Like previous titles from the Lego Batman Trilogy, such as ' & ', players gain access to a roster of iconic and obscure characters from the DC Universe, each with their own unique abilities. Lego DC Super-Villains stands out from other Lego video games by being the first to incorporate the use of a custom character, who becomes integrated with the game's story. Initially players devise their looks, name, and style of fighting, but gain access to super-powers for their character to use as they progress in the story, along with unlocking customisation options.
Setting
The game itself operates with the same level of gameplay mechanics from Lego video games, as well as elements from the Lego Batman Trilogy, focusing on a mixture of levels consisting of two modes – story and free roam – along with open-world elements in between levels, featuring a selection of locations from the DC Universe, including condensed versions of Gotham City and Metropolis, as well as Smallville, Arkham Asylum, Apokolips, the Justice League Watchtower, Stryker's Island, the Hall of Justice, S.T.A.R. Labs, and Belle Reve; story levels feature other locations such as Gorilla City, Oa, Themyscira, and Nanda Parbat.
Downloadable content
The game features a Deluxe Edition, which grants players who purchase it access to season pass content. The season pass consists of levels based on other DC media franchises – two based on the 2018 film Aquaman, one based on the 1993 animated film , two based on the 2019 film Shazam!, and one based on the 2013 Young Justiceanimated series episode "Summit". It also contains character packs, including the "DC Super Heroes: TV Series DLC Character Pack" and "DC Super-Villains: TV Series DLC Character Pack", both consisting of characters from The CW's "Arrowverse" television programs; the "Justice League Dark Character Pack"; and the "DC Movies Character Pack", a pack consisting of characters from the DC Extended Universe.
Plot
Following the recent capture of an individual, Commissioner Gordon oversees their transfer to Stryker's Island in Metropolis. As the Rookie has developed an ability to absorb superpowers, Gordon offers the incarcerated Lex Luthor a reduced prison sentence in exchange for monitoring them and assessing their potential threat. Mercy Graves arrives and helps break Luthor and the Rookie out, alongside several other imprisoned villains, with the Justice League in pursuit. Meanwhile, the Joker and Harley Quinn steal several items from Wayne Tech, with Batman giving chase. The combined group of villains are defeated by the sudden arrival of the "Justice Syndicate", a superhero team from Earth-3, with only a few escaping. Before departing, Harley witnesses the Syndicate forcibly warp the Justice League away. The Syndicate claim that the Justice League are on an off-world mission, becoming their new replacements, with leader Ultraman posing as reporter Kent Clarkson to feed false information to the public. Suspicious of the Syndicate, Luthor begins uniting a massive force of villains to expose the truth and defeat the Syndicate so that they might take over. Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen also begin their own independent investigation. During their research, the villains discover the Justice Syndicate is actually the "Crime Syndicate", a group of Earth-3's greatest criminals, and that they are searching for something on Earth, using their superhero personas to gain easy access to classified information and locations. Once a large enough group has been assembled, the unitedLegion of Doom launch an attack on the Crime Syndicate on top of LexCorp, but Luthor betrays everyone, planning to use the Syndicate's technology to be rid of them all in order to rule the Earth alone. Luthor successfully teleports everyone away, but inadvertently brings Apokolips near to Earth. As the Syndicate tries to maintain order, Joker, Harley and the Rookie wake up on Apokolips and come across Darkseid, the Syndicate's secret master who ordered them to search Earth for the last piece of the Anti-Life Equation. As Darkseid discovers them, the villains are rescued by the Justice League, having just escaped their imprisonment on Apokolips. Escaping Darkseid's forces, the group learn the Syndicate has fooled the people of Earth into believing the Justice League have become evil, prompting the League to form an alliance with the Legion of Doom to stop them. After gathering more forces, the alliance tricks Johnny Quick into revealing the Syndicate's plans on camera. Lois broadcasts the footage worldwide, turning the public against the Syndicate. Upon defeating and sending the Syndicate back to Earth-3, the alliance focus on finding the last piece of the Equation. Batman soon discovers it to have been inside a Mother Box Harley stole from Wayne Tech, until the Rookie inadvertently absorbed it while sending the Crime Syndicate back to Earth-3. Learning that Darkseid is sending his forces to Earth to track it down, the alliance attempts to protect the Rookie, but they are captured and taken to Apokolips, forcing the League and the Legion to mount a rescue mission. Though the Rookie is rescued, Darkseid absorbs the last piece of the Equation. However, it proves ineffective as the Rookie's physiology caused it to be altered, having actually hailed from Earth-3. The Rookie then uses the Anti-Life Equation to turn Darkseid and his forces good. Though Luthor attempts to abandon them again and take over Earth, the alliance manages to restore Apokolips to its original location and return home. The Rookie is then given the choice to join the Justice League as a superhero, or to continue working for the Legion of Doom as a supervillain. In a post-credits scene, the Anti-Monitor arrives on Apokolips and, disgusted by Darkseid's kindness, attacks him.
Development
The game was leaked by Walmart Canada in May 2018. Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment announced the title officially on 30 May 2018. Game director Arthur Parsons revealed that the concept of a super villain themed game dates back in 2008's Lego Batman: The Videogame, with featured levels based on a villain's point of view of the story.
Voice acting
The game's voice work is directed by Liam O'Brien, where this marks the first Lego game since Lego Dimensions to have original voice acting utilised by actors who are affiliated with the Screen Actors Guild‐American Federation of Television and Radio Artists following the conclusion of the 2016–17 video game voice actor strike. Parsons has stated that the game utilises an "All-Star" voice cast, where he describes his excitement on the game's cast as the best one that he has ever worked on in any Lego game that the company has ever done. Like Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham, the cast consists of a number of various actors reprising roles from various DC properties, Noticeable additions to the game's cast includes of Michael Ironside reprising his role as Darkseid for the first time since the Justice League Unlimited series finale "Destroyer", which aired in 2006, Brandon Routh reprising his role as Ray Palmer from the various Arrowverse television series, Zachary Levi reprising his role as the titular character from the Shazam! film to coincide the release the Shazam! DLC packs, and Greg Miller providing the voice of Polka-Dot Man.
Reception
The game received "generally favorable" reviews for all platforms except for Xbox One, which received "mixed or average" reviews, according to Metacritic.
