In a situation that echoes the launch and launch of the Switch’s next Ori and the blind forest from Microsoft, we admit to feeling a bit shocked by the reveal that Sony LEGO Horizon Adventure will not only be released on PS5 and Windows but also Nintendo’s modest hybrid version. This is definitely not full fat Skyline experience – PlayStation and PC owners keep that to themselves for now – but it’s comforting that we’re the closest we’ve come to Sony moving its first-party lineup to another major console platform.
The result is a mixed bag. Lego Horizon Adventures begins as an incredibly fun, visually appealing dive into Guerrilla Games’ flagship franchise; a film that benefits from a more lighthearted tone than the original series, with faithful elements that will please Aloy and Lego fans. But it’s also a fairly shallow, repetitive game that relies heavily on a fairly basic structure, with dull level design and severely limited stealth elements that detract from the experience .
For those who don’t know the original Horizon Zero DawnDevelopers Studio Gobo and Guerrilla have essentially taken the same story and ‘Lego-fied’ it, filling in the groundwork for newcomers but understandably not reaching the same level of depth as the original . At least the main cast is here, including Aloy, Rost, Teersa, and Sylens.
Several voice actors from the main series are back, and honestly, the overall brighter tone is a welcome change from a series that’s always taken itself a little too seriously. Ashley Burch, in particular, is clearly having a great time portraying a more subdued version of Aloy, and while you could argue that the game is over-corrected in tone at times, it’s a better fit for a series where you hunt robotic dinosaurs.
The game’s structure allows you to go on short adventures from a hub area called Mother’s Heart. Here, you can decorate buildings and structures as you wish as you begin to unlock customization options by progressing through the story. Dedicated areas will also allow you to upgrade your character’s abilities, change outfits (including outfits from LEGO Ninjago, Cityetc) or complete short goals to receive rewards. It’s a charming place, but one that we ultimately resented having to return to after each level, going over and over again in the same environments that didn’t take up much of our time after we finished applying them. Use necessary upgrades.
Thankfully, the missions themselves fare a little better, but that’s largely thanks to the chaotic combat and impressive presentation. Make no mistake, Lego Horizon Adventures is truly an amazing experience. The resolution is a bit muddy when played in handheld mode, but when docked it’s easily one of the Switch’s best-looking games. The light from the bonfire and torches is amazing and the subtle depth of field effect reminds us of The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdombut here it is said to be even more effective. The 30fps frame rate is also stable throughout, maintaining reliability even in the busiest of situations.
What lets the game down significantly, however, is the level design. After completing a few missions, you’ll start to realize that every level contains the same elements: a linear path broken up by treasure chests, zip lines, climbable ledges and buildings can be built before ending up in an open area that you have cleared. waves of human enemies and machine dinosaurs. That’s it, and while the fun, accessible combat enhances the experience, the game starts to feel incredibly repetitive after a short while. It looks stunning but is also significantly limited in terms of interactive environments. In other words, look but don’t touch.
As you’d expect from a Lego game, the combat system is greatly simplified compared to the usual Horizon games, but the developers have made it work quite well. Four playable characters will appear as you explore the story (with sofa and online co-op allowing for mixing and matching), including Aloy, Varl, Teersa and Erend. Each has unique weapons, and you can also get new variants throughout your journey to take advantage of elemental powers like fire and ice. Temporary abilities can also be used in conjunction with your primary weapon, such as Gravity Bombs and Acceleration Boots.
Especially with mechanical enemies, you are encouraged to focus on their weaknesses. You can easily highlight these by pressing ‘L’ to quickly scan them, but the bright yellow parts are usually quite obvious anyway. Otherwise, it’s simply a case of managing three or four enemies at once, avoiding their attacks while launching your own. Again, as you might expect from a Lego game aimed at a younger audience, it’s shallow and somewhat repetitive, but it’s always satisfying, especially when you Destroy multiple targets at once with a carefully aimed gravity bomb.
What’s especially disappointing, however, is the severe lack of stealth gameplay. This is a key mechanic in the mainline Horizon games, and it’s out of place here. Yes, you can hide in grassy areas (and it’s fun to watch your character turn into a tuft of grass), but your cover is immediately blown when you decide to launch an arrow at enemy. Of course, you can break their line of sight and take cover again, but the game would much rather you tackle the encounters head-on – it’s certainly much more fun that way.
We suspect that the developers already knew that they would be the victors in the battle, as the game also introduces more challenging variations on encounters called ‘Apex Hunts’ as you go deeper more into the story. They contain specific mechanical targets surrounded by standard enemies, and it’s fun to chip away at the boss’s health while managing the rest of the pack. It’s a shame there’s no way to redo these missions at will, as it would prove to be a great way to rebuild any dwindling cash supply.
Conclusion
With a fairly short runtime of six to eight hours, Lego Horizon Adventures offers short bursts of fun, often with great combat encounters. However, this is wrapped up in an experience that feels too shallow and repetitive to recommend to anyone other than the most ardent Horizon and Lego fans. Obviously the aim is to attract new, younger gamers into Sony’s flagship franchise, but if you already own Zero Dawn and Forbidden West on PlayStation, we don’t see any reason why you’d want to. try this game. Mind you, if all you have is a Switch, this lovely gentle introduction will have to be done by now. However, it could be more than that.
