The VR version of Lego Bricktales is a perfect example of a game working better on a new platform than its original one. While I enjoyed playing it on a PS5, getting to actually zoom in on dioramas and build on virtual tables in my lap or on my coffee table is far more intuitive and fun.
We’re an observer in Lego Bricktales VR. We watch from above as a young individual reunites with his grandfather to help restore a dilapidated amusement park. How? They work alongside a robot named Rusty that was rehabbed by aliens and go through portals to other areas to assist people in need. In so doing, they earn the Happiness Crystals necessary to clean up the place, get the mayor off Grandpa’s back, and potentially make even more people happy.
Solving this crisis is a fairly simple affair. You go through portals to different regions inspired by Lego sets, like a jungle or city. When traversing the overworld, you move your minifig avatar around, perhaps collecting items, talking to people in need of assistance, or using Rusty’s abilities to continue on your way. Though often the means of moving forward means using the power of building.
Building is truly the highlight of Lego Bricktales in VR. The game constantly tasks players with creating items to advance the story and proceed through areas. In some situations, it means creating bridges, staircases, or supports to grant you access to new areas. This also means a “testing” portion so you can ensure it is safe to put weight on things. You might also be matching existing structures, piecing together things, or building specific items to help move through spaces. There are often multiple right answers, and you also can get customization options to make these new creations look better in the dioramas you’re exploring.
Remember how I said Lego Bricktales felt better suited to VR earlier? That building is exactly why. When you’re going through these sections, you use the VR controller to actually pick up and place each brick. Because we now have a three dimensional field, which we can move at any time and basically have in our laps, we know exact positioning and can easily adjust every item. It felt much easier both to assemble items, as well as ensure that certain constructs were structurally sound. It’s a luxury that I didn’t have on the Switch, and it made the experience much more enjoyable.
The perspectives afforded by this being in VR also make it easier to appreciate the environments we’re exploring. I found it easier to find collectibles, like hermit crabs or small animals, in stages due to being able to spin the whole build in my lap and really peer at it from above. The viewpoints are really fantastic. Plus having the pass-through option to allow it to seem like the dioramas are in your living room and in front of you is a fun perk. Though honestly, I used the mixed reality option to play while having something on in the background. The only frustration stems from needing to constantly shift and adjust the playfield to see different perspectives. It really isn’t possible to just set it down and leave the diorama in one place for an extended period. Also, as good as it does look here, I did find it looked better on the PS5, so I feel like a bit of a sacrifice was made.
Lego Bricktales really works well in VR, and it is a lot of fun to play on the Quest 3. It really does feel like building is more fun when you’re going hands-on with the headset’s controllers to move each brick and go more hands-on, in a way, with the creations. Plus there is the feeling of each diorama and project being right in front of you, as though you were going through an actual set in your living room. It’s one of the cozier and relaxed VR games I’ve played, and I appreciate this new approach to the adventure.
Lego Bricktales VR will come to the Meta Quest Pro, 2, and 3 on December 7, 2023.
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