

Draw The Joker in any style or inject him into any medium and the character is still recognizable.

One unintentionally funny problem is having Lex Luthor envisioned as a Lego character. Lego Batman 2's story follows the path you'd expect: Joker and Lex Luthor have teamed to wreak havoc on Gotham City, forcing Batman and Friends into action. TT Games told us there would be plenty to chose from, but would only confirm the Batmobile, Batwing, and Batboat. If you're not keen on seeing the city on foot, the Dark Knight can jump into any of his legendary vehicles. Giant Lego characters are carved into blocks holding massive buildings on their backs - a cheeky nod to over-the-top, gothic aesthetic seen in Joel Schumacher's cinematic butchering of Batman. In this vision of Gotham, connected islands make up the landscape of Batman's hunting ground. It's somewhat in conflict with the freedom an open world suggests. If that's the case, there isn't any sense of discovery here just use what you're given when it's given to you. It's certainly a fun idea, but TT Games says the correct suit will always be waiting for players. Thankfully, Batman's trusty X-Ray Suit lets him to see through the obstacle and force The Riddler out into the open. When The Riddler appears, he hides behind a Lego brick wall. From there he's able to flip a switch and grant Batman access to a blocked area above. Robin's Breather Suit, for example, allows him to enter an area completely submerged in water. %Gallery-150793%A series of signals allows the Dynamic Duo to call down special variations of their costumes, granting them special abilities in order to solve puzzles. While the vision of an open world is welcome, a short demo of the game during GDC showed there's still a lot that tethers The Dark Knight to Gotham. Rather than give players a list of levels they can select, TT Games has removed the barriers around Batman's hometown.

Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes has a different design philosophy. The experiences are largely linear affairs, with not much in the way of making your own fun. Lego bricks inspire creativity, but that sense of discovery and creation is all but lost in the video games from developer Travelers Tales.
