It’s been a patient wait for us console owners since Lego Worlds was announced as a Steam Early Access title way back in June 2015, its mad that it’s really been that long! But finally the wait is over, as Lego Worlds as now available on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Since 2011, the insanely popular Minecraft has dominated the sandbox/survival/crafting genre across a variety of platforms and it will most likely do so for quite some time. We’ve had countless clones and cheap knock-offs attempting to get a cut of the action in mostly failed attempts to be the next big game to crack this genre.
In truth, if we’re being honest, Minecraft is heavily influenced by Lego, taking the creative block building into the medium of videogames, so in that respect its taken Lego more than enough time to arrive and attempt to knock Minecraft from its throne. Only time will tell whether Lego Worlds will be able to go toe-to-toe with this giant, but if there was ever game that would have just the slightest of chance, then it has to be Lego Worlds, surely?
When you begin your adventure in Lego Worlds, you won’t be able to build your Lego kingdoms from the get go, as the game wisely eases you into its experience with a series of tutorial like missions. From here you will be gradually introduced to your most important tools that you will rely upon if you are to be a true Master Builder. The Landscape Tool will have you flatten and build landscapes and objects, with a variety of shapes and sizes. The Copy Tool will allow you to copy/scan objects which you’ll then be able to use within your creative world by adding them to your catalogue. The Build Tool allows you to well, build, whether it be large chunks of wall or by the individual brick and finally you have the Paint Tool, which does exactly what it says on the tin.
To acquire all of your tools and objects, you will have to travel from world to world, as each place you visit will have unique item. But before you can travel to each world, you’ll have to complete a series of missions that each planet has to offer, which will ultimately reward you with a Gold Brick and when you gather enough, you’re free to leave that said planet. By taking on these missions, not only will you be rewarded with a Gold Brick, but on occasion some very handy items will be added to your catalogue of resources. They’ll also be items hidden below the surface, so have your Landscape tool at the ready and be sure to be on the lookout for the all important mission markers. By allocating yourself time to explore each world as much as possible; this will certainly aid you in the long run.
You’ll have to prepare yourself for a lot of grinding in Lego Worlds. I’m several hours into the game and I’ve nowhere near unlocked the amount of items that has made me happy enough to even begin to build my own unique world (though I have been building structures). I don’t know exactly how long it would take me to get too that point of satisfaction, especially with my addiction to collecting just about everything in-game, but I know for sure that I am a long, long way off enough resources to feel satisfied. You must also be prepared to back-track a lot to previous planets, because as you level up, further Gold Brick missions will unlock.
You must also be prepared to learn a lot about the game. Not just how each tool or landscape would best benefit you, but also with how the game plays and feels. For example, just painting a side of the wall took me some getting used to as I’d overlap on to areas that I didn’t want to. Also, building walls brick by brick, flattening landscapes, elevating the ground or digging holes can feel a little fiddly as you simultaneously manoeuvre the camera. So you’ll not only have to give yourself ample to collect sufficient resources, but also get used to how the game feels. Be patient and in time you’ll no doubt become the Master Builder that the game intends you to be.
In some ways the mechanics of building the land kind of reminds me of the some of the software used during my University Degree, albeit at a more basic level. But I suppose in a similar way that Minecraft may have influenced youngsters into the world of games development, I suspect that Lego Worlds could even have a similar effect, especially those new to this genre and with a fondness to Lego, I mean, who doesn’t love Lego, no matter your age? This is why that I suggest being patient with the game, as it may all seem a little daunting and overwhelming at first, but as they say “patience is a virtue”… Apparently.
Fiddly camera work and menu navigation aside, if I was going to have a criticism with Lego Worlds, it would be with the excessive loading times. But in fairness, there is pretty much endless possibilities on each world, so there’s a lot of data to load up, just prepare yourself for a long wait as you venture to the next world. I also imagine that over time, much like Minecraft, the developers over at TT Games will update and fine-tune the experience. I’m not a fan of games releasing unfinished and being patched later. But with a game such as Lego Worlds, I feel that it’s a necessary step to take, especially as its left its Early Access stage on PC and evolved over on to console. I’ve not played Lego Worlds on PC, but going by the creative software that I used at Uni, the process would be far easier using Keyboard & Mouse, rather than a control pad.
If you’re a social hermit like me, you can play Lego Worlds on your lonesome with no interruptions or take your adventure online. Likewise, you can also visit other player’s worlds and if you prefer couch co-op, then Lego Worlds has that to offer as well. I’ve not dared let a random player into the early stages of my world yet, as I’d want to perfect it as much as possible. But further down the line, it’s an intriguing prospect to see what other players from across the world can come up with.
Whether Lego Worlds has what it takes to truly compete with the goliath that is Minecraft remains to be seen, if it is, then it’s not something that is going to happen overnight, it could be months, if not years until that happens. But during its early days, despite some minor teething issues, Lego Worlds has the potential and certainly the pedigree to develop and compete over time in its own right. So I for one cannot wait to see what the community comes up with as I expect to visit some unique and inspired worlds, and that potential alone, should be enough to excite the creative gamer within. This is your journey to finally becoming a Master Builder!