As I bashed bricks and groan at goofy puns inLego Horizon Adventures , I start to wonder if Sony has been targeting the wrong audience all this time .
When the Horizon series debuted in 2017 , it was fight as another cinematic single - histrion adventure direct more ripe audiences . Looking back atHorizon Zero Dawnnow through a Legofied interpretation , the series is much more kid friendly than I remember . At its core , the postapocalyptic open - world game secernate a coming - of - age story about a womanhood searching for her mother . That ’s a story usage build for new adults arise up alongside their game . And that ’s before even considering that the main enemy in the series are robot dinosaurs . It ’s a 12 - twelvemonth - older ’s vision of a coolheaded game . After nearly seven years , perchance a Horizon game built for kids is exactly what the series was make for .
Lego Horizon Adventuresis a brusk but sweet charmer made for kinfolk . It convincingly turns Aloy ’s existence into a playground , even if it takes a stack of creative liberty to flick the pieces together . It ’s held back by a very special scope that tip on insistent missions and thin combat , but that makes for a frictionless gateway into Horizon ’s world that ’ll be well-fixed for even youthful players to cross over .
Reconstructing Horizon
Everything you need to know aboutLego Horizon Adventuresis in its claim . Like other Lego games , it ’s a playful travesty of Sony ’s Horizon series filled with light - hearted mood , collectible bricks , and oodles of robots to boom . It spiel out as a retelling of Aloy ’s first adventure , Horizon Zero Dawn , though a fairly slack one . It does n’t pop out with a childhood memory or send Aloy through a Proving ritual up in the pile . The story gets reduced down to a conflict against the vicious Helios ’ cultist brigade and Aloy ’s quest to learn where she hail from , all told in a fresh six hours that does n’t overstay its welcome .
What ’s more important than enamor every fib beat is translating the world of Horizon toLegos . Guerrilla Games and Studio Gobo nail that here , re - creating dense jungles and mountain path with colourful brick . Horizon has always been a vivacious serial , so it ’s amazingly instinctive to see forest green flora and bright yellow handhold dot the linear levels . The serial publication ’ cast of robot dinosaurs translates specially well to that artistry style too , which is no surprise considering that Guerrilla first prototyped the creatures using real Lego brick duringHorizon Zero Dawn ’s evolution . I just wanted to pluck the piece off them and hold them between my finger .
While that ’s all a everlasting tantrum , the overall tone ofHorizon Zero Dawnisn’t the cleanest match for a tiddler ’ plot . After all , it tells a story about the Earth plunging into an Revelation at the hands of big tech ( dear circumstances to whoever has to write the handwriting for a sequel themed around the politically fierceHorizon Forbidden West ) . The script gets a much friendlier overhaul that ’s grueling on the kinds of gag , one - lining , and puns you ’d find inThe Lego Movie . Sometimes it mould like a magic spell . There ’s some licitly funny self - sendup here , like when Aloy questions why the heck she needs to track down down three thingamajig to build an ultimate weapon , and who the heck hid them in metallic element flowers . Those moments stab playfulness at the picture game logic of the series in a playful way that always got a rise out of me .
Other gags can range from a niggling grating ( “ Amaze - brick ! ” Aloy frequently shouts as an heart - trilled barque ) to completely ham it up . I do n’t know who is still earnestly writing “ He ’s right on behind me , is n’t he ? ” jape in 2024 , but it ’s a construction so cliche that you ’d think the plot number out a decennium ago . Lego Horizon Adventuresis a game for minor first and foremost that leaves in a few good jokes for momma and dads too , so I ’m willing to allow some duds surpass . It does just make for some date humor that could have used a punch - up .
I can tell that everyone involved is accept fun with it .
The voice cast chance a bit more succeeder turning their characters into champagne toy . Tim Russ take up the mantle of Sylens and has a blast turning the late Lance Reddick ’s character into a comedically dim take voice ( to Aloy ’s frustration ) . Other worker have to play a little harder to twist their characters . Ashly Burch trades in Aloy ’s cool droning for a high - pitched squeak that sound more likeBorderlands ’ flyspeck Tinathan anything remotely resemble Aloy .
While it ’s not always the most born adaptation , I can tell that everyone involve is birth playfulness with it . That energy is infective and construct for a playful adventure that is n’t just great for kid but also for Horizon fans who want to see its existence deconstructed in a scurvy - stakes personal manner .
Keeping it simple
compare to a game likeLego Star Wars : The Skywalker Saga , Lego Horizon Adventureskeeps its gameplay surprisingly simple . You are n’t exploring any open - ended hub or free building with brick , but rather setting out on a set of one-dimensional missionary work threaded through four biomes . Each bite - sized quest has participant operate one of four heroes , from Aloy to Varl , and realise a brick at the end . Those foreign mission have some slender variances , but they ’re all for the most part the same in body structure : miss into a stage , poke around for hidden chests , do some loose platforming , and blow through a few combat bowl . The last missions are n’t all that different from the very first ; even the differing biome just look like the same blank space made from unlike - colored bricks .
Rather than remind me of a Lego plot , it callsMinecraft Dungeonsto psyche more than anything . That game wince down the construct of Diablo into a very short and simple dungeon crawler that was well-heeled to grasp . Lego Horizon Adventuresdoes the same with the legal action - dangerous undertaking literary genre , decoct it to its foundational bricks . While that ’s fine for a game of this scope , it ’s a disgrace that it does n’t get more creative with its repetitive mission design considering how many memorable set pieces its source textile has . The only mission that really stands out from the rest is one where I involve to chase down a Tallneck as it walks around the stage . It loses its bespoke appeal when I end up doing an indistinguishable mission in another biome .
Thankfully , actually moving through those missions is a delight . That ’s largely due to a dim-witted but live up to enough combat system that takes advantage of the Horizon recipe . When I see a robot , I can employ my focus to highlight its weak points . From there , I can fire my weapon toward it to do extra impairment until I nick it off . It ’s just like the groundwork biz , but in a much easier “ power point and shoot ” system that kids can easily grok . During and between battles , I can find upgraded weapons or secondary prick with special habit that append just enough extra profoundness . That ’s where some of the Lego magical spell sputter , as I fuck dropping down a hot dog trafficker ’s cart and watching it launch break loose beef around the screen . That couple well with old Horizon deary like the Tripcaster , which countenance me wire any enemies that walk through them .
It was a thoroughgoing weekend game that required little energy …
Still , there are moment where I feel like bringing in more of Horizon ’s DNA could have serve mix brush up . characteristic like meter - slowing or enemy overriding are n’t accommodate here . Even odder is that Aloy ca n’t use her lance as a melee artillery , restrict me to foresighted - image pointer attacks . That decision seems to be splice to the multi - hero plan , as each type has their own artillery . Varl can throw a fizgig that pierces enemies , while Erend gets a indictable cock smash . That encourage me to taste a new character each mission — all of which get their own perks when leveling up — but I ’m left wishing I could smack an opponent ’s weak point when it careen rather than just doing the same attack over and over .
Even with some gripes , I still rule myself enjoying the smooth sailing of it all . Even as an grownup , I was happy to see it all through to the end . I cleared every extra mission , collect just about every brick , and discipline off as many optional tasks as possible . It was a perfect weekend game that required little energy from me at a time where my brain was feel overloaded . That ’s the round-eyed pleasure that a honorable spell of kids ’ medium can deliver to watcher or players of any age . In that respect , Lego Horizon Adventuresis a success .
Designing for kids
I recognize that many ofLego Horizon Adventures ’ design decisions are in serving of its youngest instrumentalist . Repetition and streamlined controls are a requisite . Even then , Guerilla ’s rawness as a family - focused developer does nose through . The shortcomings became most apparent to me when I try out the “ pop - in , pa - out ” co - op play . Here , two instrumentalist can tackle missions together , at least bringing some superfluous topsy-turvyness to conflict . The escapade ’s difficulty seems built around solo play , so two players can blow through area in a flash , but that ’s perceivable considering that the ideal frame-up is a class member play with a young shaver .
The straight and repetitious levels just are n’t very fun vacation spot .
What ’s more absent is that the linear levels do n’t on the button feel built with shred teams in mind either . There ’s no point where one player can peel off to recover a treasure while another does something else . There ’s really only one focal puzzler , battle , or platforming challenge on screen at once . When musician two sire too far from player one , the former zap back to the latter . There just is n’t much inducement to explore as a squad .
That is n’t just about collectibles or hidden chests . The best kids ’ plot are build like toys . Just take Sony ’s ownAstro Bot , which is fulfil with tiny details for curious kids to discover . An grownup would n’t think to spin bolt into a bottle screw tree diagram , but a fry might and get a little delight because of it . There are no such minute like that in delegacy ; the straightforward and repetitive levels just are n’t very fun playgrounds .
There is one area whereLego Horizon Adventuresnails that grant . In between foreign mission , players return to Mother ’s Heart , which acts as an expanding hub region . Here , player can spend studs to throw medal around town , customize house , recolor the estate , and more . It ’s not a full building scheme , but it still fascinate the tactile joy of snapping Lego slice from entirely unlike set together . Those are the moments where kids will more belike connect withLego Horizon Adventures , whether it ’s seeing what happens when they interact with a projectile ship or admixture and matching different costume parts to deform Aloy into one - part cultist , one - part robber , and one - part blistering dog .
While its insistent design is lacking in some key way , I look up to whatLego Horizon Adventuressets out to do . parent have always had shipway to biz with their kids , but unremarkably through kid - pore enfranchisement like Mario . This builds a generational bridge deck between the kinds of game parents are playing and what their kids like . That will allow home to apportion their worlds with one another rather than storm mama and dada into theRobloxmines . Even if it ’s all just an elaborate way to sellTallneck Lego set , there ’s something sincere about it all . you’re able to imagine how happy Guerrilla ’s developer - flex - parents must be to finally fiddle one of their own secret plan with their kids . You ca n’t do that with Killzone .
Lego Horizon Adventureswas tested on PS5 Pro with a codification provided by the publishing firm .
