PS5 LEGO Horizon Adventures Review

The arrival of LEGO Horizon Adventures caught everyone by surprise, transforming one of PlayStation's most beloved franchises into a charming, brick-built experience. While the original Horizon games are known for their intricate sci-fi mythology, weighty themes, and sophisticated gameplay systems, adapting these elements for a younger audience seemed like an ambitious challenge. The final product manages to both enchant and perplex us in equal measure.

This family-friendly action platformer condenses the epic tale of Horizon Zero Dawn into a more streamlined, straightforward adventure. The LEGO format proves to be an inspired choice, offering universal appeal and allowing for a more lighthearted approach. The transformation works remarkably well within the Horizon universe; complex plot elements are simplified, and the game embraces a playful tone that gently ribs both the story and its inhabitants. The voice acting is particularly noteworthy, with familiar cast members clearly relishing the opportunity to portray more comedic versions of their characters. For Horizon enthusiasts, it's genuinely entertaining to experience this playful reinterpretation of the familiar narrative.


The LEGO aesthetic serves not only as a clever thematic choice but also as an impressive visual foundation. The collaborative effort between Studio Gobo and Guerrilla Games fully embraces the brick-built concept, crafting every element from authentic LEGO pieces. From explosive effects to flowing water and distant structures, everything is rendered in plastic brick form. The dedication to this visual style is impressive; realistic material textures combined with subtle camera effects create a consistently stunning presentation. While running in Performance mode, we did observe occasional animation hiccups (distinct from intentional LEGO-style stop-motion effects), though these instances were relatively rare.

Mother's Heart, the game's central hub, invites players to marvel at its meticulously crafted brick environment. This area serves as your base between missions, offering various progression systems. Players can enhance Aloy and other characters' abilities, unlock new outfits, and customize the village with decorative elements. The hub gradually grows larger, providing additional spaces to embellish with LEGO creations from both the Horizon universe and beyond. A comprehensive job board presents numerous optional challenges to tackle in both the hub and mission areas. These features combine to create a satisfying sense of progression throughout the adventure.


However, the game's level design presents notable challenges. Each stage offers a scenic journey through visually appealing environments, punctuated by combat arenas and boss encounters. While this structure sounds promising, the actual execution falls short. The levels lack complexity, with minimal meaningful platforming or exploration opportunities. Though you'll engage in basic jumping and climbing mechanics, these linear stages offer little variety in terms of gameplay. Occasional side paths leading to treasure chests or LEGO builds feel underwhelming, primarily rewarding players with studs – the game's currency. Given the abundance of studs available through normal gameplay, these discoveries rarely feel worthwhile.

Initially, the simplified level design appears intentional, seemingly designed to ease players into the experience. However, the complexity never significantly increases. Even promising mechanics, such as igniting arrows to clear vine obstacles, are introduced early but remain largely underutilized throughout the adventure. Despite being framed by entertaining cutscenes and regular combat encounters, the levels feel disappointingly flat and lacking in meaningful content.


The combat system, fortunately, proves more engaging. While stealth mechanics feel superfluous, and basic encounters with cultists are serviceable – with satisfying throw mechanics being a highlight – the machine battles truly shine. Staying true to the main Horizon series, each machine features distinct attack patterns and vulnerabilities. Targeting these weak points repeatedly leads to component destruction, dealing significant damage and often disabling specific attacks. Though simplified compared to the main series, these encounters maintain strategic depth. Players can leverage elemental effects and various special weapons and gadgets, from projectile-deflecting shields to whimsical hot dog vendors launching explosive sausages. The combat difficulty scales well based on player preference, offering genuine challenge when desired. These engaging battle mechanics consistently emerge as each stage's strongest element.

The game features four playable characters: Aloy teams up with Varl, Teersa, and Erend, each wielding distinct weapons. Aloy maintains her iconic bow and arrow, while Varl specializes in spear combat, Teersa utilizes bombs, and Erend brings his signature hammer into battle. Each character's unique playstyle adds variety, complemented by special weapon variants discovered throughout the adventure. Though the character roster might seem limited compared to other LEGO titles, the combination of distinct combat styles and extensive customization options – including outfits from both the Horizon universe and other LEGO properties like Ninjago and City – provides satisfying variety for players to explore.


The combat system reaches its peak in several well-designed boss encounters, and as previously noted, each level transitions smoothly into entertaining cutscenes. However, a significant limitation emerges in the game's structure: the inability to replay completed stages or access a level select feature. Once players collect the gold brick that marks a level's completion, that content becomes inaccessible unless starting a fresh save file. While many levels may not warrant multiple playthroughs, the inability to revisit memorable boss battles or relive favorite story moments feels particularly restrictive, especially considering the game's primary target audience of younger players.

To partially mitigate this limitation, completing a chapter unlocks Apex Hunts, which present players with more challenging combat scenarios. Upon finishing these encounters, players gain access to Free Mode, enabling unlimited exploration of previously completed environments. This mode allows for completion of optional objectives and additional stud collection. An intriguing aspect of Free Mode is its randomized level layouts, revealing a modular design approach that may explain the somewhat sparse feeling of the main campaign stages.


LEGO Horizon Adventures presents a conflicting gaming experience. Its strengths lie in successfully adapting Sony's beloved franchise into a family-friendly LEGO format, complete with faithful character representations, engaging combat mechanics, and impressive visual fidelity. However, beneath this polished surface, the game struggles with fundamental design issues. The level design feels repetitive and empty, rarely incorporating the platforming challenges or puzzle-solving elements typically associated with LEGO games. While enjoyable moments abound, particularly in combat encounters, certain core design choices ultimately detract from the overall experience.