It is Dinosaur fever at the moment with the launch of Jurassic World last month and the release of yet another LEGO video game. This time all based on the Jurassic Park series. But has the whole LEGO video game series been sucked dry? Or are Dinosaurs just too awesome to keep locked away?
Lego Jurassic World follows the story of each of the films. Jurassic Park, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Jurassic Park III, and the latest Jurassic World. When I say the game follows the story, it really does. From every character, to every action sequence. It is all beautifully realized in the block world of LEGO. While playing through each of the story campaigns it really brought back memories of a younger I sitting in the cinema, under age, watching Ellie Settler get chased by a T-Rex, during a thunderstorm. Although the game does lack the intensity of the chase due to colourful LEGO blocks, and comedy interpreted deaths that make it appropriate for not only the kids, but the world of LEGO. The feeling of nostalgia was the main theme in the early campaigns.
If you have played a LEGO game before, you will be instantly at home with the game’s mechanics and scoring system: smashing blocks, plants, other characters, and everything else around to pick up LEGO blocks that earn you points. Filling up the bar on each main mission gives you True Survivor status and a golden block at the end of a level. Whether you’re breaking objects to rebuild ladders, watering seeds to grow beautiful LOGE-fied plants or diving through dung to search for ice-cream – It is all in a day’s work depending on what character you play as.
The game is not hard at all. It does not require a masters degree in gaming, nor does it even need that much intellect. Each level is crafted masterfully to bring out the world of Jurassic Park, and the puzzles and platforming is probably the most polished in the LEGO series. There are even times when you get to play as a Dinosaur and have to solve puzzles with it.
There were times of annoyance though, especially when you are required to have a certain character with you during a certain level to access an area suiting their special abilities. I hate being restricted, and this meant that I would have to complete the level once to unlock Free Play Mode, to bring in any character in to that level regardless of their story relevance, just so I could access this new area which held some points. Every level seemed to have this featured, and quite frankly I don’t see anyone with the patience to replay every single level again.
When not running story missions, you are free to explore the Jurassic Park. Here you can complete puzzles that are scattered around the park that need certain Dinosaurs to complete, purchase vehicles to skid around with, and even customize your Dinosaurs DNA strands giving them different shades of colour. Free roam is lacking a bit of life though, there really is not much to it, and it would have been nice to feature some mini games or something else to keep you busy while not in missions. Even purchasing vehicles while in free mode has no benefits but driving them around and leaving them behind.
Drop in, drop out co-op is another great feature to the LEGO series. This time the camera is not an issue as player two can be on the other side of the park and you can still walk around and get things done. Another great feature of co-op is that you don’t need to keep switching out characters to get the job done in missions, as one player will be the other character for you. I love co-op everything, and to play LEGO Jurassic World with a friend was the best part of the game.
Where LEGO Jurassic World shines the most has to be its comical references on darker events in the Jurassic Park movies. If you are worried about your child witnessing Donald Gennaro being gulped off the toilet during the most iconic moment in the movie, worry no more. Instead of blood and open wounds, every death is treated as a joke. Donald Gennaro fights the T-Rex with a toilet brush, and characters who “get eaten” by the velociraptors rather get all their clothes torn off. It’s safe humour and age appropriate.
Overall Lego Jurassic World is a great package, with over 15 Dinosaurs to play as, a couple of dozen characters to unlock, and that whole ridiculous idea of having to replay the level again. It is the entire Jurassic series in one game and playing through the story is really fun, and co-op makes it even better.
So Rad
• Co-op mode is great fun
• Original soundtrack
• 4 fairly large campaigns
Makes us Sad
• Have to replay levels to complete them 100%
Disclaimer: This review was conducted on a review copy of the game that was given to Tech Girl.
