Introduction
Basic information
Developer: TTgames
Full name: Lego Jurassic World
Release date: 2015
Released on: Nintendo Switch, Steam, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Android, Wii U, Nintendo 3DS, IOS, Xbox One, PlayStation Vita
Cross play: no
Genre: action adventure, collection
Additional information: This game only consists of four movies instead of all movies. It is extremely unlikely the last two will ever be added or a new Lego game will be released.
Initial thoughts
I am quite a fan of Lego games, but my wife even more. She has always loved the Lego series. She loves to get me to play co-op with her. Thus, I obliged since I fucking love dinosaurs! We played this game when it came out on Steam a long time ago, but now we wanted to review this game. Much like other Lego games, I expected many puzzles, having to collect other characters for solving puzzles and a lot of backtracking. Without further ado, let’s go join the dinosaurs!
Story and setting
Plot overview
The story of Lego Jurassic World follows the events of the four movies. It is your goal to play through all the movies, many of the scenes have been altered to ensure this game is safe for children as well. No one can die, it is just impossible to die for real in a Lego game. Many of the smaller scenes have been scrapped, but you will play out most of the key moments.
World building and immersion
This game excels at what a Lego game should do well. The attention to details for the environments is remarkable, and the scenes are recreated faithfully and the Lego elements add a nice humoristic touch. All while not breaking the immersion or world building that it did with the original movies.
Character development
Character development takes a back seat in this game to ensure the lighthearted touch that Lego games have put in place remains intact. This means it simply follows the key moments along with the characters they portray and how they grow. However, the quirks of each character are used for puzzle solving or the reasoning for their skills.
Emotional impact
While this is only a representation of the film’s without actually making any changes, except for having everyone survive, there is light suspense to how things pan out. Since no one actually dies, there is little to no emotional impact while playing this game.
Rating for story and setting
I have visited multiple aspects of the story and after some thought and objective thinking, I rated the story and setting with a 6.5
One of the biggest downsides of this game lowers this rating significantly, that is the two missing games. Next to that, it follows the key moments rather accurate, except for everyone surviving.
Gameplay and mechanics
Core gameplay mechanics
The core gameplay of Lego Jurassic World builds upon what previous games have established. Each movie is a hub, but the first time around you will just need to follow the story. The levels are filled with puzzles, other Lego characters to beat up, but most of all, teamwork. A lot is based on teamwork and can still be done when playing solo, but co-op is preferred. The first time you play through a level you are forced to use the characters that are used in the key parts of that movie.
After having played through the movie once, the hub becomes available to explore. However, to get some of the more difficult and rewarding items, you might need to unlock other characters or dinosaurs. Yes, dinosaurs are a playable breed in this game but in a limited fashion. Smaller dinosaurs can be summoned at will, bigger ones need a special platform, and to use them in the hub, you will need golden bricks.
Difficulty and balance
The difficulty and balance is well balanced as it has many puzzles suited for a younger audience. Your kids will be able to get through this game with a few hiccups. Despite that, completing the game completely might be more difficulty as some of these puzzles are more oriented towards an older audience. If you play the game from the first movie all the way to the last movie, you will realize the puzzles scale very well as they get slightly more difficult. There was no need to search online for solutions. The difficulty is as with most Lego games, easy.
Pacing of the game
The pacing of the game overlaps with the four movies that they portray. There are action segments that make up the story followed by puzzle scenes or battle scenes. The developer did an impressive job with converting these four movies into one big game that will take a long time to get 100%.
Innovation and uniqueness
By now the Lego formula for games is pretty well known even with the franchise slowing down at the time of release. There has not been a really new Lego game in a while. However, Lego Jurassic World tried to innovate by adding dinosaurs to the mix and also allowing you to make hybrid dinosaurs. However, the last portion of the game, mainly with the mosasaurus feels quite rushed.
Controls and user interface
The controls are slick and smooth. They are responsive and it all makes sense. Many of the characters have different skills, the agile Lego characters have a double jump which is easily to time. The user interface is very clean and does not clutter the screen.
Microtransactions
Microtransactions available: No
Rating
After combing through many of the mechanics, the pacing and other factors of this game, I rated the gameplay and mechanics with an 8.5.
This Lego game takes the formula to the next level and is balanced for young and old. It also has dinosaurs and I would have loved to give the game a higher rating, but it is moving two movies and the last part of this game is rushed.
Graphics and art style
Quality of graphics and art direction
The graphics follow the same Lego style that you would expect by now. Over the top ridiculous stuff that has you laughing or wondering how it is possible. They managed to capture the essence of Jurassic World perfectly by using vibrant colors and the aesthetic of Lego games.
Technical performances
There are little to no technical problems in this game, and it runs very smooth on the consoles we tested it on. There are barely any frame drops or hiccups, we had one crash in this game, but that was all and no progress was lost.
Environment and design uniqueness
The environment has been recreated in Lego, and it adds new twists and exploration possibilities. For everyone who has ever wanted to explore these islands, this Lego game offers just that. It is certainly unique to see four movies converted into Lego style!
Rating
It took me some time to give the graphics and art style an objective rating. There are many things to consider, but ultimately, I rated this section with a 9.0.
Sound and music
Music score and how it contributed to the game
The music takes on a Lego appearance as well while still being faithful to what made Jurassic Word the world it is. One of the most iconic soundtracks is also in this game. There are many soundtracks and the developer managed to fit them perfectly into the game. Without the soundtracks it would not be a complete game.
Sound effects quality
The sound effects are as crisp as they could be. To the roaring of dinosaurs that constitute a large part of the game, to the clinking of Lego blocks falling down. There is not really much to add to improve the sound effects quality.
Voice Acting
This game has an insane cast of voice actors, all clips from the original cast. Next to that, some actors have added new voice acting lines to ensure top notch quality for Lego Jurassic World.
Rating
After a lot of consideration, I rated the sound and music section with a 10.
There are an insane number of soundtracks in this game that are all fitted perfectly into the game. The quality is as crisp as can be, along with voice acting from great stars like Chris Pratt.
Multiplayer components
Online gameplay experience
Not applicable.
Replayability
Game Length and content volume
The original game is already quite some length, and it will take you some time to finish up. However, if you are willing to see every aspect of this game, then you will easily sink in over thirty hours to get 100% completion. This is also how we noticed that the last world is not as refined as the other worlds but still very fun to explore! There are secrets to discover, sick dinosaurs to cure, many characters to unlock and more.
Extra Content
This game does not offer real side quests or extra content except for exploring all the hubs to its fullest. There is also no new DLC, and it is unlikely to ever add the other two movies, which is sad, very sad.
Replay value
While it is fun to play the this game to its fullest, once you have completed this game for 100%, there is no chance you are going to do it all over again.
Rating
After thoughtful consideration, I decided to rate the replayability and game length of Lego Jurassic World with a 7.
While I think there is a lot of game to explore, and it might even take up to thirty hours to see the end of this game, there is almost no replay value.
Suggestions and comparisons
Suggestions and feedback
There are a few flaws in this game, for example the two missing movies. This is what truly brings the game down. A DLC with the last two movies could fix this huge glaring problem. There are other ways to improve upon this game. Most of the character skills are simple, these could be heavily expanded upon to give this game more gameplay depth.
Another great thing would have been if there was the ability to select difficulty for people looking for a challenge. Along with that, the enemy A.I. should be updated as they are quite dumb. If there would have been a more difficult mode, they should also add more punishment for dying instead of just losing some in game currency.
Comparisons
I am not going to name each Lego game to draw a comparison. However, two noteworthy things come to mind, the Lego Harry Potter series had a lot more fun and humorous twists to the plot. This was something I truly missed in Lego Jurassic World. There are many other Lego games like Lego Words, a large open world would be a great fun and this would perhaps add some replay value. Or add a mode where you can randomize some elements or levels. Chaos and mayhem abound, but also fun!
Personal experiences and anecdotes
There were plenty of fun experiences, like exploring while you are a T-Rex, or a hybrid velociraptor. Knowing the films by heart now, it was also fun to see them again in the Lego format. I did miss the last movies, but all in all, it was a great co-op game with some frozen velociraptor in the mix. Not a very clever girl!
Rating
Taking in all the personal experiences with Lego Jurassic World, I give it a personal rating of 7.5.
Roar like a dinosaur!
Last words
Pros
- Lego Jurassic World faithfully recreates the iconic scenes and environments from the Jurassic Park films in Lego form
- The game excels in attention to detail, with remarkable environments and scenes that remain true to the source material
- Building upon the established Lego game formula, Lego Jurassic World offers enjoyable gameplay mechanics, including puzzles, teamwork, and exploration, suitable for players of all ages
- The game strikes a good balance between accessibility for younger players and challenges for older audiences
- Lego Jurassic World boasts smooth technical performance, with minimal bugs, stable frame rates, and responsive controls
- The Lego aesthetic adds a vibrant and humorous twist to the Jurassic Park universe
- The game features a fitting soundtrack that complements the action and sound effects that enhance immersion
- With a substantial amount of content, including multiple movies to play through and secrets to uncover, Lego Jurassic World offers hours of gameplay if you want to obtain 100%
Cons
- The absence of the last two movies from the game significantly detracts from the overall experience
- Once players have completed the game and achieved 100% completion, there is little incentive for replaying
- The game's fixed difficulty level may not cater to players seeking a more challenging experience
- The last portion of the game, particularly involving the mosasaurus, feels rushed and less refined compared to earlier sections
Lego Jurassic World is a delightful romp through the iconic Jurassic Park films, offering a perfect blend of humor, action, and puzzle-solving. Whether you’re a fan of Lego games, Jurassic Park, or both, this title is a must-play for all ages.
Final Rating
8.2
Please let me know what you think of Lego Jurrassic World in the comments!
I hope you enjoyed reading this review, I hope to see you in the next review!
If you liked reading this review, maybe you would like to share this review with your friends.
Myr
The LEGO games always did a playful approach to retell the stories. Offen I found myself in a game with to much collecting stuff or too easy gameplay in general. But they got better with every new title.
supersven
This is a very fun Lego game!
TallyTheHawk
LEGO games always deliver, this one wasn't different!
supersven
Sadly, I think Lego games might not been made anymore, at least not in the near future.
Drew
I have always been a fan of the lego games. This one looks great and fun as like the others!
supersven
Lego games are great!
Jaromir Krzyszczak
nice! Lego games are always entertaining
supersven
They indeed are!
Twigas_Hobbes
Sad It's missing the last part, but Lego games are fun anyway 😀
supersven
It is actually missing two movies!
long shade
Good review!
EMPERORU
didnt know that this game has coop, seems fun
twigalucie
I so love lego games. And even if it's not the greatest of them all, I will definetly try it out at some point!
twigalucie
Although I do whish that there were more Lego games with more freedom to build - like Bricktales or maybe even Lego Fortnite (never tried that one though)
supersven
Ugh, Fortnite. It even has a Lego variant?
hawkeye116477
I think that Lego games are very entertaining. They usually contain great soundtracks, aren't very hard and is always a lot of fun with them.
supersven
It is indeed fun!
fano23
I have played some Lego games and liked them. They have nice humor and let you play known parts of movies. Played Star Wars one coop on PS2 and was fun
Antikythera
I like the attention to detail and the lampoonery which is all done in a respectful manner towards the original films and also cleanly for the most part which keeps it suitable for the entire family to play and enjoy.
The voice acting adds a lot to games, especially in the LEGO franchise, so the biggest plaudits are for them as far as I'm concerned. Yes the animation work is absolutely spot on but without the voices bringing the characters and humour to life in these games, they wouldn't be anywhere near the level of fun they are.
supersven
Did you know the earlier Lego games only had grunts and pointed towards objects? I think they switched over in Lego Batman 2 or 3.
chaosttc
I haven't played any of the Lego games, but I am certainly interested.
This review shines me some light on what to expect, which is some twist on the source material and also new voice lines!? I guess this means to enjoy it fully I need to re-watch the movies.
supersven
Time to watch Jurassic Park!
DonCarlos
I’m so glad someone else loved LEGO games as much as I did. Imho this is one of the greatest Jurassic Park experiences out there.
supersven
The brontosaurus movement is a bit janky though, but still loveable.
Alamar
The only Lego i played was Lego bricks. But i watched some series on local gaming channel where couple played in a co-op those games so i know them.
FranckCastle
I love Lego... But I'm kind of conflicted about Lego video games. They look quite convincing as Lego, but the gameplay looks quite eh to me. Recent games aside (Builder's Journey, Bricktales, but those are just "playing with Lego but digitally" rather than "a whole story made with Lego"), I feel like the gameplay, the graphics, as well as the UI all look dated. :/
I think the recent Lego Star Wars game looked nice, though? Not too sure, I only saw bits of it (Skywalker Saga) on a stream.
supersven
They have indeed dated, this one is over ten years old. Sadly, I don't think newer Lego games will appear unless Lego and TTgames reunite.
Delicious Bacon
While I don't play them myself (apart from the PS2 Lego racing one, where you could build your own cars), I always find it amazing how highly rated those games are. And it's not just one franchise, but it goes far and wide, such as Star Wars, Jurassic Park, Harry Potter, Batman, Indiana Jones, etc. These games are simply well-built, and they deserve the ratings they get.
supersven
Isn't there a new Lego racing game?
Silentrets
Lego Sequel its really fun even for kids. You don't realize how many hours spent while you playing.