In case you weren’t already aware, my two girls and I love playing Lego video games. When we heard that Lego were going to release their own toys-to-life video game, I had my doubts about whether it was just an excuse to fleece parents out of more money. I mean nothing taints an experience more than a corporation taking more money from loyal fans. Don’t worry though, after securing a starter pack for Lego Dimensions, all this expensive cost does amount to one hell of game.
As most parents know, buying Lego sets for children can be an expensive habit. Now imagine what it would do to the cost if you had to factor in a video game and an NFC portal. A Lego Dimensions starter pack will set you back about £80.00, but if you or your child wanted every set plus the game at release, the total cost could rise to £350.00. In comparison to it’s competitors, the cost of those packs which can unlock new levels, amount to the same as a Disney Infinity play set or a new Skylanders SuperChargers (roughly £25.00), so you can’t really grumble when others are charging similar prices for additional content. There are cheaper sets, which are called fun packs, come in at £15.00. These sets are preferred as they come with one character and one vehicle, which gives you the ability to access the level hub for that particular character’s world.
When we first opened our Lego Dimensions box, I wasn’t expecting the portal, characters or vehicles to actually be made of Lego pieces. Whilst it’s all part of the game play to build the portal and various vehicles, my heart races every time I don’t see the girls put the bricks away safely after play. I know my children and wouldn’t be surprised if a few small pieces went astray over the years. I’m so tempted to just super glue (or kragel!) all the bits together, however, unfortunately, that’s likely to cause problems if the girls want to build another variant of the vehicles they already have. Not too worry though, the portal only detects the base of a character or vehicle, so even if pieces go astray over time, you can still play the game.
The same Lego gameplay exists in Dimensions compared to others, however, there’s definitely a learning curve with the newest feature, which involves the Dimensions portal. To say my girls and I became frustrated with the portal puzzle sections is an understatement. It seem that final boss fights have been replaced with these portal puzzles. Our frustrations lay with the on-screen instructions. There were too many instances where we’d read what needs to be done and still be scratching our heads. The majority of the time you can solve puzzles by moving characters around on the portal, so just be aware that you will need to sit close to the portal when playing the game.
The plot of Lego Dimensions is something to take an interest in, especially those who enjoyed The Lego Movie. Despite the lack of Star Wars, Marvel Superheroes and Pirates of the Caribbean (due these being Disney owned franchises), the kids will have a such a laugh getting to know the new (or old in some cases) franchises. Who’d have thought you’d see Homer Simpson driving the Bat mobile around emerald city (from the Wizard of Oz).
To be honest, there’s not one franchise that I’m disappointed with. You will be exploring worlds from DC Comics, Lord of the Rings, Lego Movie, Back to the Future, The Simpsons, Portal 2, Lego Ninjago, Doctor Who, The Wizard of Oz, Lego Chima, Jurassic World, Scooby-Doo, Ghostbusters and even one for Midway arcade games!
All these different worlds come together, as the game’s main villain (voiced by the talented Gary Oldman) is trying to take over the Lego universe. Players must then use their characters to recover 5 keystones throughout the various worlds in order to stop him.
Conclusion
Lego Dimensions might be the most expensive toys-to-life video game on the market, however, it’s totally worth the price of admission. Also, the story is pure gold from the writers, that’s entertaining for both the young and old audiences. I’m therefore sorry to say that Lego Dimensions is a great game. I hope parents that your bank accounts don’t take too much of a hit.
