It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s Lex Luthor?
With a huge cast of characters that include, the Justice League, Legion of Doom, Suicide Squad, Gotham City Sirens and so much more, LEGO DC Super Villains answers the age-old question, who saves the hero?
It tells a great story of bad guys turning out to be the not-so-bad guys after all.
At the jump, you get to make and customize your own personal Villain. With a variety of Lego pieces available, you get to choose your character’s look, weapon, and colors. I’ve never been one to spend much time on the character creation screen, but I easily lost at least 30 minutes mixing and matching, trying to find that look that felt right for me and the story.
The story follows the Legion of Doom, celebrating the mysterious disappearance of the Justice League. To their surprise, a new super team has arrived. They call themselves the Justice Syndicate, which compose of members that eerily mirror the Justice League. To Justice League’s Superman, Batman, and Aquaman, the Syndicate has Ultraman, The Owl, and Sea King. The mysterious shadow that surrounds this new super team is what makes it more than another run-off-the-mill superhero story.
I was constantly intrigued with the so-called heroes’ true intentions, because they almost have the same powers like their Justice League counterparts, but they don’t really act like the regular good guys. This duality kept me intrigued throughout the game’s main story missions, where the action is fast paced and the script, wonderfully written. With funny lines and comic book references that’ll satisfy even the most critical of DC fan.
As you progress with the game’s story, you get the chance to play as your favorite DC supervillains, like Deadshot, Lex Luthor, Black Manta and so much more. The voice actors feature an all-star lineup with names like Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill, and Nolan North, reprising their roles as their animated series counterparts. All of which give outstanding performances that add levity to the story.
The game also uses a tag system and allows you to change characters with the tap of a button. Switching characters is essential because each one has a unique set of skills that will be needed in different sections of the game. The Joker uses his gadgets and has the skill to recruit other NPC’s to come to your aid. Clayface can grow to a gigantic size, but can also shrink to fit into little vents and the Reverse Flash can tap into the speed force and collect materials needed for assembling contraptions. You’ll need to switch between heroes and their respective skills to solve the game’s many puzzles, which are simple enough, but it’s best to not let your little cousin play this game alone, as some puzzles can get pretty vague at times.
Luckily the game has a co-op feature, which is way more enjoyable than simply playing it by yourself. You know what they say if you wanna do more, do it together. So let your baby cuz take care of the bad guys, while you solve the puzzles or vice versa or whoever you think is smarter!
You also get to explore the Lego versions of locations from across the DC universe. From Metropolis to Gotham to Gorilla City and Smallville. From that gloomy feeling of Gotham to the bright and sunny Metropolis, the game did a good job in capturing the cities individual atmospheres.
Collectibles and side quests, as well as B heroes and villains, are scattered all across these locations. It’s best to explore them all If you have the time. They offer a welcome reprieve from the game’s fast-paced story missions. The side quests are really fun and interesting, plus you get to meet familiar characters and explore locations that are not in the main story missions.
It’s not all bright and peachy though. In my initial playthrough, I encountered game-breaking bugs, like characters not moving in cutscenes, to skills, which were crucial to solving puzzles, not activating, forcing me to reload my save file and try again.
Overall, I enjoyed my time with LEGO DC Super Villains. It told a unique and entertaining story that could rival any from the DC cinematic universe. The game may have been filled with villains, but the real enemy was not the Joker, Lex Luthor or even the Justice Syndicate. The real Villain was the game’s bugs.
Disclosure: This review is based on a review code provided by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. Read our review policy to know how we go with our game reviews.