Lego Jurassic World
PlayStation 3
I have been a fan of the Lego video game franchise for years now, ever since I got my hands on the first edition of Lego Star Wars back in 2005. While I admit that not much has changed or evolved in the series since then, I still think the games are pretty fun to play.
For those of you who don't know, most of the Lego games follow the same basic format. You have your group of Lego characters. Their basic actions are punching and jumping. Different characters have different strengths. Some can jump higher, some can fix things that others can't, some have items like grappling hooks that are needed to advance in the level. Everyone in your party has his or her own specific function within the group. You can switch back and forth between your different members at any time to take advantage of these specific functions. And in fact you will need to do so in order to advance in the game.
Gameplay is very simple. You explore each level, running around smashing stuff and fighting enemies. You need to use your brain too, solving puzzles and finding ways to help your party mates through difficult situations. If you ever get stuck in a Lego game, chances are you just need to break something and reassemble the pieces it leaves behind. This will probably create the item you need to move on in the level.
Each title in the series tends to be pretty easy. You can die, but your character comes back to life an endless number of times. So you never have to worry about failing a level and having to start it over again. The games are all very kid friendly, meaning that if you are a veteran gamer, you probably will not be challenged much by any of these titles.
Each game, in addition to being easy - is also short. Where the Lego series keeps you playing is with all of the hidden items and collectibles scattered through each title. Beat the game, and you can go back and play any level over again. There are a number of unlockable characters that you can use when going back and playing old levels. And you can use these characters to reach new areas and discover new things that you couldn't before.
There is a surprising amount of content to go back and discover in each Lego game, but I don't think I have ever been dedicated enough to go back and finish any of them 100%.
So now that I have described every single Lego game ever made to you, I can tell you that Lego Jurassic World plays out exactly the same as every other title in the series. The gameplay is the same, the structure of the game is the same. If you have ever played a Lego game in your life, you should know what to expect when you pop in this game.
I am a rabid fan of anything Jurassic Park related, so it was a given that I was going to be checking this game out eventually. This game follows not only the events of the film Jurassic World, but of all four Jurassic Park movies in existence.
The game is funny from start to finish. Many of the famous scenes from the movie are recreated in Lego form, changed to make things more kid friendly and humorous rather than dark or scary. A lot of the ways they changed the scenes in this game were very clever, and done in an amusing and tasteful way so that fans of the source material are not put off. The look of the game is sharp. Take the world of Jurassic Park and recreate it using Legos, and this is pretty much what it would look like. Fellow Jurassic Park nerds should chuckle over some of the Lego representations of all the iconic characters.
The Jurassic Park series is known for its amazing musical score, and this score has been faithfully brought over to the game. I have nothing to complain about in this department, except that I thought that they could have chosen a better rendition of the Jurassic World theme to use here. But that's a minor complaint.
Voices have been added to Lego games in the past several years, which is really the only area in where the series has changed since its inception. The voices for the most part are great in this game, especially when some of the lines are delivered in a particularly comedic fashion. You'll encounter Ian Malcolm's laugh at a few different points in the game, and it never failed to make me chuckle. I guess my only complaint would be that some of the voices sound fuzzy, muffled, or out of sync with what is going on on-screen. That's because the quotes are pulled from the movies, and a lot of times the background music of the movie or the audio quality doesn't match what is going on in the game. But this is a minor flaw and I was able to forgive it for the most part.
My main reason for checking out Lego Jurassic World was to see if it was a fun and amusing game that did the movie series justice. And for the most part I think it did. As I mentioned earlier, Lego games have their limitations. They're short, they're easy. They seem to be more geared to a younger audience. And I knew that coming into this game. In fact, I have known that coming into the last several Lego games I have played. But although they are all mainly the same game rehashed over and over again, I still think they are a lot of fun.
Whether it is Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, or Jurassic Park, I always make sure to check out each game in the Lego series. I know what to expect as far as game play goes, but I like to see the Lego representations of the characters. I like to see the unique spins they put on the levels. I like the cut scenes and how they pay homage to all the classic moments from the movies' source material.
The source material gives each game a lot of personality and a lot of character. So while each game seems the same as far as its game play goes, they also feel distinctly different at the same time. That is what is keeping the series alive and keeping it popular. Most game franchises get harped on for not mixing up their formula every once in a while, but Lego has been getting away with doing the same thing for over 10 years now. True, there have been some minor changes or advancements made to the series from time to time, but I get the feeling that if I were to play the original Lego Star Wars right now, it would feel as if it could have been made today.
But this isn't a critique of the Lego series as a whole. I am here to tell you whether or not I enjoyed Lego Jurassic World. I did enjoy it. If you are sensing a "but" coming, you sensed correctly.
BUT don't expect anything radically different from any Lego game you have ever played in the past. This game is quick, its easy, and it offers the same things as far as unlockable characters and free play that lets you go back and explore old levels.
If you are like me and only like to play and beat the game's story mode, I would suggest not buying this game. It will be over before you know it. I merely rented the game, played it for a few days, and then sent it back. And that was fine with me. I had a nice time. No particular urge to play it again now that my curiosity has been sated. I have a feeling though that if I had bought it, I wouldn't have liked it as much. But I know better than to buy a Lego title, so there was never any fear of that happening.
My verdict: a fun game. A real treat for anyone who loves Jurassic Park. But it is a short treat, and the game itself doesn't do much to lift itself above the myriad of the other Lego titles out there. But it's worth a play through, especially if you are a fan of the JP series. Rent it if you can, but only buy it if you see it on sale for dirt cheap.
Overall:
C+
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