Aloy is ready to take on the post-apocalyptic LEGO world brick by brick this holiday season in LEGO Horizon Adventures. Guerrilla and Studio Gobo have created a fun spin on the well-known Horizon games that unleashes eye-catching stop-motion animation, laugh-worthy storytelling, and (literal) world building that will make the familiar series feel like a new adventure.
The hands-on demo laid the groundwork for the fun with an initial solo tutorial stage controlling Aloy, followed by a co-op story mission where Aloy and her Nora tribemate Varl set out to save a beloved leader. of the cultists using their weapons, their surroundings, and yes, even the hot dogs. Here are some moments that caught my attention:
A familiar world comes to life thanks to LEGO bricks
Immediately, the LEGO version of this world looks incredibly authentic, with each brick placed in a way that builds the world that Horizon fans know and love. Aloy moves through the world in a stop-motion style that fits perfectly into place. The original voice cast has also returned to retell Aloy's story with a cheeky tone, adding humor and playfulness that keeps familiar plot points fresh and provides laughs for a wide audience.
A LEGO girl and her bow
Aloy can use her bow for combat and to help navigate the brick-filled wilderness. Holding down the Square button allows Aloy to aim her bow at specific targets. This is made easier by pressing R1 to activate her Focus, highlighting primary targets in blue. Aloy unleashes powerful attacks using the environment around her; Shooting an arrow through a bonfire creates a flaming projectile, adding additional damage to enemies or setting grass or vines on fire to open new routes.
Flip each LEGO brick
Playful curiosity is often rewarded, so take the time to explore. While Studs, LEGO's form of currency, are scattered along the main paths, more can be found by shooting barrels or other objects. Chests are found by exploring off the main paths and Aloy can discover special stacks of bricks. Aloy can create these bricks in various designs (a sailboat! A dog house!) to earn even more Studs.
Make a home in Corazón de Madre
A visit to the game's main village, Mother's Heart, is a must. A trip to the All Mother Tree allows Aloy and her co-op companions to upgrade their specific weapons or use Studs to purchase upgrades that benefit everyone. In this area you can also customize your cabin costumes, specifically the roof, patio, plot, and cabin color. Naturally, I dropped some studs on a roof with a roller coaster on top. I was even able to pick up and throw village NPCs into a purchased wardrobe, outfitting them with outfits from the world of Horizon or other LEGO game properties.
Play a co-op partner from the couch
Once in Mother's Heart, I let my co-op couch friend control Aloy while I slipped into the LEGO brick shoes of Varl, her spear-wielding companion. Varl's spear skills worked largely the same as Aloy's, but we each purchased different skill upgrades at All Mother Tree. As you explore, enemies that are specific to different characters can purchase or drop additional temporary upgrades. In Varl's case, that came in the form of a more powerful spear that allowed 12 throws before breaking. If a player loses all of their health in co-op, the other player can revive them using the Triangle button. But be careful: upon being revived, you will abandon any of the temporary upgrades you have collected up to that point.
Speaking of those updates…
Certain skill upgrades can be used by any character and come in handy during combat encounters. The LEGO brick separator unleashes a powerful melee move that can literally tear an enemy apart. Dislodging highlighted parts of a machine can sometimes even reward a new weapon. When I unleashed the LEGO brick separator on a Longleg, its severed horns began to spin and I could kick them towards enemies for an extra attack. Jump on an enemy using the Explosive boots will set them on fire. My favorite update was the hot dog cart., a cart that assembles quickly and comes complete with a hot dog man who launches hot dog bombs across the battlefield to grandiose and delicious effect. This was invaluable during frantic or crowded encounters and honestly made me dizzy.
LEGO Horizon Adventures invites players (and a co-op partner) to its light-hearted, comedic spin on the world of Aloy when it launches on PS5, PC, and Nintendo Switch this holiday season.
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