Lego Horizon Adventures

Last updated

Lego Horizon Adventures
Lego Horizon Adventures cover art.jpeg
Developer(s) Guerrilla Games
Studio Gobo
Publisher(s) Sony Interactive Entertainment
Writer(s) James Windeler
Series
Engine Unreal Engine 5
Platform(s)
ReleaseNovember 14, 2024
Genre(s) Action-adventure
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer

Lego Horizon Adventures is a 2024 action-adventure game developed by Guerrilla Games and Studio Gobo in association with The Lego Group, and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. As a spin-off entry in the Horizon series, the game reinterprets the events in Horizon Zero Dawn (2017) in a Lego-themed environment.

Contents

Lego Horizon Adventures was released for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and Windows on November 14, 2024. The game received mixed reviews from critics.

Gameplay

Lego Horizon Adventures is an action-adventure game played from an isometric perspective. [1] The game has five different difficulty levels, and the weak point targeting system from previous Horizon games returns. Aloy, the game's protagonist, and the game's hub world can be customized extensively. The game features a two-player cooperative multiplayer mode which becomes available following completion of the game's prologue. [2]

Development

Guerilla named UK-based Studio Gobo as a co-development partner in January 2023 to expand the Horizon universe. [3] It was previously rumored that the studio was working on a remake of Horizon Zero Dawn , which turned out to be false because the 2024 remaster was actually developed by Nixxes Software and Guerilla. [4] [5]

Game design and technology

According to Guerrilla, the studio initially designed the machines from the first game using Lego Duplo, and wanted to make a more light-hearted game after working on two Horizon games. It was The Lego Group that pitched the game to Guerilla as "We were all fans of Horizon" according to Kate Bryant, a project lead on Lego-branded games. [6] [7] The Lego Group felt that Horizon was a good choice for a video game project due to its vibrant visuals. [8] They were also drawn to Aloy as a character as she can "speak to that wide audience because she has that strength of character that can resonate with a younger audience". [6] Lego and Guerrilla previously collaborated for the release of the Lego Tallneck set in 2022. [9]

Lego Horizon Adventures was developed with Unreal Engine 5 and uses visual enhancements like ray traced lighting on PlayStation 5 and Windows versions. On PlayStation 5, Lego Horizon Adventures features fidelity and performance graphics modes at 30 and 60 frames per second respectively. The game does not include PlayStation 5 Pro Enhanced support. [10] According to narrative director James Windeler, Guerrilla wanted "wanted to create a playable Lego movie in terms of the visual quality". [11] The game uses a fixed camera that was in all Lego games before Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga (2022). [11] Environments in the game are made entirely out of Lego bricks rather than only being limited to Lego pieces that the player interacts with. As a result, the game's environments can be built with real Lego bricks at home. [12]

Narrative

Ashly Burch returns to voice Aloy. Ashly Burch (14703225936).jpg
Ashly Burch returns to voice Aloy.

Lego Horizon Adventures retells the story of Horizon Zero Dawn in an upbeat and family-friendly way, with the team significantly downplaying its apocalyptic story while focusing on its environmental messages and Aloy's connections with her family and friends. [2] The Lego Movie inspired the game's visuals and animation, with the characters in the game moving in a way similar to those found in a stop motion animation film. Narrative director James Windeler also added that all of the assets found in the game were "built from an individual [Lego] brick". [8] [13] The goal for the studio was to make the franchise "approachable" to newcomers, offering both slapstick humor typically found in Lego games and self-referential comedy found in the films. [14]

Most of the original voice cast from Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Forbidden West return for Lego Horizon Adventures. The cast includes Ashly Burch as Aloy, JB Blanc as Rost, John Macmillan as Varl and John Hopkins as Erend. In October 2024, it was confirmed that Sylens had been recast following the death of his voice actor Lance Reddick in March 2023. [15] Tim Russ was revealed to be taking on the role of Sylens the following month. [16] Russ had previously voiced Jetakka, a member of the Tenakth tribe, in Horizon Forbidden West who Aloy encounters during side quests. [17]

Marketing and release

Lego Horizon Adventures was announced for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and Windows in June 2024 at Summer Game Fest. [18]

On September 24, 2024, Lego Horizon Adventures was announced to be releasing on November 14, 2024. [19] The game's release date had previously been listed by accident on the PlayStation website in August. [20] The game will be the first game featuring a Sony PlayStation IP to come to a Nintendo console since Return to PopoloCrois in 2015. [21] Sony released the game on Switch to target a "family-friendly audience and a younger audience". [22]

The digital deluxe edition of Lego Horizon Adventures includes three additional Aloy outfits, Ratchet and Rivet outfits from Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (2021), and Sackboy from LittleBigPlanet . [23]

Reception

Lego Horizon Adventures received "mixed or average" reviews from critics, according to the review aggregator website Metacritic. [24] OpenCritic determined that 51% of critics recommended the game. [25]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sony Interactive Entertainment</span> Sonys video game division

Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (SIE) is a Japanese-American video game and digital entertainment company that is a subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation. It primarily operates the PlayStation brand of video game consoles and products. It is also the world's largest company in the video game industry based on its equity investments.

1998 saw many sequels and prequels in video games, such as F-Zero X, Marvel vs. Capcom, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Resident Evil 2, Metal Gear Solid, Glover, Crash Bandicoot: Warped, Street Fighter Alpha 3, Gex: Enter the Gecko, Fallout 2, Return to Krondor and Tomb Raider III, along with new titles such as Banjo-Kazooie, Half-Life, MediEvil, Radiant Silvergun, Spyro the Dragon, StarCraft and Xenogears.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guerrilla Games</span> Dutch video game developer

Guerrilla B.V. is a Dutch first-party video game developer based in Amsterdam and part of PlayStation Studios. The company was founded as Lost Boys Games in January 2000 through the merger of three smaller development studios as a subsidiary of multimedia conglomerate company Lost Boys. Lost Boys Games became independent the following year and was acquired by Media Republic in 2003, renaming the studio to Guerrilla Games before being purchased by Sony Computer Entertainment in 2005. As of June 2021, the company employs 360 people under the leadership of joint studio directors Jan-Bart van Beek, Joel Eschler and Hella Schmidt. It is best known for the Killzone and Horizon game series.

<i>Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy</i> 2006 video game

Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy is a 2006 Lego-themed action-adventure game developed by Traveller's Tales and published by LucasArts and TT Games Publishing. It was released on 11 September 2006. Part of the Lego Star Wars series, it is based on the Star Wars science fiction media franchise and Lego Group's Lego Star Wars construction toy line. It follows the events of the Star Wars films A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. The game allows players to assume the roles of over 50 Lego versions of characters from the film series; customized characters can also be created. Camera movement was improved from its predecessor Lego Star Wars: The Video Game and the concept of "vehicle levels" was explored more thoroughly. The game was revealed at American International Toy Fair. Promotions for the game were set up at chain stores across the United States.

<i>Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures</i> 2008 video game

Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures is a 2008 Lego-themed action-adventure game developed by Traveller's Tales and published by LucasArts. Based on the Indiana Jones franchise and the eponymous Lego Indiana Jones toy line, it follows the events of the first three Indiana Jones films: Raiders of the Lost Ark, Temple of Doom, and the Last Crusade. The game includes local co-op mode gameplay as well as puzzle and platformer aspects, and 84 playable characters with a variety of special abilities. As the players go through the stages, they collect Studs, the currency of Lego games, avoid traps, assemble Lego constructions, and engage in combat. Climbing, swinging, and throwing objects as weapons were new inclusions that did not appear in previous Lego video games by Traveller's Tales.

Bluepoint Games Inc. is an American video game developer based in Austin, Texas. Founded in 2006 by Andy O'Neil and Marco Thrush, the studio is known for video game remasters and remakes, such as Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection (2015), Shadow of the Colossus (2018), and Demon's Souls (2020). Sony Interactive Entertainment acquired the company in September 2021, making them a first-party developer for PlayStation Studios.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PlayStation Studios</span> Group of video game developers owned by Sony Interactive Entertainment

PlayStation Studios is a division of Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) that oversees the video game development at the studios owned by SIE. The division was established as SCE Worldwide Studios in September 2005 and rebranded as PlayStation Studios in 2020.

<i>Horizon Zero Dawn</i> 2017 video game

Horizon Zero Dawn is a 2017 action role-playing game developed by Guerrilla Games and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. The game was released for PlayStation 4 in 2017 and Windows in 2020. As the first game of the Horizon video game series, the game follows Aloy, a young hunter in a world overrun by machines, who sets out to uncover her past. The player uses ranged weapons, a spear, and stealth to combat mechanical creatures and other enemy forces. A skill tree provides the player with new abilities and bonuses. The player can explore the open world to discover locations and take on side quests.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Decima (game engine)</span> Video game engine

Decima is a proprietary game engine made by Guerrilla Games and released in November 2013, that includes tools and features like artificial intelligence and game physics. It is compatible with 4K resolution and high-dynamic-range imaging, used for games on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Microsoft Windows, macOS, iOS, iPadOS and Xbox Series X/S.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aloy</span> Protagonist of the Horizon video games

Aloy is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the video game series Horizon. In the games' post-apocalyptic tribal setting, she is born in 3021, raised as an outcast, and trains as a warrior in order to win a ritual competition to discover her mother's identity. After narrowly evading an assassination attempt, she embarks on a journey to stop a cult that worships an artificial intelligence bent on the world's destruction, while also hunting zoomorphic robots that have grown hostile to humans. She has been critically praised for her design and characterization. She is voiced by American voice actress Ashly Burch and modeled after Dutch actress Hannah Hoekstra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PlayStation 5</span> Sonys fifth home video game console

The PlayStation 5 (PS5) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It was announced as the successor to the PlayStation 4 in April 2019, was launched on November 12, 2020, in Australia, Japan, New Zealand, North America, and South Korea, and was released worldwide a week later. The PS5 is part of the ninth generation of video game consoles, along with Microsoft's Xbox Series X/S consoles, which were released in the same month.

PlayStation Productions, LLC is an American production company owned by Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE). The company adapts SIE's video game franchises into films and television shows. Its adaptations so far include the films Uncharted (2022) and Gran Turismo (2023) and television series The Last of Us (2023–present) and Twisted Metal (2023–present).

In the video game industry, 2021 saw the release of many new titles. The numerous delays in software and hardware releases due to the continuation of the COVID-19 pandemic heavily impacted development schedules, leading to several games being delayed into 2022 or even postponed indefinitely. Additionally, computer and console hardware were impacted by the combined effects of a semiconductor shortage and a rising growth of bitcoin mining that strained the supply of critical components.

<i>Horizon Forbidden West</i> 2022 video game

Horizon Forbidden West is a 2022 action role-playing game developed by Guerrilla Games and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. The sequel to Horizon Zero Dawn (2017), the game is set in a post-apocalyptic version of the Western United States, recovering from the aftermath of an extinction event caused by a rogue robot swarm. The player, assuming control of Aloy, must venture into the Forbidden West to find the source of a mysterious plague that kills all it infects. The player can explore the open world and complete quests using ranged and melee weapons against machine creatures and hostile rebels. Forbidden West introduced new gameplay mechanics to the franchise, such as new traversal tools, underwater exploration, and expanded melee combat.

<i>Kena: Bridge of Spirits</i> 2021 video game

Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a 2021 action-adventure video game developed and published by Ember Lab. The story follows Kena, a young spirit guide who uses her magical abilities to help deceased people move from the physical to the spirit world. The game is presented through a third-person perspective. The player uses Kena's staff for attacking enemies, and her pulse ability for defending against attacks. They are tasked with collecting small spirit companions known as the Rot, who help to complete tasks and battle against enemies.

<i>Stray</i> (video game) 2022 video game

Stray is a 2022 adventure game developed by BlueTwelve Studio and published by Annapurna Interactive. The story follows a stray cat who falls into a walled city populated by robots, machines, and mutant bacteria, and sets out to return to the surface with the help of a drone companion, B-12. The game is presented through a third-person perspective. The player traverses the game world by leaping across platforms and climbing up obstacles, and can interact with the environment to open new paths. Using B-12, they can store items found throughout the world and hack into technology to solve puzzles. Throughout the game, the player must evade the antagonistic Zurks and Sentinels, which attempt to kill them.

Horizon is a science fiction action role-playing game series developed by Guerrilla Games and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Microsoft Windows. The series follows the adventures of Aloy, a young huntress living in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by zoomorphic robots.

<i>Horizon Call of the Mountain</i> 2023 video game

Horizon Call of the Mountain is a 2023 action-adventure video game developed by Guerrilla Games and Firesprite, and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment for the PlayStation 5. Part of the Horizon series, the game was released as a launch title for the PlayStation VR2 virtual reality headset on 22 February 2023.

<i>Lego 2K Drive</i> Lego-based racing game

Lego 2K Drive is a Lego-based cart racing game developed by Visual Concepts and published by 2K. It was released on May 19, 2023, for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. The game received mixed reviews from critics, who praised the gameplay while criticizing the live-service nature of the title.

References

  1. ↑ Robinson, Andy (June 13, 2024). "Lego Horizon Adventures Was One of Summer Game Fest's Most Pleasant Surprises". Video Games Chronicle . Archived from the original on July 10, 2024. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  2. 1 2 Delaney, Mark (June 12, 2024). "Lego Horizon Adventures Isn't Your Typical Lego Game". GameSpot . Archived from the original on June 27, 2024. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  3. ↑ Kerr, Chris (January 27, 2023). "Guerrilla enlists Studio Gobo to help co-develop Horizon franchise". Game Developer . Archived from the original on July 10, 2024. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  4. ↑ Hakim, Luqman (January 3, 2023). "Horizon Zero Dawn Remake for PS5 to be Developed by Different Studio, Claims Insider". IGN. Archived from the original on July 10, 2024. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  5. ↑ "Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered Coming to PlayStation and PC on 31 October". www.guerrilla-games.com. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
  6. 1 2 Park, Gene (October 21, 2024). "'Lego Horizon Adventures' is the all-ages crossover of Sony's dreams". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
  7. ↑ Barker, Sammy (October 22, 2024). "LEGO Pitched the Brilliant LEGO Horizon Adventures to Sony". Push Square. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
  8. 1 2 Valentine, Rebekah (June 13, 2024). "Everything in LEGO Horizon Adventures Could Be Built Out of Physical LEGO Sets". IGN. Archived from the original on July 10, 2024. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  9. ↑ Dornbush, Jonathan (August 24, 2022). "LEGO's Horizon Tallneck Set Is Impressively Tall and Fun to Build". IGN. Archived from the original on June 8, 2024. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  10. ↑ Kennedy, Victoria (November 13, 2024). "Lego Horizon Adventures has no PS5 Pro Enhanced features at launch". Eurogamer. Retrieved November 13, 2024.
  11. 1 2 Delaney, Mark (June 12, 2024). "Lego Horizon Adventures Isn't Your Typical Lego Game". GameSpot. Retrieved November 13, 2024.
  12. ↑ Bonthuys, Darryn (November 12, 2024). "Everything In Lego Horizon Adventures Is Buildable In Real Life, If You Have Enough Bricks". GameSpot. Retrieved November 13, 2024.
  13. ↑ Jones, Ali (June 13, 2024). "Lego Horizon Adventures isn't the crossover I ever expected, but it works incredibly well". GamesRadar . Archived from the original on July 10, 2024. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  14. ↑ Tapsell, Chris (June 12, 2024). "Lego Horizon Adventures is a perfect match - a breezy, light-hearted approach the series has perhaps always needed". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on June 22, 2024. Retrieved June 22, 2024.
  15. ↑ Dinsdale, Ryan (October 21, 2024). "Lego Horizon Adventures Recasts Lance Reddick's Character Sylens". IGN. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
  16. ↑ Middler, Jordan (November 13, 2024). "Lego Horizon Adventures Sylens voice actor revealed following Lance Reddick's passing". Video Games Chronicle. Retrieved November 13, 2024.
  17. ↑ Croft, Liam (November 13, 2024). "Star Trek Actor Voices Sylens in LEGO Horizon Adventures". Push Square. Retrieved November 13, 2024.
  18. ↑ LeBlanc, Wesley (June 7, 2024). "PlayStation Reveals Lego Horizon Adventures, Coming To PS5, Switch, And PC This Holiday". Game Informer. Archived from the original on July 10, 2024. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  19. ↑ de Vries, Bo (September 24, 2024). "LEGO Horizon Adventures launches November 14, Digital Deluxe Edition detailed". PlayStation Blog. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  20. ↑ Tailby, Stephen (August 27, 2024). "Sony Itself May Have Leaked LEGO Horizon Adventures' Release Date on PS5". Push Square. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  21. ↑ Sleeper, Morgan (February 19, 2016). "Interview: PopoloCrois Creator Yohsuke Tamori on Return to PopoloCrois: A Story of Seasons Fairytale". Nintendo Life. Retrieved November 13, 2024.
  22. ↑ Tolbert, Samuel (July 4, 2024). "PlayStation responds on why it's bringing Lego Horizon Adventures to Nintendo Switch but not Xbox". Windows Central. Archived from the original on July 10, 2024. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  23. ↑ Tailby, Stephen (September 24, 2024). "LEGO Horizon Adventures Builds the Hype for November Release on PS5". Push Square. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  24. 1 2 "LEGO Horizon Adventures (PlayStation 5 Critic Reviews)". Metacritic . Retrieved November 18, 2024.
  25. 1 2 "Lego Horizon Adventures Reviews". OpenCritic . Retrieved November 18, 2024.
  26. ↑ Mills, Steven (November 13, 2024). "Review: Lego Horizon Adventures". Destructoid . Retrieved November 18, 2024.
  27. ↑ Colantonio, Giovanni (November 13, 2024). "Lego Horizon Adventures review: Sony's mash-up is an odd but charming fit". Digital Trends . Retrieved November 18, 2024.
  28. ↑ Castle, Katharine (November 13, 2024). "Lego Horizon Adventures review — a hyperactive minifig tour of Zero Dawn that completely misses the point". Eurogamer . Retrieved November 18, 2024.
  29. ↑ Delaney, Mark (November 13, 2024). "Lego Horizon Adventures Review — For Buildin' Jest". GameSpot . Retrieved November 18, 2024.
  30. ↑ Towell, Justin (November 13, 2024). "Lego Horizon Adventures review: "Brilliantly rebuilds this PlayStation icon"". GamesRadar+ . Retrieved November 18, 2024.
  31. ↑ Dunsmore, Kevin (November 13, 2024). "Review: LEGO Horizon Adventures". Hardcore Gamer. Retrieved November 18, 2024.
  32. ↑ Griffin, Jada (November 13, 2024). "Lego Horizon Adventures Review". IGN . Retrieved November 18, 2024.
  33. ↑ Reynolds, Ollie (November 13, 2024). "LEGO Horizon Adventures Review (Switch)". Nintendo Life . Retrieved November 18, 2024.
  34. ↑ Beaumont, Mark (November 13, 2024). "'Lego Horizon Adventures' review: the crossover no one asked for". NME . Retrieved November 18, 2024.
  35. ↑ Parker, Lewis (November 13, 2024). "LEGO Horizon Adventures Review". PC Gamer . Retrieved November 18, 2024.
  36. ↑ Minor, Jordan; Cuevas, Zackery (November 13, 2024). "Lego Horizon Adventures Review". PCMag . Retrieved November 18, 2024.
  37. ↑ Tailby, Stephen (November 13, 2024). "LEGO Horizon Adventures Review (PS5)". Push Square . Retrieved November 18, 2024.
  38. ↑ Thwaites, Sarah (November 13, 2024). "Lego Horizon Adventures review: A gorgeous, family-friendly adventure that lacks depth". TechRadar . Retrieved November 18, 2024.
  39. ↑ Middler, Jordan (November 13, 2024). "Lego Horizon Adventures Review: A charming, if simple, family adventure". Video Games Chronicle . Retrieved November 18, 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.