When 2K signed a take care of Lego for Lego 2K Drive, it positively piqued my curiosity. Forza Horizon 4’s Lego enlargement was enjoyable sufficient, and there may be a lot potential with Lego normally. As a multi-platform title, I used to be involved about how it could maintain up on the Swap. Now there’s been a while to drive round Bricklandia; it’s given me lots to carry you for this evaluation.
You’re a rookie racer in Bricklandia, a bizarre mish-mash of some Lego buildings and surroundings, outsized real-world gadgets and loads of non-Lego world. Racing professional, Clutch Racington takes you beneath his wing to arrange you for the distinguished Sky Cup. There’s additionally the notably evil racer, Shadow Z, who desires to win at any price, so long as he doesn’t should do an excessive amount of work to do it.
From the start, the sport intends to invoke the fashion of The Lego Film and the final vibe. Between the stop-animation look of the minifigs, whereas additionally making an attempt to seize that ‘all the pieces is superior’ attraction and goofy humour. The profession mode cutscenes with Shadow Z are the closest factor the sport has to laughs or at the least chuckles.
Lego 2K Drive is a considerably open-world racer, with 4 areas throughout Bricklandia to go wild in. Certainly one of them is Turbo Acres, the beginning space the place you get a really feel for dealing with the three completely different car modes. Initially, I believed the world opened up extra as you progress, however they’re separate areas. With Turbo Acres being a smallish beginning space (nonetheless stuffed with actions), there are 3 full areas to discover. Large Butte County and Prospecto Valley are completely different sufficient from one another. One is out within the rocky and dusty desert, and the opposite is roofed with grass. In comparison with the final space Hauntsborough, which is darkish and spooky, the opposite two giant areas mix collectively and really feel considerably interchangeable.
In Lego 2K, you’ll not solely be racing in your automobile but in addition have an off-road car and a ship for when the race goes all the way down to the river. Your car will swap between the three settings relying in your floor; nonetheless, if you happen to get sick of speedy transformations between highway and off-road on the slightest change, you can too set off the swap with a button.
One of many huge options of Lego 2K Drive is which you can construct your personal automobiles, identical to you’d construct them with precise Lego, and you may make them as goofy as you want. Be conscious that you simply gained’t have entry to each Lego piece, you’ll want the sport’s forex, Brickbux, to unlock some, and others may be earned. I didn’t spend a lot time within the storage constructing; the pre-made automobiles have been sufficient. It didn’t really feel like there was a lot level going all out on a design which may wind up underpowered and left behind. Don’t get me improper, there might be extra prepared gamers who will love constructing their very own Lego automobiles.
The driving right here may very well be divisive; it actually manages two extremes. On the one hand, it feels floaty typically, with drifting feeling significantly weightless. Then once you hit the handbrake, your car can all of the sudden activate a dime in a means that permits for tremendous sharp turns. As your vehicles are made out of Lego, any injury they take will knock items off, lose sufficient, and it’ll explode. Nonetheless, smash by way of Lego objects, and you’ll regain some items and preserve going. Don’t rely on there all the time being loads of Lego to smash into.
This brings me to one thing that bugged me the entire recreation, there’s nowhere close to sufficient Lego for a Lego recreation. I get it, it’s not like all the different Lego video games are purely made out of Lego items, however these video games by no means felt prefer it was incidental that there’s Lego concerned. One good contact is that throughout the areas are giant real-world gadgets like there’s a bigger actual world on the market, ala The Lego Film. In the end it wouldn’t be the identical recreation with out the Lego, particularly the car constructing, however they simply don’t push the fashion sufficient.
The sport’s completely different areas are stuffed with issues to do, whether or not it’s actions or races. To progress and unlock extra races, you’ll need to be taking over each exercise you come throughout. There are a number of factors the place the story can solely progress when you get your stage up. At this stage, all you are able to do is re-race and do each exercise you come throughout. There are enjoyable bonus actions, like seeing how far you may soar off a ramp and tower defence. The extra the sport asks you to try this isn’t racing, the extra tedious the actions get. I used to be frightened I used to be being a celebration pooper about this, however I can’t think about any viewers who would get pleasure from a number of the challenges right here.
Essentially the most direct comparability to a different racer could be Forza Horizon, and the Drive 2K takes loads of inspiration from that recreation. Identical to with Horizon, there may be loads of easy pleasure in smashing by way of the surroundings; in reality, it’s inspired to assist regain car well being and enhance. Whereas there are numerous actions to participate in and collectibles to search out, it by no means fairly scratches the identical Forza Horizon itch. On the finish of the day, it’s not a Forza recreation, and the audience is probably going just a little completely different too.
Between the separated and not-so-expansive areas and the race necessities, the world feels extra restrictive than the sport lets on. That’s to not say there’s not loads of enjoyable cruising round these completely different themed areas; it’s going to come all the way down to how a lot you need to participate in physics challenges, checkpoint racing or tower defence fashion challenges. For individuals who need probably the most worth out of their video games and measure that with playtime and the variety of collectables and facet missions, you’ll be more than pleased with how a lot Lego 2K Drive has, with alerts popping up in every single place to the close by challenges. For those who’re centered on some open highway exploring and races, there may be nonetheless sufficient of that, however if you wish to get to all of the races and end the story facet of the sport, then you definately’ll want to interact with some extra annoying facet missions alongside the way in which or replay a few of these races.
I’ve struggled with Lego 2K Drive, as the sport is equally fulfilling and irritating. Whereas the driving can really feel effectively achieved, what does it matter when the CPU racers are rubberbanding, and irrespective of how effectively you do, they’re overtaking the second you’re not boosting. For those who’re into racing video games, there are a bunch of distinct tracks, however the actions and XP required to lift your racing stage can carry the sport to a grinding halt. It won’t be as a lot of a difficulty if you happen to’re attempting to tackle each problem that comes your means, however even after doing loads of them, it gained’t be sufficient XP to progress. There’s one specific stretch later within the story the place I used to be caught having to search out any exercise to eke some extra XP from. After I hit this level, if I wasn’t reviewing the sport, I probably would’ve deserted it there after which.
If you would like a break from racing solo, there are some multiplayer choices. You’ll be able to race Cup Collection races or the opposite tracks in ‘Races’ on-line or domestically. There’s additionally split-screen multiplayer if you happen to don’t have one other Swap round. I had little luck getting an internet recreation, the Swap model lacks cross-play with the opposite consoles, nor are you able to drive round Bricklandia with your pals.
The Swap model of Lego 2K Drive gained’t be a shock that it doesn’t look or run in addition to its current-gen brethren. The visuals are smudgy, with the world trying naked with heavy pop-in. The framerate is appropriate sufficient, relying on how you’re feeling about 30 FPS. Nonetheless, as soon as once more, if you happen to’re getting this model anticipating the efficiency from the newest consoles on the standard Swap {hardware}, you’ll be disillusioned. There are moments when it appears to be like fairly first rate, though they’re rapidly changed with low-resolution cutscenes to carry you again to earth. In the end the sport is playable on the Swap, most children might be much less fussed in regards to the visible high quality, however for the extra discerning, you’ll have lots to discern.
As with too many video games, Lego 2K Drive has a Drive Move with 4 seasons deliberate between 2023 and 2024. You should buy them individually or in a Yr Drive Move, which will provide you with some additional cash that can be utilized to purchase Brickbux and an extra car. The primary season began in late June; the free model has a few quarter of the rewards the paid cross has. Just like the paid cross, there isn’t a time restrict, so you may take your time. In case you are prepared to pay for the premium, there’s a first rate quantity of real-world automobiles and different gadgets that will in any other case contain IAP. It won’t be as enjoyable if you happen to hopped into the sport earlier than the cross launched, as all of your progress wouldn’t have helped increase the passes ranges too. The cross is unquestionably extra palatable than the precise IAP retailer.
Nobody might be shocked to listen to that Lego 2K Drive has a retailer encouraging buying in-game forex to unlock extra automobiles, racers and even Lego items. You employ the sport’s forex of Brickbux, which can also be distributed for finishing races, challenges or assembly new rivals. After beating the ultimate races and profitable the Sky Cup, I had sufficient bux to buy possibly a racer and one car with tremendous excessive racing stats and a few change leftover. Everybody’s expertise might be completely different however don’t anticipate to go wild with the purchases except you get some additional real-world bucks. It already feels gross that for a recreation the place you may construct your personal car, you may’t even make primary customisation to your personal minifig to allow them to cost you for them. On prime of that, it feels just a little additional gross having it in a recreation that’s focused for youthful audiences. Whilst you can simply full the story and challenges with out spending a cent, it doesn’t imply they gained’t strive.
Lego 2K Drive is okay for a semi-open-world racing recreation. It’s a recreation with a good few faults, so all of it actually comes all the way down to how a lot you need a racer like this in your Swap. The opposite model will look and run higher, however if you would like a Lego-themed racer on the Swap, this can do.
Ranking: 3/5