Review of LEGO Horizon Adventures

I came across Horizon: Zero Dawn only after it had been out for quite a while. It was during those strange COVID days when Sony generously offered several games for free, among them the “Complete” version of Horizon, which came packed with the sizable DLC expansion, “The Frozen Wilds.” I dove in, driven by curiosity, and quickly found myself completely immersed in Aloy’s post-apocalyptic world teeming with robotic creatures. Having already spent over 250 hours exploring the vast landscapes of Breath of the Wild, I began to jokingly refer to this game as “Robot Dinosaur Zelda.” And why not? You’re hunting robotic dinosaurs, armed with a bow and arrow, against the backdrop of an expansive open world. The game’s unique blend of science fiction and its intricate storyline transformed me into a huge fan of Aloy. So much so that after thoroughly enjoying its sequel, Forbidden West, on my PS4, I didn’t hesitate to invest in a PS5 solely for the PS5-exclusive expansion, “The Burning Shores.” Totally worth it.

In short, I absolutely adore the Horizon series.

With that in mind, I was definitely intrigued when a LEGO adaptation of the first game was announced. It seemed even more peculiar that this adaptation, a Sony-published game, would be available on Switch. Having now played LEGO Horizon Adventures, I’m still perplexed by its concept. It doesn’t quite meet my expectations for a typical “Robot Dinosaur Zelda” experience. The gameplay feels a bit repetitive and lacks the precise combat I have come to love from the Sony originals. It comes across as a game struggling to find its unique identity.

However, one redeeming feature is the return of much of the original voice cast, including Ashly Burch as Aloy, JB Blanc as Rost, John Macmillan as Varl, and John Hopkins as Erend. It’s delightfully entertaining to hear these actors voicing more humorous, self-parody versions of their characters, which adds a charming, often amusing layer to the experience. I did feel a twinge of disappointment with Guerilla’s choice for the late Lance Reddick’s (Sylens) replacement, partly because the new voice sounds so distinct, leaving me a bit anxious about Sylens’ portrayal in future Horizon games. LEGO Horizon Adventures takes a very loose approach to Zero Dawn’s storyline, sidestepping the key “Zero Dawn” plot points, which were my personal favorites.

In this LEGO iteration, you guide a small LEGO version of Aloy through the game using a bow, viewed from an overhead perspective with a fixed camera angle. While this viewpoint works well for navigating the beautiful platforming segments, it poses challenges during combat. Fights usually occur in isolated arenas against several enemy machines or, occasionally, humans like the Shadow Carja. You can temporarily cloak Aloy by hiding her in patches of orange grass, cleverly depicted by turning Aloy into orange-colored LEGO blocks. However, as soon as she engages in combat, her cover is blown. The inability to adjust the camera angle means you can never see the entire battlefield, which gets frustrating.

Pressing the L button activates Aloy’s Focus, highlighting the weak points on machines. These points align with what you’d find in the original games. But here, Aloy’s aiming lacks the precision and slow-motion aiming feature that are pivotal in the PlayStation versions, which means you’ll seldom blast off machine parts. There aren’t any special arrows to amplify your damage output or make part detachment easier. Instead, Aloy discovers “special weapons” with finite ammo and “gadgets” with limited uses to assist in combat.

The array of special weapons mostly includes elemental bows, while gadgets feature flame-jet boots, energy shields, a Tripcaster, and the melee “Brick Separator,” among others. While these introduce some combat variety, they don’t quite hit the mark of satisfaction. There’s a lack of depth in strategy within LEGO Horizon Adventures; most battles boil down to retreating from enemies and taking shots when opportunities arise.

Players gather studs by smashing environmental objects, opening chests, and defeating machines, which can then be used at the home base, Mother’s Heart – a rather unconventional hub in this game.

Mother’s Heart, Aloy’s starting village from Horizon: Zero Dawn, is reimagined as a customizable playground. Here, you can modify buildings, purchase costumes, check quests, enhance certain skills, and construct various items. As you progress through different chapters, new zones within Mother’s Heart open up, allowing further construction opportunities. Unfortunately, I found this aspect largely unengaging unless it was required for specific quests. Building structures does provide a stud bonus whenever you revisit Mother’s Heart, but collecting these bonuses can be a tedious task. Although new buildings, statues, and outfits unlock regularly, there’s a surprising scarcity of Horizon-specific customization options. Most customization features, even costumes, stem from generic LEGO themes like City, Ninjago, and even theme park rides. Want to plop a Ferris Wheel in Mother’s Heart? Surprisingly, that’s possible. You could even dress Varl as a hot dog, if that tickles your fancy.

Eventually, you gain access to “Apex Missions,” where you’re tasked with taking on tougher versions of standard machines, earning “Red Bricks” along the way. While these battles are generally doable, I did meet my demise several times during more intense skirmishes. Thunderjaws, notorious for being the toughest adversaries, make infrequent appearances, limited to their own specific arenas. The most enjoyable sections involved Cauldrons – those mysterious subterranean factories where machines originate. These areas are a highlight in the PlayStation games and maintain their otherworldly charm here, with a focus on platforming and less isolated combat sequences.

LEGO Horizon Adventures accommodates couch and online co-op, allowing a second player to choose among Aloy, Varl, Erend, and Teersa (a character I had almost forgotten). Each character offers a unique gameplay style: Varl fights with a spear, similar to Aloy; Teersa employs explosives, which although entertaining, lack precision; Erend wields his colossal hammer as an all-melee powerhouse. Solo players can switch between characters at Mother’s Heart or at the onset of most missions. Each has special weapons—mostly elemental variations—and while I endeavored to keep them all leveled, Aloy remained my go-to.

I had a chance to try out couch co-op with some friends’ kids, and although the game handled two players well enough, the combat felt overwhelming at times. We frequently lost track of who was where, leading to numerous respawns. When one player dies, their partner can revive them by holding down X, but this process takes a while, leaving you susceptible to the same foes that just felled your ally. The players are connected by an invisible tether, which is actually quite handy. Despite the simplicity aimed at accommodating younger players (like a fourteen-year-old in this instance), the combat is intuitive, and hey, it even managed to distract him from Fortnite, so that’s a win in my book.

While I found LEGO Horizon Adventures enjoyable, it would be misleading to peg it as a straightforward Horizon game. It clearly targets a younger demographic, yet in doing so, it distances itself from the elements that I find so appealing in the PlayStation series. That said, if you’re searching for a lighthearted, amusing action game or looking for something to enjoy with your children, this is a solid choice. On a related note, I’d love to see more LEGO sets based on the Horizon series. My Tallneck is in desperate need of a Thunderjaw or a Slaughterspine companion.

*An update after this review: Tim Russ, best known for his portrayal of Tuvok in Star Trek: Voyager, has been announced as the new voice of Sylens. Russ is an excellent choice. While he may not possess the distinct timbre of Reddick (which is hard to match), I believe he’ll seamlessly step into the role in the main series. Sylens carries a certain Vulcan-like quality and sharp wit, which Russ can undoubtedly embody. In this LEGO version, Sylens is quite exaggerated (he’s a DJ, after all), so comparisons are a bit unfair.