Sometimes it is good to be bad.
Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in. LEGO games come and go on an annual basis. The formula has been tired for a while. Then the developers at TT Games go and make a DC version of the game focused on villains and I somehow get right back into it. Somehow they have managed to once again renew my interest. The latest in the long-running franchise features some neat new additions and one of the most compelling stories since its inception. So once again I find myself breaking blocks and collecting studs.
It seems like an obvious idea. Take all the classic villains from a franchise and give them their own game. Hollywood is starting to do it, so why not? LEGO DC Super Villains collects all the iconic villains and tosses them into the game. They even allow players to create their very own ridiculous bad guy or gal. It’s a novel concept, and one that makes for a unique experience.
MSRP: $59.99
Platforms: XB1 (reviewed), PS4, Switch
Price I’d Pay: $49.99
The plot involves a group of villains taking over the city as the Justice League has gone missing, as they are want to do. In their place a new set of anti-heroes shows up called The Justice Syndicate. However, they are there only in the absence of our heroes to assist Darkseid. The villains then work against them in a story about conflict of interest. The story is propped up by outstanding voice actors. Michael Ironside joins the staple cast as Darkseid, but we also have Mark Hamill, Kevin Conroy, and Tara Strong reprising their iconic roles.
It is a neat story that works better than most simply because of its whimsical nature. The jokes land and the voice acting sells the characters. There is a ton here, including obscure villains even the most hardcore DC fan will be required to Google.
Players can create their own villain, which is a cool concept. There are a ton of cosmetic items as well as accessories and powers to customize them with. They can be changed at any time, or I could hold a button and switch to one of the many, many villains available in the game. Nothing is ever permanent in this game, and that is what makes it work. I loved my character and stuck with them for the majority of the game, which was cool seeing other villains poke fun at them.
That is about where the new features end though. This is still a LEGO game and it borrows the same structure as LEGO Batman 2. It has an open world with a selection of missions. Each one dumps players into a closed off environment with simplistic combat and puzzles. Everything is geared towards a younger audience. Nothing is overly challenging. What I did like is the assistance mode which makes some of the obscure objectives easier to figure out. Still it is a lot of button mashing and areas gated off by powers. These games are built for mindless repetition.
While the formula has not changed much in these games, they are still fun if you enjoy the subject matter. Being a massive DC fan it is cool to see some weird and obscure villains in this ridiculous roster. LEGO DC Super Villains might feel like a game built on a template, but that doesn’t make it not fun. If you are not tired of the formula and love playing the bad guy, this title might be for you.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
