In 2019, Apple attempted to create a new iOS-based gaming service known as Apple Arcade. As part of its launch, several exclusive titles were announced, including two from the LEGO Group, LEGO Brawls and LEGO Arthouse. Little was known about the latter, but the screenshots of the game revealed it would be very different from most LEGO gaming offerings. A few months after Apple Arcade’s launch, LEGO Arthouse re-emerged as LEGO Builder’s Journey. It was also revealed that the developers behind the game, Light Brick Studio, were set up in-house at the LEGO Group. LEGO Builder’s Journey soon gained extensive praise for its whimsical story, fantastic soundtrack and stunning visuals. That praise grew once the game was released on additional platforms. Light Brick Studio has since become an independent studio, but has given assurance that it would continue to extend the virtues of play through LEGO bricks in its future titles. True to their word, their latest game was announced earlier this year and once again puts LEGO play at the heart of the experience. In LEGO Voyagers, players are tasked with teaming up to navigate a brick-built world. But it’s no longer a lonesome journey. I’ve been playing LEGO Voyager, and here are my thoughts on the latest digital LEGO adventure from Light Brick Studio.
Product Description
Game Title: LEGO Voyagers | Publisher: Annapurna Interactive | Developer: Light Brick Studio
RRP: From £19.99/$24.99/24.99€ | Availability: PlayStation 4/5, Nintendo Switch 1/2, Xbox Series X|S & PC
As mentioned, unlike Builder’s Journey, LEGO Voyagers is a two-player experience, and because of this, it employs a Friend Pass system along with local co-op. So the owner of the game can invite friends to help them in their adventures. It appears you are limited to those who are on your system’s friend list.
Little guidance is given when starting the game; instead, you are encouraged to explore. Players inhabit two 1×1 bricks. One is red, the other blue. Their actions are simple; moving them around causes them to roll. You can also connect to almost any studded surface. That includes one-off studs, plates and even your fellow brick buddy. One connected to a stud movement options change. If you’re on a studded surface, you can move along a guided track. If it’s a fixed studded object, then you can wiggle it or use it as a jumping-off point. Lastly, connecting to a LEGO element lying around the game’s environments allows you to move it around. It pays to explore, connect to studs, take control of objects and play, especially if you want to unlock the game’s various trophies or achievements. Which brings us to the game’s highlight – building.
Building is the basis of LEGO play, and it can be as complex or simple as it needs to be. But building in the digital realm is a lot trickier. Many games have tried it, with varying degrees of success. In Voyagers, building is used to create bridges and other simple functions like powering switches or weighing down platforms. Once attached to an element, you can roll around with it or use the same function when connected to studs to activate a guided movement. It’s the easiest-to-use and most relaxed way of building in any LEGO game. Admittedly, you are building the simplest things.
One of the highlights of Builder’s Journey was its relaxed soundtrack. So it is literally music to one’s ear that Danish composer Henrik Lindstrand returns to score Voyagers. The lo-fi beats help to convey some of the game’s emotion and is perfectly suited to the gorgeous world Light Brick has crafted.
Although the game is the same across platforms, the PlayStation 5 version includes sound effects coming from the DualSense controller, and the light bar will match your screen brick’s colour. It genuinely adds to the whimsy of the game to hear you, bricks, garbled shouts and squeals coming from the controller.
Light Brick Studio has done it again. Their second title builds upon what Builder’s Journey did so well. The game may be short, lasting around 4-5 hours, but every moment is a delight, especially working out how to proceed. My only criticism is the need to be played by two real players. It would have been nice to have either a computer-controlled second player option or the ability to be paired with a random stranger. The Friend Pass is a great option, but only if you have someone to share it with on your platform of choice. However, I fully understand why the game is a co-op. Shared play forms the basic core of the experience and its delightful story. Even though I played the game on my lonesome with two controllers, it was still a fun and bittersweet experience.
LEGO Voyagers is available now for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series XlS, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2 and PC.
PlayStation 5 & 4| Nintendo Switch 1 & 2 | Xbox Series X|S | PC Stream | PC Epic Game Store
The version played: PlayStation 5 (digital). Access to the game was provided by Annapurna Interactive. The thoughts within this review are those of BricksFanz and do not reflect those of the LEGO Group or Annapurna Interactive. Providing a product for free does not guarantee a favourable opinion of the product.
