Culture

The Wii U was launched a year earlier than it should have been. Nintendo denies it, but the truth is that they sold their consoles with promises of games, promises that have now been revealed as lies. When the Wii U was announced at E3 2012 it had a wide variety of launch titles, including Pikmin 3, an exclusive Rayman game, and a tech demo of a badass-looking Zelda game. Smoke and mirrors, all of it. None of these games were going to be ready for launch, and Nintendo knew it. We now know that none of these games would be ready for a year after launch, when this console should have been released. But Nintendo heard the whispers of PS4 and the new Xbox, and knew they needed a head start to stand a fighting chance. So Nintendo fanboys like myself have spent the last six months with nothing worth playing on our pretty new consoles… until now.

I know many of you may have written off the Lego games developed by TT Games as kids’ fodder and not worth your time or money, but I beg you to reserve your judgement until you have tried one. Much kids’ entertainment these days, like Adventure Time, Regular Show, and these Lego games, seeks to make products accessible to children but essentially more suitable for our generation. The Lego games are rife with content blatantly aimed at adults. However, none of TT Games’ Lego titles have done this quite as well as their new instalment, Lego City Undercover.

The easiest way to describe this game is softcore GTA made of bricks. Like GTA, the game is full of pop culture references, witty humour, and beautifully crafted satire. The game is based in a sprawling metropolis, aptly named Lego City. The gameplay is sandbox – players can freely roam throughout the city in a variety of vehicles, including Lego helicopters which are physically improbable but undeniably badass.

Exploring the city is an ever-evolving challenge. When you begin the game, much of the exploration will be blocked because you do not have the appropriate costume, hence requiring players to progress in the story so they can progress in their exploration. The story has you playing as rogue cop Chase McCain. McCain is an amalgamation of every hilariously cheesy 80s cop, always ready with a painful pun. McCain returns to the city at the start of the game to find that his arch nemesis Rex Fury is back on the street. The game has McCain going undercover in a series of costumes that allow him different abilities in his quest to recapture Fury. The story is hilariously written and super-engaging, playing out much like a Lethal Weapon film. Plus it parodies other films such as The Shawshank Redemption – further evidence that this game is aimed at the over-tens.

The city is full of super build sites. These areas require players to collect a certain number of Lego blocks in order to construct structures that build up the city. However, these structures always have a purpose. For instance, ramps allow you to do epic jumps all around your Lego Paradise, while monuments might allow you to grab a collectible item that’s just out of reach.

For years, TT Games have been very successful at making Lego renditions of popular franchises, but have tried to stay away from original material. However, this game, as well as their awesome DC Lego games, prove that they have the ability to make fantastic new products. TT Games are only getting bigger and better, so I recommend jumping on this bandwagon now.

Rating: 9/10