Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight balances fan service with an Arkham-style open world
Source: Engadget
**TT Games**
Lego's video‑game series is not just charming action games with humorous puzzles; it often delivers surprisingly clever spins on iconic characters we all know and love. With the upcoming *[Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight](https://www.engadget.com/gaming/lego-batman-legacy-of-the-dark-knight-swoops-onto-pc-and-consoles-on-may-29-024729940.html)*, the developers at TT Games aim to provide a new open‑world Gotham City and more advanced combat that scratches the same itch as the *Batman: Arkham* series—while still leaning into that familiar Lego simplicity and charm.
Ahead of the title’s May 22 release, I played several missions focused on Batman’s journey through a very Lego‑take on Gotham City’s rowdy nightlife, filled with villains causing trouble for the Dark Knight and his allies. Along with seeing several Batman‑movie moments given the comical toy‑universe treatment, I also got to experience a more focused and upgraded take on a Lego open‑world game.
*Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight* retells Batman’s origins through the colorful, playful lens of Lego. Set within an open‑world Gotham City—replete with crimes to stop, collectibles to grab, and cases to solve—you’ll grow Batman’s influence across different eras of his history, pulling from various films and iconic comic moments.
Compared to 2008’s *Lego Batman*, *Legacy of the Dark Knight* is a more all‑encompassing adventure that explores Lego Batman’s rise in Gotham City. The main chapters draw on many Batman films and comic storylines, such as:
- 2022’s *The Batman*
- 1995’s *Batman Forever*
- Clever nods to *Batman: The Animated Series*
> “This is the first game where we’ve been really able to draw upon the whole history of all the stories of Batman and bring them together into a single, narrative‑driven adventure,” said Jonathan Smith, head of development at TT Games.
> “We’ve been really fueled by the character and all the great storytelling that’s come before us. From a Lego‑games point of view, we’re always looking to bring a new perspective of humor and fun to all elements of gameplay and storytelling.”
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*Published ahead of the game’s release on May 22, 2026.*A Deeper LEGO Batman Game
In the familiar LEGO video‑game style, you and another player can explore various stages, collecting LEGO bricks and studs to unlock upgrades and outfits, fighting off enemies with melee combat and gadgets, and overcoming puzzles with character‑specific talents. It’s essentially a classic action‑platformer, but with a heavy focus on comedy and cartoony action featuring LEGO characters.
The combat upgrade, which channels the Arkham‑style free‑flow fights, really plays to the LEGO aesthetic as well. I especially liked that the developers added the humor of the Adam West era of Batman, making the battles feel even wackier.
First Mission: Early Batman
The first mission I played is a chapter focusing on Batman’s early days as a crime‑fighter—a retelling of the Iceberg Lounge scene from 2022’s The Batman, arguably the darkest Batman film. Surprisingly, the LEGO version works because it leans into the inherent ridiculousness of a masked vigilante breaking into a club to fight off henchmen.
Alongside Batman, Commissioner Gordon joins the fight, providing some comical moments as the pair builds LEGO safe‑cracking machines to break through barriers and reach deeper levels of the lounge.
Open‑World Elements
The stage feels very much like a classic LEGO video‑game experience, but LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight goes further, drawing on the Batman: Arkham games. Between missions you can explore the open city in the Batmobile or glide through the sky. This is a particularly satisfying moment because it feels like a laid‑back take on Arkham’s sprawling gameplay, with playful moments where Gotham’s citizens stare and gawk as Batman and Robin race through the streets.
“Like us, our friends and colleagues at Rocksteady Studios have drawn upon some of that material in the past to make these really absorbing, thrilling environments,” said Smith. “We’ve also taken our own path in other ways, as players who have played… and loved the Arkham games. There’s some muscle memory that you want to reflect and build on, but we’re always trying to find a distinctive LEGO way of making that gameplay accessible and friendly for the widest array of players.”
Combat and exploration still match the simplicity of other LEGO games, and admittedly many of the encounters and open‑world sections aren’t as mechanically deep as those in other Batman titles. Still, it’s an admirable attempt to elevate the always‑easy gameplay of the LEGO series.
Second Mission: The Flying Graysons
The next mission recreates the circus scene with the Flying Graysons from Joel Schumacher’s Batman Forever. I have a soft spot for Batman Forever, and the balance of charm and wit in Legacy of the Dark Knight works wonders in turning this moment into a puzzle‑platforming sequence that plays well with the original movie’s style.
The Batcave
In addition to exploring Gotham City and taking on missions with allies, the game includes a fully explorable and customizable Batcave. Between missions you can:
- Purchase unlockables for your collections
- Add LEGO decals and iconic Batman collectibles across the cave
- Interact with characters such as the interdimensional Batman fan‑boy, Bat‑Mite
Final Thoughts
Whether it’s Star Wars, Indiana Jones, or DC Comics, TT Games has a knack for reinterpreting classic characters and placing their stories in the LEGO universe. So far, LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight continues that tradition and represents the strongest attempt yet to expand the scope and activities of an open‑world LEGO game. It’s essentially Batman: Arkham Knight for all ages.
Release date: May 22 2026 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S, with a Nintendo Switch 2 release at a later date.