Lego Horizon Adventures

Lego Horizon Adventures
The cover art for Lego Horizon Adventures. At the top is the game's logo. Below the logo are two Lego minifigures in the foreground with robotic dinosaurs behind them
Developers
PublisherSony Interactive Entertainment
Directors
  • Stéphane Varrault
  • Xu Xiaojun
ProducerAlexis Guariguata
Designers
  • Floris Kooij
  • Adam Russell
  • Alejandro Sanchez
  • Toño Gonzalez
ProgrammerJames Callin
Artists
  • Roy Postma
  • Paul Ayliffe
Writers
  • Emil Cholich
  • Laura Young
  • Lisa Witmond
ComposerHomay Schmitz
Series
EngineUnreal Engine 5
Platforms
Release14 November 2024
GenreAction-adventure
ModesSingle-player, multiplayer

Lego Horizon Adventures is a 2024 action-adventure game co-developed by Guerrilla Games and Studio Gobo in association with The Lego Group, and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It is a spin-off in the Horizon franchise and reinterprets the events of Horizon Zero Dawn (2017) in a Lego-themed environment. The game is played from a fixed isometric perspective and allows the player to control one of four protagonists—Aloy, Varl, Erend, or Teersa—as they battle a rogue artificial intelligence known as HADES, and a sun-worshipping cult led by Helis.

The gameplay features a mix of linear platforming and combat that incorporates the franchise's weak-point targeting system. Between missions, the player can customise their central hub village, Mother's Heart, by using studs and bricks to unlock decorations and outfits from various Lego properties. The game supports both local and online two-player co-operative multiplayer. Guerrilla and Studio Gobo designed the game to be a family-friendly adaptation of the original game's dark lore. It was built using Unreal Engine 5. The developers constructed every in-game asset from individual digital Lego bricks and animated the characters in a stop motion style. Several original voice actors from the Horizon series reprised their roles, including Ashly Burch as Aloy. The game was released for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and Windows on 14 November 2024.

Lego Horizon Adventures received mixed reviews from critics. Reviewers praised the game's visual presentation and vocal performances, but criticised its repetitive level design, simplistic mission structure, and lack of open world exploration. The game received several industry accolades, including a nomination for Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction at the 28th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards and four nominations at the 21st British Academy Games Awards.

Gameplay

A gameplay screenshot of a colourful environment built from Lego bricks. A minifigure character stands in a shallow blue pool surrounded by vegetation with hearts in the bottom left corner representing the player's health
A gameplay screenshot demonstrating the game's visual style, where characters and environments are rendered as physical Lego bricks

Lego Horizon Adventures is an action-adventure game played from a fixed isometric perspective.[1] The player takes control of one of four protagonists from the Horizon series: Aloy, who wields her bow; Varl, who uses a spear, Erend, who fights with a hammer, and Teersa, who throws explosive bombs.[2] The mission structures are largely linear. They consist of exploration segments, platforming sections within explorable mechanical ruins, and designated combat arenas where the player fights machines and human cultists.[3][4] Combat incorporates the weak-point targeting system from previous Horizon games. The player can highlight the components of machines, which allows them to deal more damage by shooting specific parts. The player can recover health during combat by consuming healing items gathered from berry bushes found throughout the arenas.[4] They can also use environmental hazards by picking up and throwing explosive barrels or shooting arrows through fire to deal elemental damage.[5] As the player defeats enemies, they earn experience points to level up the characters. The game features two types of skill trees for progression: a general tree that provides team-wide benefits and character-specific trees that increase maximum health and weapon damage.[3]

Between the linear missions, the player return to a central hub village. The player collects Lego studs and gold bricks by defeating enemies and completing levels, which serve as the primary currency for unlocking customisation options. The village also features a community job board that provides optional objectives for the player to complete during missions in exchange for extra rewards.[6] The player can personalise the village by constructing new buildings and adding various decorations. These customisation options include structures and outfits from other Lego properties, which include Ninjago. The protagonists can also be dressed in an array of unlockable costumes.[3]

The game offers scalable challenges for different skill levels and features multiple difficulty settings.[3] Lego Horizon Adventures supports two-player co-operative multiplayer, which becomes available shortly after the player completes the game's prologue. The co-operative mode works locally or online and uses a shared screen rather than split-screen. It also automatically teleports players together if one falls too far behind.[5]

Synopsis

The story follows Aloy, a young outcast and huntress raised in the wilderness by her mentor, Rost. She wants to find out the identity of her mother and her place in a world populated by animal-like machines. A sun-worshipping cult, led by Helis, interrupts her search when they attack her village. Helis works for a rogue artificial intelligence named HADES. HADES wants to activate ancient war machines to wipe out all life on Earth. During the initial attack, Rost sacrifices his life to save Aloy. The game treats his death lightly and Rost comes back to narrate the rest of the game.

Aloy leaves to stop the cult and recruits allies. They include Varl, a local warrior; Teersa, a village elder; and a fighter named Erend. A man named Sylens also contacts them. Sylens only appears as a hologram, but he has knowledge about the time before the apocalypse. He tells the group they need to recover three ancient metal flowers to stop HADES.

The group eventually finds the flowers and attacks the cult's main base. They defeat Helis and destroy HADES. Aloy then travels into an underground facility to learn about her past, where she discovers that she is a genetic clone of Elisabet Sobeck. Sobeck was a scientist who sacrificed herself to build a system that would restart life on Earth. Aloy views a hologram of Sobeck and gets the closure she wanted. She then goes back to her village to celebrate the victory with her allies.

Development

Lego Horizon Adventures was co-developed by Guerrilla Games and Studio Gobo, in association with The Lego Group.[1][7] The project originated when The Lego Group approached Guerrilla to pitch a video game collaboration.[7][8] The two companies had previously established a relationship after partnering to produce a physical Lego set in 2022.[9] The Lego Group was drawn to the Horizon franchise for an adaptation due to its concept of battling robotic dinosaurs and the family-friendly potential of Aloy.[7] Guerrilla publicly announced their co-development partnership with Studio Gobo in January 2023.[10] They sought out Studio Gobo for their background in developing games tailored for children.[8] The developers adapted the serious tone of Zero Dawn into a more playful, co-operative experience, and shifted the focus toward lighthearted humour.[11]

Design and animation

After working on the franchise for nearly a decade, developers at Guerrilla wanted to create something "whimsical and fun".[12][13] Guerrilla had a long-standing affinity for Lego and used Duplo blocks to prototype the original machine designs during the development of Horizon Zero Dawn (2017).[14] The game was built using Unreal Engine 5 and features visual enhancements, including updated reflections and virtual shadow maps.[15] Narrative director James Windeler revealed that Guerrilla aimed to create a "playable Lego movie" in terms of graphical fidelity.[16] The team chose to animate the characters using a stop motion style.[9][13] Every asset and environment was constructed entirely from individual digital Lego bricks, which meant all structure in the game could theoretically be recreated with real physical Lego sets.[9]

Writing and casting

A 24-year-old woman with dark hair and a green shirt looking to the left of the camera and holding a microphone
Ashly Burch (pictured in 2014) reprises her role as Aloy.

The writing team adapted Zero Dawn's story into an upbeat, family-friendly narrative.[16] Guerrilla hired contractor Mark Llabres Hill to help establish the game's comedic tone. Hill had previously worked on Sackboy: A Big Adventure (2020) and the Fable franchise.[14] The writers wanted to make the franchise approachable for newcomers by leaning into the slapstick humour characteristic of Lego video games and the self-referential comedy popularised by the Lego films.[13][14]

Guerrilla brought back several original voice actors from the Horizon series to reprise their roles for the spin-off, including Ashly Burch as Aloy, JB Blanc as Rost, John Macmillan as Varl, and John Hopkins as Erend.[17] Windeler commended the actors for fully embracing the comedic shift and stated that they brought a distinct "exuberance" to their roles.[1][14] Following the death of original Sylens actor Lance Reddick in March 2023, the character was recast.[17] Tim Russ, who had previously voiced the character Jetakka in Horizon Forbidden West (2022), took over the role of Sylens for the game.[18][19]

Release

Lego Horizon Adventures was announced for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and Windows during the Summer Game Fest showcase in June 2024.[20] Windeler explained that the Switch port aligned with their goal of reaching a broader audience. He added that the Switch's simple control scheme made it a "natural fit" for the project.[12] The game was released on 14 November 2024.[21] While Sony handled the primary publishing duties, the Canadian distributor Solutions 2 GO partnered with the company to distribute the physical retail editions of the game for the Switch.[22] Sony also offered a digital deluxe edition featuring additional cosmetic items. This included exclusive crossover outfits that allowed the player to dress the characters as Ratchet and Rivet from Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (2021) and Sackboy from the LittleBigPlanet series.[23] Following the game's launch, The Lego Group released a physical tie-in set featuring characters and machines from the game.[24]

Reception

Critical response

Lego Horizon Adventures received "mixed or average" reception according to the review aggregator website Metacritic,[36] while 54% of critics recommended the game according to OpenCritic.[28] The visual presentation was praised as the game's strongest asset.[3][6][30] Critics appreciated the environmental design.[3][30] The cast's vocal performances were well received. Reviewers felt that the light-hearted tone allowed the returning actors to experiment with their characters, with reviewers observing that Ashly Burch's energetic portrayal of Aloy provided a welcome contrast to her more serious performances in the mainline games.[1][5]

The adaptation of Zero Dawn's narrative garnered a divided response.[4][30][34][35] Several reviewers appreciated the family-friendly approach and felt that the writers successfully adapted the apocalyptic lore of the game into a more accessible adventure.[30][31][35] Reviewers also felt that the slapstick comedy suited the usual Lego style.[30][31] Other critics felt the comedic tone occasionally undermined the core themes of the source material.[4][32][34] Sarah Thwaites of TechRadar criticised the game's reliance on cutscenes to deliver pivotal lore moments and argued that the lack of interactivity did a disservice to the source material and made those moments feel less meaningful.[34]

Gameplay mechanics and level design were the primary sources of criticism. Reviewers praised the adaptation of the franchise's weak-point combat system and found that it remained engaging and accessible for younger audiences.[5][3][30] The overall mission structure was described as overly linear and repetitive.[5][3][6] Critics singled out a lack of the environmental puzzle-solving and character rosters that typically define the Lego video game formula. Jordan Minor and Zackery Cuevas of PCMag argued that the lack of open world exploration felt like a significant missed opportunity for a franchise defined by its environments.[33] Reviewers observed that this repetitive structure, alongside a hub village offering extensive cosmetic customisation but little substantial gameplay, hindered the game's long-term appeal.[6][29][34]

Accolades

Lego Horizon Adventures was nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction at the 28th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards.[37] The game also received four nominations at the 21st British Academy Games Awards in the Animation, British Game, Family, and Multiplayer categories.[38]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Robinson, Andy (13 June 2024). "Lego Horizon Adventures Was One of Summer Game Fest's Most Pleasant Surprises". Video Games Chronicle. Archived from the original on 10 July 2024. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
  2. ↑ O'Brien, Aidan (14 November 2024). "All Playable Characters and How to Switch Them in Lego Horizon Adventures". Shacknews. Archived from the original on 14 November 2024. Retrieved 2 June 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Griffin, Jada (13 November 2024). "Lego Horizon Adventures Review". IGN. Archived from the original on 17 November 2024. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Castle, Katharine (13 November 2024). "Lego Horizon Adventures Review — A Hyperactive Minifig Tour of Zero Dawn That Completely Misses the Point". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on 18 November 2024. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Delaney, Mark (13 November 2024). "Lego Horizon Adventures Review — For Buildin' Jest". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 15 November 2024. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Tailby, Stephen (13 November 2024). "Lego Horizon Adventures Review (PS5)". Push Square. Archived from the original on 17 November 2024. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  7. 1 2 3 Park, Gene (21 October 2024). "Lego Horizon Adventures Is the All-Ages Crossover of Sony's Dreams". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Archived from the original on 22 October 2024. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  8. 1 2 Barker, Sammy (22 October 2024). "Lego Pitched the Brilliant Lego Horizon Adventures to Sony". Push Square. Archived from the original on 15 November 2024. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  9. 1 2 3 Valentine, Rebekah (13 June 2024). "Everything in Lego Horizon Adventures Could Be Built Out of Physical LEGO Sets". IGN. Archived from the original on 10 July 2024. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
  10. ↑ Kerr, Chris (27 January 2023). "Guerrilla Enlists Studio Gobo to Help Co-Develop Horizon Franchise". Game Developer. Archived from the original on 10 July 2024. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
  11. ↑ van der Zanden, Anne (11 November 2024). "How Lego Horizon Adventures Was Built with Real Lego Bricks". PlayStation Blog. Archived from the original on 11 November 2024. Retrieved 27 April 2026.
  12. 1 2 Ivan, Tom (12 June 2024). "Guerrilla Says Lego Horizon Adventures and Nintendo Switch Were 'A Natural Fit'". Video Games Chronicle. Archived from the original on 12 June 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
  13. 1 2 3 Tapsell, Chris (12 June 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 22 June 2024. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  14. 1 2 3 4 Dring, Christopher (19 July 2024). "Making Horizon: Zero Dawn Suitable for Eight-Year-Olds". GamesIndustry.biz. Archived from the original on 19 July 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
  15. ↑ Judd, Will (20 June 2024). "DF Direct Nintendo's Games Showcase Impressed – Even Without Switch 2". Digital Foundry. Archived from the original on 7 November 2025. Retrieved 27 April 2026.
  16. 1 2 Delaney, Mark (12 June 2024). "Lego Horizon Adventures Isn't Your Typical Lego Game". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 27 June 2024. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  17. 1 2 Dinsdale, Ryan (21 October 2024). "Lego Horizon Adventures Recasts Lance Reddick's Character Sylens". IGN. Archived from the original on 13 November 2024. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  18. ↑ Middler, Jordan (13 November 2024). "Lego Horizon Adventures Sylens Voice Actor Revealed Following Lance Reddick's Passing". Video Games Chronicle. Archived from the original on 13 November 2024. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  19. ↑ Croft, Liam (13 November 2024). "Star Trek Actor Voices Sylens in Lego Horizon Adventures". Push Square. Archived from the original on 13 November 2024. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  20. ↑ LeBlanc, Wesley (7 June 2024). "PlayStation Reveals Lego Horizon Adventures, Coming to PS5, Switch, and PC This Holiday". Game Informer. ISSN 1067-6392. Archived from the original on 10 July 2024. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
  21. ↑ de Vries, Bo (24 September 2024). "Lego Horizon Adventures Launches November 14, Digital Deluxe Edition Detailed". PlayStation Blog. Archived from the original on 25 September 2024. Retrieved 25 September 2024.
  22. ↑ "Solutions 2 GO Announces Global Distribution Partnership with Sony Interactive Entertainment for Lego Horizon Adventures on Nintendo Switch" (Press release). Business Wire. 15 August 2024. Archived from the original on 15 August 2024. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
  23. ↑ Tailby, Stephen (24 September 2024). "Lego Horizon Adventures Builds the Hype for November Release on PS5". Push Square. Archived from the original on 24 September 2024. Retrieved 25 September 2024.
  24. ↑ Reed, Chris (18 November 2024). "Lego Horizon Adventures New Lego Set Is Up for Preorder". IGN. Archived from the original on 18 November 2024. Retrieved 14 March 2026.
  25. ↑ "Lego Horizon Adventures PlayStation 5 Critic Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on 22 July 2025. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  26. ↑ "Lego Horizon Adventures PC Critic Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on 28 November 2025. Retrieved 16 January 2026.
  27. ↑ "Lego Horizon Adventures Nintendo Switch Critic Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on 22 July 2025. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
  28. 1 2 "Lego Horizon Adventures Reviews". OpenCritic. 14 November 2024. Archived from the original on 20 February 2025. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  29. 1 2 Colantonio, Giovanni (13 November 2024). "Lego Horizon Adventures Review: Sony's Mash-Up Is an Odd but Charming Fit". Digital Trends. Archived from the original on 18 November 2024. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  30. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Towell, Justin (13 November 2024). "Lego Horizon Adventures Review: "Brilliantly Rebuilds This PlayStation Icon"". GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on 22 November 2024. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  31. 1 2 3 Reynolds, Ollie (13 November 2024). "Lego Horizon Adventures Review (Switch)". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on 18 November 2024. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  32. 1 2 Beaumont, Mark (13 November 2024). "Lego Horizon Adventures Review: The Crossover No One Asked for". NME. ISSN 0028-6362. Archived from the original on 17 November 2024. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  33. 1 2 Minor, Jordan; Cuevas, Zackery (13 November 2024). "Lego Horizon Adventures Review". PCMag. ISSN 0888-8507. Archived from the original on 26 November 2024. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  34. 1 2 3 4 5 Thwaites, Sarah (13 November 2024). "Lego Horizon Adventures Review: A Gorgeous, Family-Friendly Adventure That Lacks Depth". TechRadar. Archived from the original on 18 November 2024. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  35. 1 2 3 Middler, Jordan (13 November 2024). "Lego Horizon Adventures Review: A Charming, if Simple, Family Adventure". Video Games Chronicle. Archived from the original on 13 November 2024. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  36. ↑ "Lego Horizon Adventures". Metacritic. 14 November 2024. Archived from the original on 30 April 2026. Retrieved 29 April 2026.
  37. ↑ Welsh, Oli (10 January 2025). "Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Is a GOTY Front-Runner at the DICE Awards". Polygon. Archived from the original on 10 January 2025. Retrieved 11 January 2025.
  38. ↑ Fanelli, Jason; Wright, Steven T. (8 April 2025). "2025 BAFTA Games Awards: All Winners Revealed". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 4 March 2025. Retrieved 29 April 2026.
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