Lego Batman 3 IN SPAAAAAAAACE!

[Glitch Girl]

Okay actually the title is "Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham". 

Synopsis here: http://comicsalliance.com/lego-batman-3-beyond-gotham-trailer-images/

Just the teaser here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=0-QdlTpYWS8

Having loved Batman & Batman 2 and MArvel Heroes, I am really looking forward to this one.

[Tomato]

Yay, more Lego Batman! I can't wait!

[Glitch Girl]

Images and early gameplay videos.
http://www.co-optimus.com/article/11916/lego-batman-3-beyond-gotham-begins-with-a-bang.html

Note shots of Batmite, Plastic-Man, Cheetah, Firefly, Solomon Grundy,  and two versions of Cyborg.

[BentonGrey]

The shot of the Big 7 without Aquaman is criminal.   If the Sea King is in this, I might get it.

[kkhohoho]

The shot of the Big 7 without Aquaman is criminal.   If the Sea King is in this, I might get it.

If he does get in, I want him with the hook and beard. (Mainly because the Peter David run, which introduced the hook and beard, is the only Aquaman run I've read so far.)

Honestly, if Aquaman doesn't get in this, I can see why. He doesn't really make it into as many adaptions as other DC heroes, but there's reasons for this, beyond the old Superfriends Stigma. Aquaman isn't as useful on land as he is in the water, so outside of his own series, writers have to run through hoops in order to make full use of his abilities. (Which is why he only made a handful of appearances in the DCAU.) This isn't even exclusive to adaptions; in nearly every single story in the original Gardner Fox run of JLA, part of the story in a given issue just happened to take place in or near a body of water so that Aquaman could call his 'finny'friends', whereas no-one else was quite that handicapped. On top of that, he sometimes just feels redundant. He can control the creatures of the deep? Fine, so can Martian Manhunter, theoretically. He's super strong and durable? So are half the members of the classic League. Now, this doesn't mean I dislike Aquaman; far from it. When written well, he can be a joy to read on his own, but as a member of a team, he doesn't always make the best contribution.

(Incidentally, the writers of his 'Justice League' TV show incarnation tried to compensate for his perceived stigma by trying to make him more hardcase. What they really did was transplant Namor's personality onto Aquaman's body. I like Aquaman, but if you're going to adapt him, then adapt Aquaman, both in looks (which they did,) and, more importantly, personality.)

[Tomato]

... really, are you serious right now? He may not be featured prominently, but lets not kid ourselves: Aquaman will be in this game. For Gods sake, Aquaman got a lego minifig before Flash, Martian Manhunter, and Green Lantern(unless you count the con exclusive movie one), and he was in the first game. Of course he's going to be in this one. They're just not focusing on him right now because they're showing off new mechanics.

[JeyNyce]

Aquaman in space.....If they don't get in a few jokes about that I'll be surprise.

[Glitch Girl]

So Lego Marvel Superheroes had Stan Lee, and Lego Batman 3 has... ADAM WEST!

http://comicsalliance.com/adam-west-lego-batman-beyond-gotham-game-voice/

[Glitch Girl]

New Trailer at SDCC

http://www.nerdoverload.com/sdcc14-check-new-trailer-lego-batman-3-beyond-gotham/

Of note:

• Martian Manhunter can change into a big fig.
  
• Plastic Man is there and shapeshifts, probalby like Mr. Fantastic and Sandman in Lego Marvel
  
• Not just Batman and Robin have "suits" -  it appears that the Joker, Cyborg, and Lex will also have suits.  Example: Cyborg appears to have transformer like abilities, allowing him to change into other modes, including a washing machine that shoots lasers.  (sidenote: one of Joker's looks like a pimp suit)
  
• Wonder Woman and Superman are dating, darn you DCNu continuity.
  
• Semi-rails flying vehicle missions are shown
  
• Killer Croc appears to be in it as a big fig.
  

[Midnite]

Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham - Brainiac Trailer

[Glitch Girl]

Beat me to it. 

"I've got the whole world, in my PANTS!"

[detourne_me]

I've got to be the only person here that hates the lego games.
Heck, I used to play the star wars and indiana jones ones, I've got Lego Batman 1 on my phone, and am a 3rd of the way through Lego Marvel....
but dang are the controls bad,  and don't even get me started on the camera!
I understand the appeal, and I try to like them, but I just can't. I'm afraid for the future of superhero gaming... we won't get anymore innovative fun games like Spider-Man Friend or Foe (which captured the same spirit of the Lego games) if they know they can pump out another Lego game cause it will sell.

[Tomato]

Yes, because the Arkham games have done so poorly [/sarcasm].

But no, seriously, I'm more afraid of proper video games getting pushed aside for garbage movie tie ins like Thor or Iron Man 2 than I am for Lego games. You've gotta remember, Marvel and DC don't get as big a cut on these games as they do games without lego's involvement... the lego games are guaranteed to move units, but I'm sure LEGO takes their cut of game sales on top of whatever travelers tales gets for development. Plus, it's ultimately LEGO that's calling the shots... and I'm sure Marvel/DC are just as happy making their own games on the side.

[Glitch Girl]

More characters announced...
http://arcadesushi.com/lego-batman-3-adds-conan-obrien-man-bat-and-duck-dodgers/

Traveler's Tales Games has announced Man Bat, Darkest Knight Superman, Solar Suit Superman, Condiment King, Duck Dodgers, the Green Loontern and Conan O'Brien were all being added into Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham...

...TT Games also revealed that the Mad Hatter, Deadshot, Deathstroke, Kaliban, Polka Dot Man, Music Meister and Detective Chimp were all playable characters as well.

In Blackest Day or Brightest Night...
uh, watermelon, cantalope, yada yada...
a superstitious and cowardly lot...
with liberty and justice for all!

[JeyNyce]

Watching this just made me want the game even more!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBDUXBZ1tYA&list=PLYq7H1T5SzMdNp_tv4TGt8CK_dPVEGquc

[BentonGrey]

Ha, cool, though I find myself resentful of the New 52 aesthetics.

[Glitch Girl]

Picked it up yesterday.  Played through 3 levels and here are some first impressions (will try to be spoiler-free)...

• The first two levels are kinda standard fare (level 2 is a boss fight), but level 3 is where we start seeing some new stuff.  It includes a circular side-scroller type vehicle mission and a level that takes place on a cylindrical map.
  
• The suit mechanic has been streamlined.  Once you unlock a suit type, it unlocks for all characters that get that suit type. You also change out suits on the fly instead of needing a special station for it.  I think some tasks will automatically change you to the correct suit if you try to do them with the appropriate character.
  
• After level 3, you get hub access and can start exploring.  No lie: I fangirled when the Hall of Doom rose out of the swamp.
  
• This is also where sidemissions start popping up.  So far, I've done mini-missions for Mxyzptlk (voice by Gilbert Godfrey), Dex-Starr and Ace the Bat Hound (both of whom get subtitles because they meow/bark).
  
• BTW: Dex-Starr is working through his anger issues.
  
• While I have unlocked a few characters, they haven't been available for purchase yet.  I suspect I should be able to do it after the next level or so.  At least I hope so, because I REALLY want to try out Etrigan.
  
• Red bricks appear to be hidden within levels again.  A few bonus are available as soon as you find the console in the Batcave to purchase them that are very useful (three unlimited power type things for various suits and mini-characters, which will allow you to get Wonder Girl before you get Atom)
  
• Levels are now accessible pretty much anywhere when in free roam.  You can pull up a sort-of Cosmic Map and select levels to replay from there.
  
• Robin's tech suit occasionally drops you into a TRON-like setting for a mini-puzzle, which is the visual equivalent of hacking.  It happened without much warning, and I'm not sure if I like it or not.
  
• In the same vein, there are virtual missions you can complete for gold bricks and unlocks. Only finished one, so far.
  
• Robin's tech suit also gives him a remote control Toy Wonder, ala DC 1Million.
  
• While Bumper Robinson was listed in a cast list I saw, I don't think he's voicing Cyborg. 
  
• I think Wonder Woman is voice by the same person who did Natasha in Lego Marvel.
  
• Hawkman gets no respect
  
• Alfred has a few things in common with Captain America except Alfred uses a tray.
  
• Why is the Penguin british?
  
• When idle, Wonder Woman spins around.  When flying, her 70's theme music kicks in.
  
• Martian Manhunter can now morph into a bigfig and has some cool fight animations involving phasing and chaning body part sizes.  Sadly, he STILL doesn't have invisibility.
  
• Green Lantern has what I call "Hamster Ball mode".   So does Robin.
  
• Robin is Tim Drake this time out.  Suck it Nu52! 
  
• Sadly he is a bit too inexperienced and jumpy than I'd like.  Oh well.
  
• The vacuum suit is back from Lego Batman 1, this time it's part of the Hazmat suit.
  
• The Hall of Justice has a lot of souvenir booths.
  
• Conan O'Brein is in the Batcave.  No one knows why, not even him.  So far, no sign of the Flaming C, but it is very early in the game.
  
• Speaking of the Batcave, there's a set from the Batman TV show in there, complete with film equipment.
  
• Yes, Adam West is this game's Stan Lee so far.
  
• When I picked up the game, they gave me an extra minifigure, so now I have 2 Plastic Mans.  Sadly, no digital preorder bonus this time.
  
• As per my namesake, I have managed to glitch the game a few times already.  Myx went into a spasm while I was talking to him at one point, and a managed to get the rover Robin was driving stuck on the edge of area it was exploring. 
  

[Tomato]

I *finally* got my copy downloaded and ready last night (long story) and I'm playing as much as possible given a full time job. I'm only a bit farther than GG is (level four or five) but I had one or two points to tack onto GG's post:

-Red bricks seem to all be tied to Plastic Man puzzles (For the first 3 levels definitely) and you get him automatically around the level I'm at.
-I looked up when you can start purchasing new character/using dlc character, and from what I've heard you can only do so after completing the main story.
-In the third level, when you unlock Batman's space armor, Robin makes a crack about Batman breathing in space... it's a reference to a strip from Short packed, a webcomic I enjoy.

[Tomato]

So I was wrong about the choose character thing... it is a bit further than I was at the time I posted, but you do, in fact, get it prior to completing the game. You can do so by using the little character kiosk (Batcave has several, including one right near the teleporter). I'm still not even close to being done (36.1%) but I honestly think this has been more fun than LB2 or LM. We've done away with the huge city maps in favor of much more interesting hub areas, and it's made the whole experience feel much tighter for me than having a to-scale version of NYC did.

[Glitch Girl]

I binge-played this weekend and Tomato, wait until you unlock the planets.

Spoiler

Basically, each of the Lanterns gets a planet that unlocks on the moonbase.  These maps (including the moon) are spherical maps so you can run across the entire curved surface of the planetoid.  They even have a light side and a dark side.  There are mini-missions here and hidden bricks, so not quite as robust as the rest of the hub, but still pretty cool.  The Green Loontern (not a typo) is your guide on the planets.  Take the tour (basically, just follow him and fight a few enemies) for a gold brick. 

The one exception is Oa, which I haven't finished exploring, but seems pretty flat and bland.  It's the racing planet, but is sorely lacking in topographical features that the other planets have.  This seems to be the place to unlock vehicles too.

I finished storymode and did a TON of sidequests along the way, and I'm at around 52%.  The final story level felt a bit anticlimactic which is odd considering you're fighting a

Spoiler

giant mind-controlled Superman

but that may be just me. 

The closing credits are one long set of Batman 66 window gags with the lego characters with a couple of mid-credit sequences.  Don't worry about hitting the button and missing the latter, I did that at one point when the window gags started repeating, and it took me straight to the cutscene, then new window gags.

After you complete storymode, you get the Batman 66 level narrated by Adam West (of course).

For those wondering about the DLC - It's a single bonus level akin to those in the building in Lego Marvel, and a set of characters per pack.  For example, the Batman 75th anniversary one is the Joker and Harley crashing Batman's 75th birthday, but it comes with Yellow Lantern Batman, Gotham by Gaslight Batman, big-fig Dark Knight Returns Batman, Red Rain Batman, animated Brave and Bold Batman,  and for some reason, Zebra Batman.  So far I have not been able to find the supposedly free-to-playstation Batman Beyond bonus level, but not all the DLC has been released yet.

Other random bits

• Conan O'Brein gets really tiresome really fast.  And still no Flaming C.
  
• Kevin Smith, however, is actually pretty funny in this.  There's a running gag about how he's making a movie that has Superman fighting a Polar Bear. "Oh no, Catwoman stole my film, this is horrible! Wait... CATWOMAN stole MY FILM!  This is awesome!  Wait..."
  
• Catowman: "I know a thing or two about bad films."
  
• Hawkman STILL gets no respect.
  
• Superboy is the Nu52 Superboy, and is a total doufus.  Seriously, it's implied that he tried to eat a brick. 
  
• Thanks to the Jim Lee figure however, you can make a 90's Superboy like I did in the custom character creator.
  
• One Jim Lee's superpowers is to make pencils shoot out of his hands.  Who knew?
  
• The character creator is now part of some of the missions.  You have to bring a custom character wearing certain sets to the appropriate quest-giver.
  
• The character creator is sadly lacking in capes.
  
• The character creator however, is easier to use this time around.  Instead of just blindly scrolling through parts, you can now browse a category of parts, and even see how many are left to unlock.
  
• Space cows are indestructible
  
• Frankenstein has some really fun combat moves.
  
• Actually, all the big figs I've tried so far seem to have something unique either in their combat moves, or abilities.  Nice touch. 
  
• There are definite implications that TT has got the Jurassic Park license.
  
• The virtual missions are actually pretty fun, and make me think that a Lego TRON game would be a good idea.
  
• There is a puzzle that involves Bat Shark Repellant.
  
• Plastic Man turns into a bi-plane when he flies.  Sadly he does not turn into a boat when he swims.
  
• It's hard to take Batman seriously when he's in the dive suit.
  
• Robin ends up with Doctor Fate's helmet at one point.  This is a plot point.
  
• The camera on the planetary exploration levels can be your worst enemy.  Seriously, at one point I started feeling a bit queasy it was jerking around the geology so much. 
  
• Nightwing gets therapy... oy....
  
• Music Meister has no lines (awwww) but he does dance around whether sneaking, walking, or running, and his combad combos include what I call a "guitar slide".  You'll know it when you see it.
  
• The Batman 66 visual sound effects complete with music sting are just wonderful.
  
• You destroy the Bat tumbler to make the Burton Batmobile. I wonder if this is commentary?
  

[Tomato]

Finally hit a day off (I actually have leave coming soon too), so I spent most of the day playing LB3. I'm a bit disappointed with the trophy challenges this time around, since most of them are like "use this character and this character on a team" but... eh. As of typing this, I've got the game 100%, including all trophies for the main game and the 3 available DLC packs (I maaaaaaay have stayed up late all weekend trying to get play time in after work).

-GG was totally right about the hub worlds being basically the same as the free roaming cities, but... I still like them more. I think it might be the fact that I'm just burned out on games having giant city hub maps, specifically New York City.
-That said, as gorgeous as they are, the missions on them got a bit old rather quickly. Loontern's tour guides are mind numbingly boring, and each fetch quest took forever to track down (particularly the Grodd one, UGH).

But yeah, REALLY fun game overall, definately recommend

[Glitch Girl]

Dang, you binged harder than I did.  I'm still only at 60ish%.  Batcave and Hall of Justice/Hall of Doom are cleared, as are a few of the freeplay levels. 

Block Hopping Virtual Missions I see are going to be my nemesis after falling to my death one too many times on the second one.  Cleared the rest though.

I really do like wandering the various lantern planets - I just wish they were a little more populated.  I mean, I can understand some of them being devoid of other intelligent life forms, but it'd still be nice to have a bit more of an "inhabited" vibe on some of them.  Plus, I gotta admit, the spherical map is kinda cool.

[Tomato]

I think that lack of population is intended to aid the player... there are a few missions where you need to find other characters, which are the only thing you can see from a greater distance.

So who else is wondering what the other three DLC are? One is clearly gonna be CW's Arrow, and I suspect another is Batman Beyond (there's screenshots of not only Terry's Batman, but also RotJ Tim Drake) but I have no idea what the third could be. The 89 film series? CW's Flash?

[Glitch Girl]

The Batman Beyond has been confirmed.  No idea what the last one is though.  Haven't been able to find any indicators online as to what it might be.

Why so secretive?

[JeyNyce]

I bought the game and the guide for my daughter and I for a Christmas present, but the way GG is talking about it, I want to play it now......sigh, For now I'm playing Lego Marvel to hold me down.

[Glitch Girl]

More release news:

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=57430

Short version: Previews of the Arrow Character pack (Merlin is ADORABLE!), a free Heroines and Villainesses pack, and a Bizarro/Apokolips pack.

Still one pack listed as "unannounced".  (Batman Beyond maybe, or are they counting that one separately?)

[Glitch Girl]

Looks like I was wrong, pack 3 will be Suicide Squad.

http://kotaku.com/suicide-squad-comes-to-lego-batman-3-without-the-suic-1666677852

[Tomato]

The Batman Beyond pack has been released on PSN. There's not a bonus llevvvel for it tho, which is a bit disappointing for me.

[JeyNyce]

We're loving the game.  The Batcave with the 66 Batman set is my favorite so far.  The only think that irks me is that the Batman Beyond pack hasn't come out for the 360 yet

[Tomato]

Just checked the psn on a whim, and the arrow dlc is up. Still patching the game and waiting to play it, but I thought I'd let everyone know who's interested