In 2017, Guerrilla Games offered us a brand new PlayStation license with Horizon Zero Down, allowing us to discover the adventures of Aloy in a post-apocalyptic open world where nature had reclaimed its rights. We then discovered a dangerous world, with a multitude of tribes trying to survive against machines. In 2022, Aloy was back with a sequel, Horizon Forbidden West, as well as a VR adaptation with Horizon Call of The Mountains on PlayStation VR2 in 2023.
Discover LEGO Horizon Adventures
Today, Horizon is established as a solid brand for PlayStation. While a third opus and a multiplayer game are currently in development, Sony surprised everyone by announcing the game LEGO Horizon Adventures during the Summer Game Fest. A first partnership between PlayStation and LEGO that will allow Aloy's adventures to be adapted into the totally crazy world of small bricks. Is the result up to par? Let's take stock right away.
Aloy: the call of the bricks
Lego games need no introduction. Since the arrival of the first LEGO Star Wars on PS2, the saga has been entitled to a shower of adaptations with Indiana Jones, Pirates of the Caribbean, Jurassic World, Marvel, or even Harry Potter. Each time, we were entitled to high-quality adaptations, complete, with very good replayability, and gargantuan content. From opus to opus, the formula has improved and optimized. The last major LEGO game dates back to 2022 with LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga. This remains the most accomplished LEGO game to date.
With LEGO Horizon Adventures, we find this formula with parody and humor. Concretely, the game will mainly be based on the story of the first Horizon Zero Down. We thus discover the story of Aloy, and her quest to find her mother. Of course, the latter will not be easy and she will have to face multiple threats, including the famous machines.
LEGO Horizon Adventures transcribes well everyone and the universe of Horizon. As much in terms of the characters, as the environments and the bestiary with the very many machines. On the other hand, we will not have to count on an open world. With this LEGO Horizon Adventures, we are on a typical corridor game with different levels that you will have to travel from point A to point B.
The game takes place in the Wildlands, in the heart of the Nora village which was partially destroyed. The reconstruction of the village will be part of your objectives during your adventure. Nora's village will serve as a HUB in which you will be able to discover some secondary objectives, but also take part in small alternative missions and above all access the four different worlds of the game which will allow you to access the different levels of your adventure.
Within the village, you will have several places with shops to change the characters' outfits, locate and improve buildings, add structures or decorate the village.
A mixed adaptation
LEGO Horizon Adventures is the first LEGO game to adapt a video game and not a movie. So, the process is not that simple. That's why LEGO Horizon will not just follow the adventure of Horizon Zero Down step by step.
In the old LEGO games, the films were retraced by cult locations and mythical scenes that had been faithfully reproduced in the games with LEGO humor. For this adaptation of Horizon, we will have to forget that. The four worlds offer us the chance to discover universes largely inspired by the Horizon games, but you will not find reproductions of scenes and locations from the games. One world will be centered on the jungle, the other on the snowy mountain, another in the forest, etc…
We don't meet a tribe like in the original game, everything is centered on Aloy's quest, with only four characters who are highlighted (and playable) with Aloy, Varl, Teersa, and Erend. Everyone has the right to their own fighting style, their weapons and their special abilities. Other characters from the game are also mentioned and highlighted, without being playable, such as Rost and Sylens.
The story of this LEGO Horizon Adventures will therefore revolve around these characters who will interact with each other and advance the course of the story. Each important moment will be mocked in the form of sketches. It must be said that this is not the best LEGO adaptation to date and that some jokes are quite repetitive and not always effective as was the case in previous games.
A LEGO game that lacks creativity
A terrible contradiction when we talk about a lack of creativity for a LEGO game. And yet, it is. Unlike other games, this LEGO title is terribly repetitive. The structure of the game and the levels are the same from start to finish. Each time, you start a level by choosing a character to embody.
You are entitled to a first part of the level where you mainly have platforming. A second part where you are entitled to a relatively short and simple confrontation with a few enemies. Next comes a small hub allowing you to access three chests that offer you bonuses, allowing you to access the third and final part of the level where it is the final fight with more powerful machines.
Once this is done, you can finish the level by freeing prisoners, recovering useful objects for your quest, etc. Unfortunately, all levels will offer you this same structure. Worse still, some levels are the same, with only the objective and the final confrontation changing. So, you can quickly feel the redundant side as the game progresses.
Another problem, by having only four playable characters, the title cannot allow us all the replayability that the old LEGO games offered with the numerous secret areas that we unlocked by doing and redoing the levels with different characters.
A gameplay that is always simple and effective
Like all previous games, this LEGO Horizon is very easy to get to grips with and can be played by young and old. The cooperative mode is also a great strength of the title. As always, just plug in a second controller to embark on the adventure together.
Whether it's on the platform phases or in the fights, the game is accessible to everyone. Some fights are nevertheless better than others. This will largely depend on the character you play with. For example, Aloy, Erend or Varl have particularly precise and effective ranged weapons. There won't be too much difficulty in advancing in the adventure with them. On the other hand, Teersa is equipped with an explosive egg-throwing hen that is not precise and makes for messy fights.
Fortunately, you have access to a lot of equipment, gadgets, and more robust weapons to help you in your quest. Here again, we find all the Lore of Horizon with weapons and gadgets cult of the series. Each fight will be different since the machines have their own attacks and their own methods to reduce you to pieces.
Graphically and technically, the game remains flawless. No bugs and no framerate issues are to be deplored during the good ten hours of play. LEGO Horizon Adventures offers us beautiful sequences with details and neat graphics. A perfect game for the whole family.
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