Lego Universe is the upcoming MMO from NetDevil (Of driving MMO Auto Assault fame) that takes the unlimited possibilities that Legos inherently offer and combines them with the social and mechanical underpinnings of an MMO. Before the final product hits store shelves on October 26th, I thought I’d give a little preview of all that Lego Universe has to offer. It is important to note that these are impressions based on a beta copy of the game and are not representative of the final product; this is not a review, but simply a guide to the content available throughout the beta.
Upon booting up the game and following a great cut scene that explains the origin of the evil Maelstrom (the game’s purple tinted antagonists), players will be able to create their character through a relatively simple process. However, your clothes and accessories will be quickly replaced with loot earned from various missions that will effect your appearance in game, so about the only thing that carries over from character creation is your selected face.
A brief tutorial accompanies the early game and is used to introduce some of the game’s unique concepts, including both the quick and modular building functions. Quick building will be familiar to anyone that has ever picked up one of the console Lego games (Star Wars, Harry Potter, Batman etc.) as it functions through a canned animation that shows your figure quickly assembling a group of bricks to create an item beneficial or necessary for a given quest or mission. Fortunately, quick built items remain in the environment for a while after being built which allows multiple players to utilize an item without having to wait and quick build it one after the other. Modular building, on the other hand, takes place within a paused state, allowing you to choose certain pieces from your inventory to build a vehicle or item, the earliest example being a space ship that is used to move between areas.
Actually playing the game feels like it should by creating a simple and streamlined experience that is fun for players of all ages, and more importantly for the younger demographic that will be imperative for Lego Universe to succeed. Attacks are handled through a simplified hotkey system that utilizes your equipped gear, making much of the game play focused on clicking to attack various enemies. Health and Mana (which in Lego Universe’s case is branded as Imagination) are restored from icons gained from destroying enemies, hitting environmental objects, or from various potions and healing items. Imagination is also utilized as a requirement for quick building and can allow for certain areas to be unreachable for players with an inadequate amount.
Exploration and zone traversal are handled a little differently from the typical MMO by linking zones through certain access points instead of forming a large interconnected game world. Although not immediately accessible from one another, a hub world conveniently provides quick travel to any zone that is available for questing and exploration. Once the hub world is reached and a requisite quest is completed, you are able to join one of four in game factions, which in turn provide the game’s class structure. Each faction includes multiple different class routes that are accessed through purchasable abilities and gear that are acquired through a simplified honor system.
Probably one of the most compelling features that Lego Universe offers to players is a personal space for placing pre-built models or creating something new from scratch. Pieces for custom-built models are found throughout questing and can also be purchased from an in game vendor making questing a requisite pillar of the game. The interface seems to be a bit clunky, and I wouldn’t be surprised if custom building undergoes a few iterations before it is perfected.
In addition to all the building and questing, racing your creations is also an option in Lego Universe. Players are able to compete with one another on a number of different tracks with unique cars that are custom built. It doesn’t quite feel as nice as something like Mario Kart, but it does provide a welcome respite from a game that can sometimes get a tad monotonous.
Whatever your experience with MMOs, Lego Universe provides an interesting experience that truly changes up features that have otherwise become boring staples of every new game on the market. Look for our full review of Lego Universe later this month when we analyze the final build and decide whether you should throw down for the monthly subscription, or just go out and buy yourself a couple sets.
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