Putting the tale to one side, the rest of the game is of the same solid standard that you would come to expect from the developers. Built from the ground up to be played in 2 player local co-op, the game is best when played with a pal. Like with any of the LEGO games that require flight, the camera can be an issue in two player mode as you flip back and forth around the screen – nauseating at times. A nice feature is the ability to create a static vertical split if you prefer this method. For those with a large television, it almost plays like an old style LAN party, but on the same screen.
This being the third outing for our plastic Dark Knight, the game opens as if you have played earlier outings. It does not take long for you to unlock additional powers for Batman, Robin, Cyborg and many others. Some characters have seven different powers they can control. This makes puzzles a little taxing, especially for the very young as they have to figure out which of Batman’s many powers to engage. A small blessing comes in Free Play mode where you are given a case sensitive prompt to change powers. This saved a lot of time and fiddling.
At this point in proceedings most seasoned gamers will either be on the LEGO bandwagon, or well off. For these people, Batman 3 is certainly more of the same; quality local co-op entertainment. However, for gamers new to the franchise, the puzzles may be a little complex at times, but the world is magical. There is so much to see, unlock and do in the extended Batman universe that a particularly tenacious youngster could spend 10s of hours exploring it all. The only real let down in the game is the disappointing storyline. Seeing as the LEGO games are more about playing with a pal in a world that interests you, this is not as big an issue as it could have been.
Verdict
Co-Op Score
Overall
The Co-Op Experience: 2-player co-op similar to previous LEGO games.
Co-Optimus game reviews focus on the cooperative experience of a game, our final score graphic represents this experience along with an average score for the game overall. For an explanation of our scores please check our Review Score Explanation Guide.