Lego Horizon Adventures is definitely not what I’d call a traditional licensed LEGO gaming experience – for fans of the Traveller’s Tales releases, at least. And if you’re expecting this game to operate similarly to one of those titles, you’re almost certainly going to walk away disappointed – especially as far as gameplay and design choices are concerned this time around. Don’t get me wrong, Lego Horizon is still a mostly enjoyable experience at its core, and it’s very clearly trying to take a different approach here with its simplistic level design and emphasis on combat over exploration – even if it does come up short in some key areas.



Developed by Horizon creators Guerrilla Games, in collaboration with Studio Gobo, Lego Horizon Adventures (extremely) loosely follows the events of 2017’s PS4 hit Horizon Zero Dawn, now lovingly recreated in brick-tastic fashion. Almost all cast members from the original game return to voice their minifig counterparts here (like Ashly Burch as Aloy and John Hopkins as Erend), cranking the comedy and positivity dials up to 11 in spectacular fashion – lending a surprisingly endearing sunshine-and-rainbows quality to a few otherwise darker storyline moments, alongside the expected (and often well-timed) slapstick humour Lego media is so well known for. And if you’re a newcomer to the world of Horizon, have no fear - most crucial plot points are summarised, and often reworked, well enough for anyone to grasp the gist of what’s going on.



The main campaign, much like many other Lego games out there, is broken up into a number of chapters, each comprised of multiple sub-levels – all accessed via the Nora tribe’s central village, and in-game hub area, Mother’s Heart. Each chapter tends to focus on one geographic theme or area - snowy mountains futuristic cauldrons or lush jungles, for example - and the layout of the associated levels reflects this, with the surrounding Lego wilderness and natural scenery boasting some impressively pretty visuals and lighting effects, like the sun’s rays bouncing off a gigantic plastic tree branch. Actually completing these levels, though, is a much simpler and more linear affair than even I was expecting.

Almost all cast members from the original game return to voice their minifig counterparts here (like Ashly Burch as Aloy and John Hopkins as Erend), cranking the comedy and positivity dials up to 11 in spectacular fashion.

There’s not much in the way of major side areas or straying from the beaten path that I could find, unfortunately, aside from a few hidden chests containing bounties of collectible studs, powerful weapon variants, or gadgets (more on this in a bit). For the most part, simply running from area to area while occasionally stopping to break a few nearby objects for studs, zipline across a gap, engage in a bit of light platforming, or scale your way up a surface is pretty much the extent of what you’ll be doing in terms of traversal – and this can begin to feel mighty repetitive during longer play sessions.



Thankfully, and inevitably, you’ll run into several of Horizon’s instantly recognisable Machines (basically robot dinosaurs) roaming the wilds in your travels, spicing the basic exploration up considerably. Combat is easily where Lego Horizon shines at its brightest. Every playable character has their own special attack style and preferred weapon type – whether its Aloy’s bow and arrow, Varl’s spear, Teersa’s explosives, or Erend’s hammer – and they all handle and play slightly differently from one another.

While I’d hesitate to call the combat as a whole “fleshed out” or “great”, it is undeniably satisfying and addictive as hell (surprisingly so for a Lego title), made even better with the included online/couch co-op feature and silky-smooth performance – aside from a few instances of sound effects not triggering. The Machines you’ll encounter also behave in their own unique way and have weak points that can be highlighted by activating your Focus device (similarly to how it works in the original game) and attacked for more damage.



Additionally, many combat encounters have a handful of explosive barrels strewn around the area, which you’re able to pick up and throw (or target from a distance). For the more large-scale and intense battles, a selection of gadgets that serve as limited-use power-ups or abilities usually spawn as well – like a pair of Blast Boots that increase jump height while burning anything directly below the player, or an ability that freezes an enemy in place for a few seconds.

While I’d hesitate to call the combat as a whole “fleshed out” or “great”, it is undeniably satisfying and addictive as hell.

As already mentioned, these items may also be found within chests. Hiding in tall grass is also an option, but I wouldn’t blame you for totally ignoring its existence – although it can be somewhat useful for surveying the area ahead before hopping into battle, or comfortably landing the opening shot in tougher fights, like the Apex Machine Hunts where you’re pitted against tougher variants of already encountered Machines for Red (or Apex) brick rewards.



Experience gained from violently disassembling these out-of-control Machines goes towards increasing Aloy and company’s individual character levels, meaning they don’t all share the same experience bar. Every level gained permanently unlocks a character-specific upgrade (like increased weapon damage), and these can be viewed from the All-Mother Tree in the Mother’s Heart hub. Additional tiered general upgrades affecting all character playstyles are also available here, purchasable with studs once initially unlocked after reaching specific Gold Brick collection milestones – which are obtained through various actions like finishing story missions, hopping onto the Tallneck appearing at the end of some levels, and completing Community Jobs (side-tasks taking place both in and out of Mother’s Heart, such as taking down several enemies in a specific way).

Mother’s Heart can almost be seen as a character in and of itself, as the player is able to meticulously customise almost every facet of its appearance – from the look and style of buildings (some of which require a set amount of Gold Bricks to construct), to deciding what facilities and decorations to erect. Customisation options aren’t limited to just elements from within the Horizon universe, either. You’re free to mix and match aesthetics from multiple Lego franchises, including the likes of City and Ninjago (among others).



The same can be said for the many costumes available, sharing the branding options mentioned above – with both customisation types unlocked via natural story progression and typically purchasable with studs. This personalisation is a neat piece of optional content and dishes out plenty of Lego fan service, although it’s likely not something you’ll spend a lot of time messing around with in the long run.

Although Lego Horizon Adventures might not be the most interesting Lego title out there as far as exploration and insane amounts of collectibles are concerned, its simple yet addictive combat, beautifully brick-filled natural environments, and charming re-imagining of the world of Horizon nevertheless makes it an entertaining experience – regardless of whether you’re familiar with the original games or not.

*PS5 Review code provided by PlayStation