It's not easy to maintain a sense of newness and wonder for properties that release on an almost yearly cycle. Innovation at the early stages eventually gives way to minute changes. This is where the LEGO series of games continues to go strong. While the changes between titles are not earth-shattering, each subsequent title does enough new for the franchise to pull gamers back for another go. The latest title - LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham - looks like it will be continuing that trend.

Whereas past LEGO titles have remained close to subject matter that would be familiar to most audiences, Traveller's Tales' latest outing looks to be one of their biggest and most interesting departures yet. LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham takes everyone's favorite caped crusader and a massive cast of DC alumni, and fires them into the depths of space. Luckily, gamers won't have to wait much longer for its release, as the game has been confirmed for a November 11, 2014 release in North America.

As if the inclusion of Adam West's Batman '66 and the reveal of Blue Lantern planet Odym weren't enough to get DC die-hards excited for this upcoming title, Warner Bros. Interactive has also presented gamers with their first look at the game's box art.

While the title focuses on Gotham's own Dark Knight, it's more clear than ever that this is going to be a group affair. From the Justice League to villains like Braniac and Cheetah, Traveller's Tales seems to be drawing from all corners of the DC universe like they did for LEGO Marvel Super Heroes. Considering that game's success at bringing together so many diverse characters in a meaningful way (check out our review), one can hope that LEGO Batman 3 will find similar success.

 

It's not likely that this latest LEGO outing will reinvent the wheel but as has been proven year after year, reinvention is not exactly necessary. Traveller's Tales has shown great skill in grounding their many LEGO properties in worlds that feel truly unique. This will undoubtedly help when the game launches in the midst of the deluge of other high-profile releases this November.

Do you think LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham will find the same success that its Marvel counterpart did? What characters from the depths of the DC universe would you like to see represented in this title?

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Follow Ryan on Twitter @ThatRyanB.