The Horizon franchise doesn’t seem the most likely candidate to be given the Lego game treatment. It’s a mature series that deals with deep themes of corruption and power in the post-apocalypse, set in a world devastating by the impacts of human-created climate change and AI disaster. Yet, as strange as the concept is, Lego Horizon Adventures is a pure joy. It’s a wonderful, light-hearted adaptation of Horizon that feels perfect for young players looking to tackle a vast new world.
What this game does is transplant the overarching themes of Horizon into a world of Lego-fied beauty, where characters are caricatures, and the threat of planetary devastation is embodied in a funny, cutesy villain that monologues in typical “bad guy” fashion. It’s not a particularly deep game, and that’s what makes it so enjoyable – it’s light, bouncy, silly, and buoyed by its slapstick humour and loveable cast.
Ashly Burch, who voices Aloy, is clearly have a blast with the game’s lighter-hearted tone, using her upper register with great delight to inject glee and enthusiasm into the character. She’s the bright, shiny centre of this adventure, guiding the action, with every new discovery arriving with a shriek of joy, snappy commentary, and funny little asides.
But Lego Horizon Adventures isn’t only a slapstick exploration of the post-apocalypse – it’s also a surprisingly beautiful, well-designed adventure with some of the prettiest Lego-fied scenery you’ll find any Lego game.
Take the water in the screenshot above. It flows with froth and foam, represented by tiny, ever-moving Lego bricks. If you step into the shallows, you can see darker Lego bricks ripple around you, and admire their beauty.
There is a real tangibility to this adventure, buoyed by the construction of levels – each of which can be crafted with real-life Lego bricks. You get the sense that you’re moving through an actual physical creation, as you can spot tiny bricks placed to form cliffs and rock faces, grassy cover, flower patches, desert hills, and snowy mountain caps. And every piece is clearly placed with real care.
Read: Lego Horizon Adventures preview – Prepare to be stunned
Notably, Lego Horizon Adventures also does something novel with the Lego formula. Rather than feeling like a Lego adaptation of Horizon, this feels like Horizon has been adapted for Lego. Gameplay more closely resembles Horizon than other Lego games, and with a camera zoomed out more than usual, you get a greater sense of grandeur and beauty as you explore the world of the game.
I relate this to Lego The Hobbit, Lego Pirates of the Caribbean, and Lego Harry Potter. These games feel distinctly like Lego games, with puzzles based on Lego construction, and many thematic elements to tie it back to Lego as a brand. Lego Horizon Adventures plays more loosely with its branding, allowing Lego bricks to take a backseat to glorious sights and sounds, and a plot that plays within the bounds of Horizon‘s lore.
Sure, you still collect golden Lego bricks at the end of each stage, and you can spend your time unlocking special Lego collectibles themed after Lego City and Lego Ninjago (there’s a real dissonance in the inclusion of other Lego franchises, but the game is silly enough that it works). But this remains Aloy’s adventure, with each slice of gameplay and plot beat inspired by Horizon itself.
Hewing closer to Horizon gives Lego Horizon Adventures the chance to really experiment with the Lego formula, and push elements like combat to the forefront. The Lego series has never been known for having particularly layered combat – but Horizon Adventures spices it up with neat archery action (or hammer or spear, depending on which character you choose to play) as well as wild power-ups that keep things interesting.
Aloy, who I primarily played as, wields a bow in her quest – and this can shoot a variety of elemental arrows that must be deployed with precise timing. Fire arrows are explosive when attacking machines. Ice arrows freeze them in place. Electric arrows make them go a bit wonky. Each gives you a distinct advantage, particularly as enemy hordes grow.
You can also pair your attacks with a variety of gadgets, including a Tripcaster (a wire that electrifies enemies), a shield, and my personal favourite – a hot dog cart.
Yes, you can set a hot dog cart against enemies in Horizon, and have a hot dog seller throw bomb-filled hot dogs at them. It’s incongruous. It’s wild. It’s over the top, and very fun. Lego Horizon Adventures is committed to the bit, and even as you’re taking down roaming machines in run-and-gun-style action combat, you’ll also be given scope to indulge in some absolute silliness.
Purists will say it’s a betrayal of Horizon‘s more serious tone. Everyone else will laugh, because it’s all video games. Why shouldn’t we get a bit silly?
More to the point, this approach makes Lego Horizon Adventures feel like a wonderful, funny entry to platforming for younger kids who aren’t able to deal with Horizon‘s darker themes yet. Rather than being an adaptation for those who already know the franchise, this feels well-suited to being a “Baby’s First Horizon” type adventure.
For adults who love Horizon, it could be the perfect chance to introduce the series to their kids. And for those who still enjoy indulging in child-like glee, there’s also plenty here to enthral, with nice levels of challenge to keep you on the hook.
The very existence of Lego Horizon Adventures is strange. That’s hard to deny. But with its buoyant sense of silliness and glee, this franchise adaptation elevates itself beyond doubts. It’s a frenetic, lively little adventure, and one that indulges in being weird and wonderful.
Four stars: ★★★★
Lego Horizon Adventures
Platform(s): PlayStation 5, PC, Nintendo Switch
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Developer: Guerrilla Games / Studio Gobo
Release Date: 14 November 2024
A PS5 code for Lego Horizon Adventures was provided by the publisher for the purposes of this review. GamesHub reviews are rated on a ten-point scale.
