LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight producer talks Arkham inspiration and Easter eggs

"I can't think of anything that was off the table."

That's what Matt Ellison told us, when we spoke to the LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight executive producer at the Gamescom conference last year.

You can see our whole chat with Ellison in the video player above (or on YouTube) and it’s also available on the Radio Times Gaming podcast feed.

Boasting seven playable characters, with over 100 suits between them — including Ellison’s personal favourite, the Rainbow Suit — it certainly doesn’t look like Traveller’s Tales (TT) are holding back with LEGO Batman 4.

"We've drawn from so many things," Ellison revealed. "There are so many different Easter eggs and references. I don't think anyone knows all of them.

"And yeah, there's been very little that people have said no to. If it exists in DC and is familiar for Batman, I think it was fair game. So we've put in as much as we can, and there are things everywhere as you explore.

"Through Gotham, round every corner there's a different billboard or a different shop, and all of these things include references to various different things. Some of them are really subtle, some of them are a bit more obvious, but there's lots of things that fans of Batman will enjoy."

Indeed, fans of Batman have noticed all sorts of things in the trailers, with nods appearing not just to movies and comics, but also previous games starring Gotham’s Caped Crusader.

As Ellison admitted, "We very much took inspiration from other games, particularly the Arkham series.

"When we were looking at what we wanted to do in this game, we were looking at, 'What can we improve?' And combat is something where… It was an area we thought we could improve. And [Arkham developers Rocksteady] did a fantastic job of what they did [in combat].

"So, we got that as sort of a template, and then, [we looked at] what can we do for this game to make it slightly more accessible, so that younger players can get into it as well. So, there's some things that we've simplified.

"Of course, we also have this game in local co-op, as well. So, figuring out how that combat works when there's two players involved in it, [is] something we've had to consider and work in.

"But we are really pleased with how it is all coming together, and people seem to be loving it when they're playing it. So, we're delighted with how it's been perceived."

In a lengthy hands-on session with the game, we got to explore the open-world Gotham City and play through a co-op mission involving Batman and Commissioner Gordon investigating ACE Chemicals.

Both facets of the game impressed us, feeling like a cross between the Arkham franchise and what you’d usually expect from the studio that most recently delivered the 2022 smash hit LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga.

"Gotham is big and it's very dense," Ellison told us after the demo. "There's more verticality than we've ever had before. We filled it with puzzles, we filled it with secrets. There's something around every corner.

"If you wait a few minutes, there'll be a random crime going off for you to go in stock and then something will appear somewhere else. So, you've got to go off and investigate that.

"So, there's content around every corner and lots of puzzles and different challenges and things to collect. So, all of that gameplay is going to be in there, and there's hours of content there."

Fans of British TV rejoiced upon hearing Toast of London star Matt Berry in the game’s reveal trailer, voicing the villainous Bane. How did that come about?

Ellison recalled, "I think it was just a suggestion from someone, and we asked, and it worked out. So, we were really pleased with that. We had a lot of fun with him in the session when we recorded all the lines. And so far, people have only heard one, so there's plenty more to come, and yeah, we're really delighted with how that worked out."

And how is the rest of the cast shaping up? Are there any other familiar voices?

"I'm not sure if they're familiar voices," Ellison admitted. "There'd be some people you recognise. There's a couple of things that we haven't announced yet, so I can think of a couple that are quite interesting, and a couple of surprises, but I'm not going to reveal too much yet.

"I will say, on the subject, we have said that Shai Matheson is going to be our Batman in this game. And he's done a really great job of portraying Batman in a way that really suits this game.

"So, as you play through the game, Batman starts off young, and as he goes through the story, time passes and he sort of evolves and sounds more mature as he goes through the game. So, that's something that his performance has been able to bring to this, and [that] is unique to this game."

For a game that clearly has no shortage of influences to nod and wink towards, that unique idea of an ageing Batman could be the most intriguing element.

We’re certainly looking forward to playing more and seeing how Ellison's team have managed to weave all this lore into one experience. Watch this space, Bat-fans!

LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight launches 29th May for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, with a Switch 2 launch to follow. You can order your copy now.

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