Aloy and crew gets miniaturized
By Paul Hunter
After the tremendous success of the Horizon franchise, including the recent remastered version of Zero Dawn, Sony has now set its sights on expanding the series' reach. By partnering with the LEGO brand, they've created LEGO Horizon Adventures, a family-friendly new title for PS5, Nintendo Switch and PC that blends the beloved world of Horizon with the iconic LEGO charm. The game is developed by Guerrilla Games and Studio Gobo, and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment.
LEGO Horizon Adventures transports you to the year 3020, where the remnants of a once-thriving civilization are now dominated by mechanical beasts. As you step into the blocky shoes of Aloy and her companions, you'll embark on a fun-filled journey to uncover the mysteries of this post-apocalyptic world, all through the vibrant and whimsical magic of LEGO.
The collaboration between Guerrilla Games and Studio Gobo has resulted in a game that seamlessly fuses the gripping storytelling and immersive gameplay of Horizon with the beloved slapstick humour and charming aesthetics of the LEGO franchise. Whether you're a seasoned Horizon enthusiast or a newcomer to the series, LEGO Horizon Adventures delivers an unforgettable experience. Strap in, and let's see what this journey has to offer!
LEGO Horizon Adventures' narrative follows a familiar path, but reimagined in the beloved LEGO style and featuring plenty of delightful twists. You'll experience the origins of the iconic heroine, Aloy, as she confronts mysterious mechanical beasts in a post-apocalyptic landscape, all with a silly LEGO interpretation the brings lightheartedness to the more serious tone of the original game.
Much like the LEGO Star Wars games, LEGO Horizon Adventures does a great job maintaining the core themes and messages of the source material while injecting a huge dose of silliness using LEGO's signature humour. You'll witness the struggle to uncover the secrets of the past and engage in epic fights with mechanical beasts to protect the fragile balance of the world, all while enjoying the charming antics of the LEGO characters.
As you make your way through the adventure, new playable characters will unlock, such as the powerful Varl and the mischievous Erend, adding depth and variety to the story. You'll have the opportunity to experience the adventure from different perspectives, each with their own unique abilities and personalities. The game is also two-player couch co-op enabled, so you can grab a friend or family member and enjoy the campaign together.
LEGO Horizon Adventures offers an engaging and unique combat system that's easy to learn but also differs in a few ways from previous LEGO titles. Battling requires a bit more strategy when facing off against the mechanical beasts that roam the land as you'll need to utilize the Focus ability, which highlights the weak points of your enemies, allowing you to deliver critical hits. Using Aloy's precision bow also requires practice to aim correctly and hit enemy weak spots, so expect a wee bit of ramp up time as you get used to the controls.
Each of the four playable characters—Aloy, Varl, Erend, and Teersa—have their own distinct abilities and equipment allowing you to choose the one that best suits your preferred playstyle. Varl, for example, wields a powerful spear that can penetrate the tough armor of the machines, while Erend's warhammer allows him to take down groups of enemies with ease. Meanwhile, Teersa uses destructive bombs that can quickly swing battles in your favour.
Exploration in LEGO Horizon Adventures is a delight, as you make your way through familiar and detailed environments, like the icy Snowchant Mountains, lush Jewel Rainforest and sunscorched Sunfall Desert. The game's isometric camera perspective gives you a nice view of the environments, allowing you to appreciate the stunning visuals of the Horizon world as well as get a good view of the various puzzles and platforming challenges that test your problem-solving skills.
On top of the main missions in LEGO Horizon Adventures, you can also customize and expand Mother's Heart, the central hub of the game. By collecting LEGO bricks and completing missions, you can unlock and construct new buildings, decorations, and facilities within the village. Exammples include building Teb’s Tailor Shop where you buy costumes to customize your characters, adding decorations like statues, plants and totems, and customizing zones, like the colour scheme of each building.
LEGO Horizon Adventures delivers a visually stunning experience with the landscapes, once vast and imposing in the original games, have been meticulously crafted using the familiar LEGO bricks, creating a sense of whimsy and charm that never detracts from the sense of scale and grandeur. From the moment I stepped into the vibrant and colourful environments, I was captivated by the meticulous recreation of the Horizon universe in LEGO form.
The character models, in particular, are a major highlight. Aloy and her companions have been faithfully translated into LEGO form, with each minifigure brimming with personality and attention to detail. The game's visuals are further enhanced by the exceptional use of lighting, with the LEGO pieces appearing to glisten and reflect light, creating a sense of realism that is often lacking in other LEGO titles. The water effects, in particular, are a standout, with the LEGO bricks used to simulate the flow and movement of the liquid, adding an extra layer of immersion to the experience.
Complementing the visuals is the game's excellent audio presentation. The voice acting, led by the talented Martina Felli as Aloy, is superb, with each character delivering their lines with the perfect blend of seriousness and humour that is characteristic of the LEGO franchise. The dialogue is well-written and often laugh-out-loud funny, with the voice actors capturing the essence of their LEGO counterparts.
The musical score, composed by the team behind the original Horizon soundtracks, seamlessly integrates the iconic melodies of the franchise with the upbeat and playful tones of the LEGO universe. The result is a soundtrack that is both familiar and refreshing, perfectly setting the tone for the adventure that unfolds.
Final Score: 8/10 - Great
Developer: Guerrilla Games, Studio Gobo
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Genre: Action Adventure
Modes: Single-player, Multiplayer
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10+)
A key was provided by the publisher.
By Paul Hunter
After the tremendous success of the Horizon franchise, including the recent remastered version of Zero Dawn, Sony has now set its sights on expanding the series' reach. By partnering with the LEGO brand, they've created LEGO Horizon Adventures, a family-friendly new title for PS5, Nintendo Switch and PC that blends the beloved world of Horizon with the iconic LEGO charm. The game is developed by Guerrilla Games and Studio Gobo, and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment.
LEGO Horizon Adventures transports you to the year 3020, where the remnants of a once-thriving civilization are now dominated by mechanical beasts. As you step into the blocky shoes of Aloy and her companions, you'll embark on a fun-filled journey to uncover the mysteries of this post-apocalyptic world, all through the vibrant and whimsical magic of LEGO.
The collaboration between Guerrilla Games and Studio Gobo has resulted in a game that seamlessly fuses the gripping storytelling and immersive gameplay of Horizon with the beloved slapstick humour and charming aesthetics of the LEGO franchise. Whether you're a seasoned Horizon enthusiast or a newcomer to the series, LEGO Horizon Adventures delivers an unforgettable experience. Strap in, and let's see what this journey has to offer!
LEGO Horizon Adventures' narrative follows a familiar path, but reimagined in the beloved LEGO style and featuring plenty of delightful twists. You'll experience the origins of the iconic heroine, Aloy, as she confronts mysterious mechanical beasts in a post-apocalyptic landscape, all with a silly LEGO interpretation the brings lightheartedness to the more serious tone of the original game.
Much like the LEGO Star Wars games, LEGO Horizon Adventures does a great job maintaining the core themes and messages of the source material while injecting a huge dose of silliness using LEGO's signature humour. You'll witness the struggle to uncover the secrets of the past and engage in epic fights with mechanical beasts to protect the fragile balance of the world, all while enjoying the charming antics of the LEGO characters.
As you make your way through the adventure, new playable characters will unlock, such as the powerful Varl and the mischievous Erend, adding depth and variety to the story. You'll have the opportunity to experience the adventure from different perspectives, each with their own unique abilities and personalities. The game is also two-player couch co-op enabled, so you can grab a friend or family member and enjoy the campaign together.
LEGO Horizon Adventures offers an engaging and unique combat system that's easy to learn but also differs in a few ways from previous LEGO titles. Battling requires a bit more strategy when facing off against the mechanical beasts that roam the land as you'll need to utilize the Focus ability, which highlights the weak points of your enemies, allowing you to deliver critical hits. Using Aloy's precision bow also requires practice to aim correctly and hit enemy weak spots, so expect a wee bit of ramp up time as you get used to the controls.
Each of the four playable characters—Aloy, Varl, Erend, and Teersa—have their own distinct abilities and equipment allowing you to choose the one that best suits your preferred playstyle. Varl, for example, wields a powerful spear that can penetrate the tough armor of the machines, while Erend's warhammer allows him to take down groups of enemies with ease. Meanwhile, Teersa uses destructive bombs that can quickly swing battles in your favour.
Exploration in LEGO Horizon Adventures is a delight, as you make your way through familiar and detailed environments, like the icy Snowchant Mountains, lush Jewel Rainforest and sunscorched Sunfall Desert. The game's isometric camera perspective gives you a nice view of the environments, allowing you to appreciate the stunning visuals of the Horizon world as well as get a good view of the various puzzles and platforming challenges that test your problem-solving skills.
On top of the main missions in LEGO Horizon Adventures, you can also customize and expand Mother's Heart, the central hub of the game. By collecting LEGO bricks and completing missions, you can unlock and construct new buildings, decorations, and facilities within the village. Exammples include building Teb’s Tailor Shop where you buy costumes to customize your characters, adding decorations like statues, plants and totems, and customizing zones, like the colour scheme of each building.
LEGO Horizon Adventures delivers a visually stunning experience with the landscapes, once vast and imposing in the original games, have been meticulously crafted using the familiar LEGO bricks, creating a sense of whimsy and charm that never detracts from the sense of scale and grandeur. From the moment I stepped into the vibrant and colourful environments, I was captivated by the meticulous recreation of the Horizon universe in LEGO form.
The character models, in particular, are a major highlight. Aloy and her companions have been faithfully translated into LEGO form, with each minifigure brimming with personality and attention to detail. The game's visuals are further enhanced by the exceptional use of lighting, with the LEGO pieces appearing to glisten and reflect light, creating a sense of realism that is often lacking in other LEGO titles. The water effects, in particular, are a standout, with the LEGO bricks used to simulate the flow and movement of the liquid, adding an extra layer of immersion to the experience.
Complementing the visuals is the game's excellent audio presentation. The voice acting, led by the talented Martina Felli as Aloy, is superb, with each character delivering their lines with the perfect blend of seriousness and humour that is characteristic of the LEGO franchise. The dialogue is well-written and often laugh-out-loud funny, with the voice actors capturing the essence of their LEGO counterparts.
The musical score, composed by the team behind the original Horizon soundtracks, seamlessly integrates the iconic melodies of the franchise with the upbeat and playful tones of the LEGO universe. The result is a soundtrack that is both familiar and refreshing, perfectly setting the tone for the adventure that unfolds.
The Verdict
LEGO Horizon Adventures is a delightful fusion of two beloved franchises that delivers an exhilarating and whimsical adventure. From its exceptional visuals to its refreshing gameplay twists to its signature LEGO humour, everything comes together to create an undeniably entertaining package. Being able to complete the entire campaign in cooperative multiplayer is the icing on the cake. Whether you're a long-time fan of Horizon or simply looking for a lighthearted and accessible action-adventure experience, LEGO Horizon Adventures is sure to delight.Final Score: 8/10 - Great
LEGO Horizon Adventures details
Platform: PS5, Nintendo Switch, PCDeveloper: Guerrilla Games, Studio Gobo
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Genre: Action Adventure
Modes: Single-player, Multiplayer
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10+)
A key was provided by the publisher.