Review: LEGO Batman Legacy of the Dark Knight on Switch 2 Delivers a Thrilling Open-World Gotham

LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight on Switch 2 Is Slick, Funny, and Faithfully Ported

Since finishing LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, I've been curious about which franchise TT Games would tackle next. That Skywalker adventure felt like the most significant refresh the series had seen since the studio began combining multiple films into single releases with The Original Trilogy, and I was hungry for more.

LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight delivers more — though it also carves out its own identity. It's a very different beast from recent efforts like Marvel Super Heroes, The Incredibles, or the various Jurassic Park/World tie-ins, while never quite reaching the ambition of The Skywalker Saga. It's polished, genuinely hilarious, and a treat to play, even if it doesn't reinvent the wheel. Batman's trip to Switch 2 has felt like a long time coming, and it's a relief to find that the hybrid version is every bit as delightful as the versions that arrived on other platforms back in May. The Bat is back.

A Greatest-Hits Batman Story

Rather than compiling nine movies like its space-bound predecessor, Legacy of the Dark Knight builds a "new" Batman story — and I use that word loosely, because Bruce Wayne's eyeliner-fueled origin is familiar territory by now.

Happily, the game knows it. The plot stitches together the "best bits" of roughly 90 years of Batman media, folding recognizable moments from Batman Returns, The Dark Knight Rises, The Batman, and more into a fan-service feast that had me pointing at the screen going, "Hey, I get that reference."

And the references never stop. True to TT Games form, the gags come thick and fast, pulling from all corners of pop culture — Batman-related or otherwise. What connects Liam Neeson's Taken speech, American Psycho, and a Limmy sketch? All three get their own nod here, and the comedy landed with me harder than in any previous Lego game.

Familiar Gameplay With a Combat Twist

The core structure follows the standard Lego formula: levels built around light platforming and gadget-based puzzles tied to each character's unique abilities, with a healthy dose of combat sprinkled throughout. You'll smash plenty of stud-crammed objects, hunt down a five-piece Bat Cave Trophy, and track hidden Red Bricks that unlock costume modifiers — though beyond that, levels are fairly quick affairs.

Combat does get a mild upgrade this time, which makes sense given that Rocksteady is on co-development duty. Enemies arrive in varied groups that attack in different ways: you'll block bat-wielding thugs, flank shield carriers, and stagger heavy bruisers.

It adds some flavor, and the controls stay simple — attack with Y, counter or dodge with X or A when prompted. But it wears thin over time, with later missions feeling more and more like button mashing. Basic stealth options exist as an alternative, though they mostly funnel you back into a brawl anyway.

Each of the five playable characters — Batman, Jim Gordon, Catwoman, Robin, and Batgirl — brings distinct gadgets and skills, which makes couch co-op a blast. It would've been nice if each had more combat personality, but at least there's no pressure to replay everything in Free Play, my usual gripe with Lego games.

Gotham Steals the Show

Where the game truly goes big is its open-world Gotham City, which doubles as a mission hub and a whole game unto itself, stuffed with hidden missions, unlockables, and collectibles.

It's not a new idea — Marvel Super Heroes had a lovely explorable NYC, and The Skywalker Saga scaled up to open zones per planet — but Gotham is an absolute joy. Random crime encounters, Riddler puzzles, lost animals, and mini crime scenes meant I could happily sink hours into the city and leave the story waiting.

I wouldn't, of course — the promise of Matt Berry voicing Bane is incentive enough to keep pushing forward — but the option was there. It does tip into excess by the end: my map had more pins than an acupuncture patient, and I know I'll never clear them all.

The whole city is traversable via Batmobile (other vehicles exist, but why bother?), grappling hook, or glider, with a strong Arkham vibe throughout. Fast Travel exists, but I consistently chose the scenic route, soaring through coin rings and chaining parkour moves rather than sitting through a (admittedly brief) loading screen.

How It Holds Up on Switch 2

Having already played the full game on PS5 earlier this year, Gotham's sheer size was my main worry for the Switch 2 port. Some caution was justified, but I needn't have fretted too much.

Overall performance is strong, handling the sprawling city and busier combat encounters with only occasional frame drops. Pop-in is noticeable when speeding through Gotham, and background textures look blurry, a clear downgrade from other platforms — but it's rarely distracting, and even less so in Handheld mode, where some nicely implemented HD Rumble kept me occupied.

It's not flawless, though. Missions with lots going on stutter frequently, and I hit one hard crash late in the game while zipping between Gotham boroughs at speed.

The Bottom Line

LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight is a charming, laugh-out-loud entry in the series with a spectacular open-world Gotham and port well suited to Switch 2, its combat and collectible bloat being the main drags. For longtime Lego fans, Batman devotees, and couch co-op households, it's an easy recommendation. The real question now is which franchise TT Games turns to next — and whether it can recapture this mix of humor and heart.

Source: the original publisher