LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham is the latest installment of the LEGO Batman game franchise. It promises a bigger, better LEGO experience than its predecessors, with new characters, gameplay and locations. Here's everything we know so far about its release date, compatibility and price. (See also: 10 most exiting games from Gamescom 2014)
LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham release date and platform information
LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham is currently set for a release date of November 14th in the UK.
As with other games under the LEGO umbrella, it will be available on pretty much every platform short of the Sega Genesis. It will be launched simultaneously on both current and last-gen consoles from Sony and Microsoft, Nintendo’s Wii U, and of course, the PC.
It will also be released on handheld devices such as the 3DS and the PlayStation Vita, featuring "45 missions spanning an original storyline".
LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham price
Warner Bros. Interactive entertainment have not set a definitive RRP for LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham, and prices will vary depending on platform and retailer, with PS4 and Xbox One copies being slightly more expensive than their last-gen counterparts. However, the general price appears to be around £35 for PS3 and Xbox 360 copies and £45 for the newer consoles.
LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham gameplay, Story and Features
LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham continues from LEGO Batman 2: DC Superheroes, retaining much of the gameplay and style from previous games.
The story follows on from the events of the previous game, and features classic DC villain Brainiac using the power of the Lantern Corps rings to shrink cities and planets to add to his collection, forcing the Justice League to venture into space in order to stop him.
Traveller’s Tales have been highlighting the iconic locations present in the new game, including the JLA Watchtower and the Lantern Worlds, meaning that fans of DC’s more interstellar material will have something to look forward to.
The gameplay is predominantly the by-now traditional standard of third-person action platforming common throughout games such as LEGO Star Wars or LEGO Indiana Jones, incorporating the construction elements and puzzle-solving from previous titles. However, the cosmic setting also allows for the addition of new gameplay mechanics, such as Gradius-style shooting elements.
The game also retains its trademark drop-in, drop-out two-player co-op. One of the last major franchises still offering local multiplayer, one of the major draws of recent LEGO games has been the ability to play with friends and family as iconic characters that makes it such a successful family game.
One of the most exciting features for fans of Batman and the wider DC mythology is the vast amount of characters and locations included in the LEGO Batman series, and this trend is set to continue with over 150 playable DC heroes and villains, including Deathstroke, Bat-Mite and even original Batman actor Adam West.
These characters will be brought to life by the “stellar voice cast” including voice-acting stalwarts Dee Bradley Baker, Travis Willingham and Laura Bailey, with Travellar’s Tales director Arthur Parsons praising the “brilliant script”, saying it “far outweighs [LEGO Batman 2]”
As well as alternate versions of various characters (including the infamous Rainbow Batman), they are also equipped with various upgradeable suits that bestow different powers and abilities accessed through a “bat-tastic gadget wheel”.
The game looks set to continue the franchise’s habit of injecting large doses of campy, tongue-in-cheek humour into its source material, such as Cyborg’s ability to disguise himself as a washing machine to fool enemies.
