LEGO Bricktales, the puzzle game from developer, ClockStone STUDIO, and publisher, Thunderful Publishing AB, was first released to gamers for console and PC on October 12, 2022. The adventure tells the story of a grandson who is helping his grandfather, an inventor, save a very broken amusement park. The title was mostly a critical success, and five months later LEGO Bricktales released to mobile devices.
Now, the creators behind the game have successfully brought their world to VR, through Meta Quest 2, Quest 3, and Quest Pro. LEGO Bricktales utilizes mixed reality so players can experience the adventure surrounded by their physical environment.
Although Quest 2 does not support color passthrough, meaning your surroundings will be in black and white, it should still be an enjoyable time no matter which headset you use. In fact, players should note that they will have the option to choose whether they want to play in VR or mixed reality, depending on their preference.
In many ways, LEGO Bricktales is not the most original adventure game out there, especially coming from a franchise that has a formula it likes to keep. That said, it is a solid entry in the world of VR and the perfect family game to have around this holiday season.
VR Feels Like the True Destiny For LEGO Bricktales
If you have played any version of LEGO Bricktales prior to its VR debut, then you know how the story plays out. Essentially you will be traveling to five different locations and taking part in various helpful tasks. When you complete the missions for each section, you are then given a prompt to rebuild one of the amusement park rides. The five destinations are: a jungle, desert, castle, city, and island, each with their own unique challenges and corresponding abilities.
While progression through these diverse LEGO sets is fun, what makes this game really shine is not the story, but the way it feels in VR. Not only are the colors vibrant and the locations intricately crafted, a virtual LEGO set that can placed right on your living room table just makes sense. Finally, with the help of Meta Quest, players can experience elaborate builds without having to spend hundreds of dollars.
The story is simple and the characters are not incredibly dynamic, but these are not necessities in the world of LEGO. What really counts are the fluid gameplay mechanics, where building something feels right and the possibilities are limitless.
One of my favorite parts of the game was working on puzzles and finding the right perspective to ensure a structure or object would not break. While one side of a bridge may look perfectly fine, when you flip the map, you might discover significant flaws in your brick choices. And even though there will probably be times when LEGO Bricktales frustrates you by refusing to allow your designs to pass muster, there is a sense of accomplishment when you finally do solve the challenge.
I only had very few negatives when it came to my playthrough. Aside from wanting a more compelling narrative, my biggest complaint is that traversal is relatively slow. When you have a world view of everything in the game, it is slightly annoying to have to wait on your character to reach the other side of a set. This limitation is comparable to games where you have to follow an NPC to a quest, but there is no ability to run.
The game is also not the most helpful if a player gets stuck on a particular challenge. While I never ran into any problems, if the game had clue prompts I believe it might be more accommodating to an even younger audience. The silver lining to this issue is that in many ways the challenges are good enough to keep even an adult’s attention, and parents can help with difficult tasks.
Ultimately, LEGO Bricktales is an exciting entry in the LEGO franchise and a great setup for future installments in VR. It may not be a game of the year contender, or considered a video game masterpiece, but it absolutely does not need such a title. LEGO Bricktales is a comfy game with great features and it is certainly not something to ignore. Those familiar with the LEGO games should have a great time with this one, and it will likely inspire newcomers to the brick building brand we know and love.
LEGO Bricktales releases on December 7, 2023 and those who pre-order from Meta will receive an exclusive alien trooper outfit.
7/10
LEGO Bricktales was reviewed on Meta Quest 2 with a code provided by Plan of Attack.
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