Relationships succeed and fail for many reasons but an important one is spending time together and time apart. A couple that never see each other are likely to be doomed, but a couple who live in each other's pockets could end up having nothing to say to one another - a balance must be struck. I enjoy books, films, football, squash and computer games. My partner likes shopping, gossip, fashion, meals and nights out. There is little cross over in what we like, however, we compromise. I go shopping, she will watch the football. I play squash; she talks to me about someone at work for an hour while I half listen. One area that I rarely get her to join with me is computer games; however, I have found a game that she loved - perhaps more than I did!

Gameplay

To say that 'Lego Batman' does not reinvent the wheel is an understatement. To anyone who has played 'Lego Star Wars' of 'Lego Indiana Jones' you will know exactly what to expect. However, there are a few areas of advancement that perhaps make this the best Lego game so far.

There are 15 levels in the game that you must tackle as Batman and Robin. However, after you have done this you unlock the same levels from the enemies' point of view and you play through them as Joker, Cat Woman, and Penguin etc. Overall the gameplay is still a straight forward 3D platformer with puzzle elements, but the two types of levels have subtle differences. This is because each character has a set skill base. Batman and Robin have some suits that allow them special skills such as magnetic boots, or the ability to withstand warmth. What they do not have is the bad guy skills of super strength or toxic walking! This means that to unlock all the games extras you need to play each level at least twice as both the good guys and the bad guys.

For a basic game there is a lot of fun to be had here. 'Lego Batman' will not provide the thrills needed for a hardcore gamer, but for youngsters or new gamers it is simple to pick up and imaginative to play. My partner loved playing the game as its simple to use controls meant that she was the equal of me. We had to work as a team to complete the game and the inability to actually die means that this is a great casual experience. (4 out of 5)

Characters/Story

Although this game has the Batman IP it is not actually based on any of the films; instead it's the older comic books. This means that the fun sections from Star Wars and Indy are missing as there are no movie pastiches. However, what Traveller's Tales do have is the freedom to use every Batman character from the well known to the obscure. The three stories on offer may not be the most inspiring but they do take you into lots of different locations. Also with such a huge number of characters to play as you cannot fault it. (4 out of 5)

Longevity

'Lego Batman' is probably the biggest of all the Lego games so far, at least clocking in around the same size as the complete Star Wars saga. However, despite this I was still able to 100% complete it within a week. This is mostly due to the easy nature of the gameplay. The achievements are what made the game last longer as you need to collect everything to get them. To begin with you think you will never succeed, but various bonus items that you unlock in the game do make it easier as time goes on to the point where you rush through the last few levels. (3 out of 5)

Online

Normally when a game does not have online I ignore this section. However, one of the biggest faults of 'Lego Batman' is that there is no online co-op mode. The first Star Wars 360 game had it, but since then Traveller's Tales have not bothered to implement it. This is not good enough for a game designed for two. (1 out of 5)


Graphics

Graphically this game only really has one job and that is to make it look like Lego. To this extent the game works as all the characters and environments are realised in cool Lego attire. However, this is not really enough in a HD world and 'Lego Batman' came out on nearly every console and you can tell. It is certainly the best looking in the series so far, but is nothing special. (3 out of 5)

Level Design

Once again 'Lego Batman' is meant to be a very accessible and simple game and the levels reflect this. However, their initial simplicity often hides hidden depth. Once each level is completed via the story you are free to re-enter it with all the characters. This means that sections which were once out of bounds are now open for your pleasure. There are loads of neat hidden Easter eggs in the game. I also thought that the simple puzzles were well thought out and that it all reflected Gotham City pretty well. (4 out of 5)

Sound

With no voice acting there is not that much that the sound has to offer. For some reason although there is no rights to the films in the game the music is from the big screen. Therefore, you get a feel for the environment, but the lack of character voice means that it never ventures beyond average at best. (3 out of 5)

Summary

Place 'Lego Batman' up against the likes of 'Bioshock' or 'Gears of War' and it may not look that pretty, sound that great, or be that complex. However, to do this would be to defeat the object as this is not a hardcore gamer's game, but a casual experience. My partner and I loved playing this together and that is enough for me to rate it highly. I would also suggest that it is a great game for kids to play with each other or with their parents and on the 360 a game that spans everyone is quite a rare thing. (4 out of 5)


Maker: Traveller's Tales RRP £50
Amazon uk £29.33
Play.com £29.99