SDCC Exclusive: Lego DC Super-Villains Interview With Matt Ellison
By: Gentleman JebLEGO DC Super-Villains was playable on the show floor of SDCC 2018, and Senior Producer of TT Games, Matt Ellison, was available to discuss the game.Matt: The first thing you do in this game is create your own character. You can change their look their, abilities, customize them in the way you want to play. Then you're put in the story, and you get to play that character, who starts to get new abilities part-way through the first level. As you play through you get stronger and stronger, and in the story you start to become more important.The character you create is a new thing for us, and it makes you care more about the character. Of course, the LEGO games are know for having loads and loads of characters, so you also get to play as well-known ones like Joker, Harley, and Luthor, but you also get to play as quirky characters like the Ventriloquist or Condiment King.
TGG: What changed to make you decide that now is the time to make a game about villains?
Matt: I think, basically, you just have amazing villains. it's just the strength of the characters. Plus, it's just good fun. It was always fun to play the villains when you unlocked them in previous games. We also have a lot of really cool voice talent in this game that bring them to life.
TGG: I imagine that you come up against well-known DC Super Heroes at some point.
Matt: Yes. You've already seen Batman, so he's in there somehow. You do encounter lots of heroes in the game. It's a very diverse roster of characters, but the focus is on the villains this time, so you see things from a different side.
TGG: What is new on the LEGO side in LEGO DC Super-Villains?
Matt: There are a few new mechanics and new sets that we put in the game. People who collect the LEGO want to see the sets in the game.Other gameplay mechanics include having Scarecrow create toxins to solve some puzzles, and Joker can hire goons. One thing goons can be used for is to create a human trampoline to propel the character up to a higher level. Later in the game you can command them to form a human pole and then climb up them to higher areas.
TGG: Are there any mini-games?
Matt: We've got races in the game. You can unlock vehicles, like Lobo's Spacehog, and use them in races.
TGG: What are you most proud of with LEGO DC Villains?
Matt: The create-your-own-character makes the whole experience more unique. The main character in the story will look different for everyone who's playing. There's some crazy stuff you can put on your characters, like having a car on your body. You look at it and think “that is bizarre,” but it's really really cool. That's going to make it a lot of fun for people and make it a more personal experience.
