LEGO Horizon Adventures review

A LEGO game base on Guerrilla Games’ Horizon series wasn’t a game I ever thought I would see, and like the Remastered version of Zero Dawn, it’s not something I thought we needed. It isn’t exactly as big as Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, or Harry Potter, but that’s the thing about LEGO, they make any property feel new and exciting, telling old stories in different ways. LEGO Horizon Adventures doesn’t have that familiarity other titles featuring block-headed heroes, but it sure is enjoyable, with plenty to keep you occupied.

LEGO Horizon Adventures tells the story of Aloy, an outcast of the Nora tribe who ends up becoming the saviour they so badly need. She was always a fierce warrior who had been through trauma in her life, but Studio Gobo has done a superb job of incorporating humour into the story, adding jokes and nods to the franchise that often made me laugh. One mentioned how everyone makes fun of the Nora Tribe because they name everything after their ‘mom’, and I couldn’t help but smile.

Much of the gameplay sees you playing as Aloy (or other characters like Varl and Teersa), battling cultists and robot dinosaurs by using your bow, various gadgets, and the environment to take them down. The more you play, the more new weapons are unlocked, such as a bow that shoots multiple arrows at the same time and traps that freeze enemies in their place. They all have a limited amount of ammo, but like hearts for your health, you’ll find them scattered throughout the world.

The real enjoyment comes from how the developer has approached the tactical combat Guerrilla incorporates in its open world adventures. Robots still have weak points on their bodies, and you can hit them to do more damage. Some enemies have explosive parts attached to them, and hitting these often ends in instant death. They follow similar attack patterns and abilities to the original material, but LEGO Horizon Adventures makes it more accessible and easier.

That doesn’t mean fighting is a walk in the park. At times you’ll face multiple robots and cultists at the same time, and some bigger bosses can take a while to wear down. You can fire arrows through bonfires or electrical currents to employ fire and shock damage, as well as cold damage depending on the types of enemies and their associated weaknesses. While it can be challenging at times, there’s always the promise of getting a gold brick once the level ends.

Gold bricks can be acquired in a few different ways, and while levels often have one for completing them, unlocking the Community Board at Mother’s Heart provides a range of different goals to complete, such as throwing a feast, or defeating a set number of machines using elemental damage. The hub world of Mother’s Heart becomes more than just an area to move onto the next set of missions, as the more you play, the bigger it gets and the more customisable it becomes.

There are so many different buildings to unlock such as the upgrade cabin where you can improve your weapons and gadgets, and the previously mentioned community board. Aloy’s house can have different spaces added to it such as a chicken coup, and decorative items can be placed all around the village. You’re also free to decorate your own home with everything from a Thunderjaw on your roof to a giant donut. LEGO Horizon Adventures incorporates titles like LEGO Ninjago and LEGO City into the decorations as well.

Aloy also gets to dress up in a wide range of outfits. Everything costs studs to unlock while upgrades also costs studs, but you’ll end up collecting a ton of them out on missions. I didn’t even need to grind or try particularly hard to gather them while playing, which made it much more fun when it came to spending them. LEGO Horizon Adventures is obviously fun to play, but there’s also a great challenge with additional tasks to try your hand at.

One thing that utterly blew me away was how incredible the visuals are. They make the futuristic world seem so alive, especially with the stunning lighting that reflects off the shiny yellow heads and clothing of the characters. This sheen on the machine’s bodies is also incredible, and every time I saw a new one I was in awe of just how good it looks. There’s so much detail in the world regardless of the setting, and with no technical issues I allowed to enjoy the beautiful world created here.

While LEGO Horizon Adventures might not be as big of a title as other LEGO games, it feels at home on PS5 thanks to the remarkable visuals and fluid gameplay. That familiar humour is present throughout, and for those who know the story pretty well, there are lots of nods to Guerrilla’s masterful series around every corner. It may get a touch repetitive at times, and some of the combat can flood the screen with plenty of enemies, but it’s still one of the best LEGO games to have ever been released.