LEGO Jurassic World The Game Review

Growing up building a multitude of creations with LEGO developed a creative imagination and a love for those little blocks (except when you step on them in your bare feet). When Traveller’s Tales Games (TTG) introduced the first LEGO Star Wars game I was hooked all over again. Over the last decade there have been a plethora of LEGO titles ranging from Indiana Jones to Harry Potter that have provided quality family game time with a unique sense of humor all ages can appreciate. It was only a matter of time until TTG got their hands on the Jurassic Park franchise to convert it into LEGO and with Jurassic World hitting the box office the timing lines up perfectly. The question is does LEGO Jurassic World The Game warrant a special place in your games library or is it just another been there done that LEGO themed game?

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Anyone not familiar with the Jurassic Park franchise is in for a treat as you relive the movies Jurassic Park, Jurassic Park: The Lost World, and Jurassic Park III as well as the new movie Jurassic World. If you’re accustomed with any of the films you’ll be thrust into a narrative that brings back memories as you’re propelled along a linear storyline filled with cinematic cut scenes. The stories are filled with the LEGO action you’ve come to know and love as you’re charged with smashing the landscape to collect studs, collecting kits and amber pieces, and solving puzzles. All LEGO games have followed this same formula which has only seen minor tweaks over the years. This would be a problem for many series that use the rinse and repeat method, but the gameplay continues to remain fun for all ages. Sure, the tedious tasks of rerunning missions to get all of hidden goodies or breaking apart various objects for studs may seem more like a chore, but it makes it no less enjoyable unlocking 100% of the game with or without help.

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The draw for many to the LEGO franchise is the ability to play co-op with others locally, especially family so that you’re able to share some of the great nostalgic moments with a new generation. Jurassic Park may be a little too gory in the movies to play with younger gamers, but TTG always tones down the violence within the games making it play out like more of a Saturday morning cartoon where people don’t really get eaten by the dinosaurs and everyone lives happily ever after. The comedic episodes of these interactions keep you smiling even if they don’t follow the exact storyline from the movies. Visuals fit right in with the cartoony approach we’ve come to love and no matter how blocky they appear it is what is expected from this franchise. However fun the gameplay may be there are a few glitches in LEGO Jurassic World that have plagued the LEGO games from the beginning, like getting stuck in the scenery or finding yourself stuck in a loop of continual death. These aren’t game breakers, but annoying none the less when you need to exit out of the game to restart a level.

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LEGO Jurassic World utilizes the greatest thing the game has going for it, dinosaurs. You’re able to control a triceratops, T-Rex, and raptor just to name a few and use their exclusive skill sets to stomp or smash their way to retrieve items or unlock special areas. Sadly using the prehistoric beasts is limited in the story and often times the real action packed parts they are involved in are broken down into quick time events. The characters within the game from the 4 different movies also have particular abilities players will need to make the most of in order to progress through the game and get into other areas that are locked away in free play. You’ll notice that the voices are ripped straight from the movies in most cases so they fit extremely well with the chosen sequences. There is a quality issue here many will notice as you hear the voices sound muffled and distant. The soundtrack is also cleaved straight from the movies which lends an authentic feel, but after an hour of the same musical score repeating over and over it loses some of its appeal.

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Even though LEGO Jurassic Park doesn’t break away from the mold set by other LEGO games, you’ll find that the game is still enjoyable despite a few faults. The flaws in the game really make it feel like it was rushed out to meet the release of the Jurassic World movie instead of giving it that extra polish to make it one of the better games in the franchise. Gameplay and visuals give the game a wonderful sense of humor that can be enjoyed with the whole family or if you’re playing alone. There is a ton of content to run through so you get plenty of bang for your buck that will leave you searching high and low to complete the entire game or collect those precious achievements. If you need a family friendly game for the summer this is your ticket, but if you’re tired of LEGO games you won’t be upset if you let this one slide by. And if you’re afraid of playing a game below your specific age just remember that you are never too old to play with LEGO.

Score 7/10

Review code supplied by Microsoft Xbox.

Written by: Jake Lyons

Jake is our long standing North American based writer and player of many video game genres. Jake is equally fair and critical in good proportion and tells it like it is.