Lego Bricktales is a single-player puzzle adventure game developed by ClockStone and published by Thunderful Publishing. You dive into the shoes of an unnamed protagonist attempting to assist your grandfather. The genius inventor has been threatened by the mayor to shut down his amusement park due to it not being up to code. You’re then introduced to a robot companion who can assist the park once you acquire happiness crystals as a power source. With a portal and your companion, you’re tasked with helping others to eventually save your grandfather’s park.
I have a love/hate relationship with the story. For the most part, it felt a bit stale and corny. It’s linear, minimal, and solely exists to give the player purpose throughout. Additionally, there are no cutscenes or voice acting to help amplify the experience. However, the title felt self-aware and knows it’s cheesy. Whether you’re chatting with reporters stuck in vines or your grandpa trying to buy happiness, the writing clearly leans into the silliness. The devs didn’t take the story too seriously and I enjoyed that.
What makes Bricktales’ gameplay so fantastic is the building. Building is central to the plot as you assist NPCs with constructing all sorts of items, like bridges, helicopters and more. You have an objective, bricks, and no instructional manual, giving you the freedom to build with maximum creativity. You can be a perfectionist, taking your time and attempting to build a flawless structure. Or you can build a catastrophe that’s questionable visually but solid. Upon completion, you can rebuild in Sandbox mode to add your own style. Whatever you build is on display, warts and all, and I loved every bit of it.
I also appreciated the variety of puzzles and the physics engine. Creating structures out of Lego is easy, but across all creations, you have to ensure its integrity. For example, early in the title you’ll have to build a bridge. A bridge being aesthetically appealing doesn’t automatically make it safe. This is where players can simulate a structure and have your companion test the waters. If the structure is not stable, you’ll notice things fall apart as your bot takes a tumble. The physics system will have you beta-testing all of your structures and is one of the biggest highlights when playing Bricktales.
Sadly, I’m not a fan of the camera controls and limited exploration. When building, I struggled with the camera and was constantly readjusting. It doesn’t make or break the experience, but it’s clearly wonky and can be frustrating. I also wish I could explore more of the world. These dioramas are beautifully crafted but are limited as they push the player back to building. Again, this doesn’t break the experience, but it’s a bummer.
Lego Bricktales embraces creativity while providing an easygoing experience that’s overall a good time. Whether you’re a perfectionist or just trying to build a sound structure, nothing beats that feeling of building something from nothing. Although playing with digital Lego is great, some elements need improvement. Still, if you can overlook the limited exploration and funky camera controls, there’s a ton of fun to be had.
Lego Bricktales is available now on PlayStation 4 & 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series, Switch, and PC via Steam & GOG for $29.99.
Watch the Review in 3 Minutes for Lego Bricktales.
