Lego Batman 2: DC Superheroes

7 cert, Warner Bros Interactive, PS3 (also Xbox, Wii, PC, 3DS, DS, Vita) ****

There’s something about Lego games that appeals across age groups. They’re fun to play and, despite sticking to some tried and tested formulas, have yet to get dull – for me at least.

Lego Batman 2: DC Superheroes is no exception. It adds some new features, such as the Lego heroes getting proper voices. A tiny change that adds a lot of character to the game.

One of the game’s strongest elements is the characters. Lego Batman 2 draws from throughout the DC universe, so not only do you get the Joker wreaking havoc, but Lex Luthor is along for the ride too.

It’s almost impossible not to love the Lego version of Batman and his Boy Wonder sidekick. But if you don’t, you aren’t stuck with him. You get bonus appearances from fellow superheroes such as Wonder Woman, the Flash and Superman, as the name hints. There’s an impressive amount of playable characters.

And you’ll need some of their individual powers. An open-world environment, Lego Batman 2 spreads different missions throughout the city, presenting different challenges as you hunt down bricks and other collectibles. Characters have some special suits too that come in handy.

As a player, you can choose to wander through the city streets exploring, or to complete the different missions in as quick a time as possible, and then get down to some exploration. You’re looking at under 20 hours of gameplay, but the potential to keep exploring and collecting is compelling.

While traversing the streets is fun, the one thing that lets this game down is ditching the pavement pounding for something a little more exciting. Sadly, the game fails to deliver on vehicular play, whether on street or in the air.

Overall, however, this is yet another fine Lego adventure that should appeal to most players, regardless of age.