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In the lead-up to LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight’s launch, we got to have a chat with Matt Ellison of TT Games, who served as the game’s Executive Producer.
On the call, we discussed the studio’s return to Batman, putting their own twist on the Arkham formula, collaborating with Warner Bros. on the game’s best Batman deep cuts, and how the game honours the late Kevin Conroy.
Click here to read our review of LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight
It’s been fairly well documented that TT Games went through some streamlining after The Skywalker Saga. Why was now the right time to return to Batman with this new style of LEGO game?
Matt Ellison: It’s been a surprisingly long time since we last made a Batman game, over 10 years, so the time felt right to come back and tell a new story with the character. It gave us the opportunity to do something different, really focus on Batman, and explore him further and deeper than we have before.
How has the jump to Unreal Engine 5 helped make this feel like the definitive LEGO Batman game?
Matt: It’s helped us push further technologically, especially on the graphical side. There’s always a learning curve when using a new engine, but it’s a challenge we’ve been excited by, and we’re really pleased with the end result.
The Arkham games have been the benchmark for Batman and superhero games. Given some of the similarities in combat, did the team consciously look at those games?
Yes, we very much looked to the Arkham games. We’re under the WB umbrella, so we have a close relationship there already. We took inspiration from them, especially with combat. They laid the groundwork for making players feel like they are Batman, and that’s something we wanted to achieve too.
Obviously, our game is different. We’ve made the combat more accessible for a younger audience and added fun, comic twists to the takedowns to lighten things up. But that feeling of being Batman, being powerful, using gadgets, mastering combat and stealth, was something we were keen to capture.
There are obviously a lot of deep cuts in the game, from the Michael Caine Batman Begins gag to the animated series intro recreation. How does that come together? Is there a Batman historian on the team?
Matt: We take inspiration from all different Batman media, games, films, TV shows, and comics, and pull deep cuts from all of it. We also work very closely with DC, and they know the material better than anyone. If they see an opportunity for us to reference something, they’ll let us know.
But it’s not just one person. Ideas can come from anywhere. If it’s a good idea, it’s a good idea, and we’re always trying to push that side of things.
The game is also coming to Switch 2. What can you say about that version?
Matt: We haven’t said much about Switch 2 yet, but it is coming, and I’ve played it. It’s good. I can’t reveal too much in terms of specifics, but it’s a platform we’re very excited about. We want to make sure that version is as strong as it can be, and we’re looking forward to getting it into people’s hands.
Matt Berry as Bane is an inspired choice. Are there any other fun cameos or casting choices you can highlight?
Matt: It was great fun getting Matt Berry into the game. Casting was something we looked at very carefully. One of the other cool castings is Colin McFarlane as Jim Gordon. He played Commissioner Loeb in The Dark Knight films, so it was great to have him involved. He did a fantastic job, and we’re really pleased with the quality of the voice acting across the game.
Kevin Conroy has been such a huge part of Batman. Is there any tribute to him in this game?
Matt: We worked with Kevin on LEGO DC Super-Villains, and I had the pleasure of meeting him at Comic-Con. He played Batman in that game, so we have that legacy of working with him, and it was a real privilege.
Sadly, he couldn’t continue with this one, but we do have some Easter eggs related to him to honour him. I won’t spoil what they are, but it’s something for players to find.
The Skywalker Saga took the LEGO franchise to a new level while still feeling familiar. What did the team learn from that game that has been elevated, changed, or refined here?
Matt: We treat every game on its own merits because each one has different objectives. The Skywalker Saga retells a lot of films. This game takes a different approach.
This one is very story-focused. We built the story early on, and everything else revolves around that. It merges together lots of different things in a way that suits Batman and helps us tell an original story, our definitive version of Batman.
There’s something here for super fans, but also for younger players who might be discovering Batman for the first time.
After The Skywalker Saga, it’s exciting to see TT return to another franchise from LEGO game history. Where would you personally like to see this new format go next?
Matt: I’ve worked here for 18 years and worked on a lot of different franchises, so I’d definitely love to revisit some of them. Who knows what the future brings? If this one is a success and people love what we’ve done, we’ll see what opportunities present themselves. For now, we’re focused on making sure we do this one right.
