exciting as being able to play as, say, Superman or Atrocitus, but a highlight nonetheless!)
Presenting players with “a story-led campaign from origin to legend, bringing together iconic moments from the Caped Crusader’s 86-year history in film, television, comic books, and games, and jam-packed with Batman nostalgia, DC lore, and TT Games’ signature brand of fun-filled LEGO humor,” LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight is set to begin instilling fear in the hearts of some adorably-styled criminals on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC this August 19th.
