Lego Horizon Adventures

Never underestimate the power of charm. That's what I've learned from Lego Horizon Adventures, the family-friendly version of Sony's big franchise hit. Superficially, it's the same story as its more mature sibling, only with the darker bits replaced with slapstick and jovial humor. But look beyond that, and you'll find Lego Horizon Adventures a wonderful exploration of how malleable this world is, and how well it translates into something that everyone can enjoy.

The adventure hits all the main beats of Aloy's adventure in the main series. Abandoned at birth, Aloy is raised by Rost; an outsider of the Nora clan in a post-apocalyptic future where monstrous robot animals roam the earth.

One day, the Nora are attacked by another clan, who kidnap villagers for their nefarious purposes. Undeterred by the outside world, Aloy sets off on a quest to save her people and to discover her past.

Despite the heavy undertones, Lego Horizon Adventures instantly sets the tone in a decidedly silly and more approachable style. Rost serves as narrator, and that means lots of fourth wall breaking asides, dad jokes, and assurances for younger players that, in the end, everyone is in on the gag. It's all very charming and often heartwarming, something that I didn't expect to this degree.

The gameplay loop is likewise geared at younger players, but it's no less fun for everyone else. Instead of a large open world, Aloy's adventure takes place in an isometric quasi-3D space, where everything is built from LEGO. That means our hero can build, break, and repurpose most things. Including outfits and buildings.

Levels are mostly contained, with only some open to any real exploration. Although even that's up for debate: Younger players will certainly enjoy the amount of stuff there is to find and do. Especially as the game opens up to reveal hundreds of costume alternatives to mess with.

Played solo, Lego Horizon Adventures can get a little stale and repetitive. Luckily, there's a terrific hop-in-hop-out co-op mode that is absolutely stellar. It's low-effort, easy to join, and never feels like an obstruction. In short, it's everything you'd want out of a good couch co-op experience.

Beyond that, Lego Horizon Adventures is exactly what you'd expect in both good and bad. It's a LEGO franchise title, which means that yes, you are sort of paying for one big advertisement for their future toys. But does that really matter? I don't think so. Not when the whole is this much fun. And I don't just say that because I bought the tallneck LEGO set, and it's sitting behind me on the bookshelf, looking all awesome.

Well, maybe just a little bit. But that's the power of these games. They're so charming, so fun, and so inclusive that you want them to be a part of your life. Even with their issues, it's the kind of wholesome comfort I can get behind.