What is it? Lego Jurassic World, another of those Lego games we’re always getting, this time covering the four Jurassic Park movies (including this summer’s Jurassic World).
Who is making it? TT Fusion, who previously made the superb Lego Movie Video game.
Did we play it? Yes, briefly during a demo session at a hotel in San Francisco a couple of weeks ago. Publisher Warner Bros. likes to invite reporters who are in town for Game Developers Conference to check out games. Not quite what GDC was made for, but I had a spare half hour open before a Nintendo indie developer showcase to drop in, so I went. I am a Lego gaming aficionado after all (I still like either the Lego Movie one or Lego Star Wars III the best). Plus, sometimes it’s just a hoot. I sat through a short presentation from one of the members of the development studio that involved a playthrough of some of the levels you see in the trailer and a lot of references to what kids like about these games. Then I played the T-rex chase from the first movie and a level involving raptors.
And? It plays like a Lego game. After so many of these, a demo of a new one is the definition of What You Would Expect. Not too helpful, I know.
Anything stand out about it? Most of what I know about the game checks off the usual Lego-game boxes: levels are based on scenes from the movies and are connected through two big hub islands; you’ll be able to play as over 100 characters (including Mr. DNA); there’s optional local two-player co-op. One new thing is that you can play as some of the dinosaurs, though that wasn’t an option at this demo. Oh, and there are some weather changes as you play.
Got a fun detail? Sure. The Lego version of Laura Dern’s character, Ellie, has the special ability to dig through dinosaur dung. Said TT Fusion’s Mike Taylor while showing us the game recently: “We do a lot of focus testing, and this mechanic was very popular especially with the younger audience.”
Platforms: -deep breath-… PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Wii U, PC, Vita, 3DS
Release date: June 2015
The Basics is our way of telling you a little bit about a new game before it comes out…maybe…we’re just trying something new! These days, we prefer writing about games after they are released and also like writing more fleshed-out pre-release impressions for you when we have a lot of material to work with. But if we’ve just seen a sliver of a game, maybe this’ll do until release? Let us know.
Comments
4 responses to “Lego Jurassic World: The Basics”
I hope LEGO Ellie isn’t smelling her fingers.
Can’t wait! ^_^
Hmm.
Hmmmmm.
Okay I’ll bite. Rorschach-ish post up in here. What you take away from it probably says more about you then me:
Epic Mickey was a game that got hyped, looked great, nice pedigree, but then apparently focus groups came along and torpedoed much of its better ideas before release.
I don’t know why developers/publishers think that spruiking the fact ‘focus groups we tested on love this!’ – I’m also reminded of a weird “Daily Pic Update” for Smash Bros Wii U which seemed at pains to mention an alt-costume for Sexy Samus “was the idea of Female Staff Members.” Again, nothing wrong with the alt-costume per-se (I’ve been known to use it when playing as her) but it was the post itself/the reaction people had to it that was the weird part.
Which brings me to my point: Ellie’s super special Lego Game ability to sift through dinosaur crap is an issue for me. I happen to believe it’s a legitimate one as well.
Laura Dern’s performance in that movie – if you remember – was more hands-on (hah!) than simply digging through Triceratops droppings. Why couldn’t her special move be – I don’t know – examining paleo-botany for some reason?
She was a badarse in that movie:
She electrocutes the annoying kid
She verbally smacks down Hammond when he needs it
KICKS A VELOCIRAPTOR IN THE FACE TO SAVE THE OTHER ANNOYING KID.
So yeah, form two orderly lines please. People think I’m sexist on the left, people who ARE sexist on the right.
People who think youre a dumbass can line up behind me in a third line.
I wouldn’t worry too much about the focus group comment. I would assume most of the other games went through the same/similar process, and they came out fine. My biggest complaint about the series is that some of them are uninspired or lack features that previous games had (LEGO Batman 3’s world feels small compared to LEGO Marvel or even LEGO Batman 2). That’s not really something that happens from bending over backwards for focus groups.
As for digging through poo, that’s a classic LEGO game mechanic reworked for the new setting. It’s usually not the only function of the character. Wolverine, Beast and the Green Lanterns spring to mind as characters who have the ability, and they all use it as a secondary feature. I’m guessing her and the other experts will get a spider sense to go with it. Given the way LEGO characters emote and her status as a main cast member for the biggest movie I assume she’ll be close to Wonder Woman as a character, doing all that stuff you mentioned with a little slapstick where she comes out on top in the cut scenes, then rampaging around as all the LEGO characters do when it comes to gameplay.
That T rex is adorable.
“Look what I made for you! I knocked over a car and smashed through a fence, I call it art! Wanna play fetch with cars?”
Is there anyone out there who has got Jurassic world leggings for sale????