LEGO Worlds starts off simple- taking players through smaller worlds, teaching them the basics of the toolset, and getting them accustomed to creating and customizing. I loved the variety of worlds from the start, and I found myself collecting every piece on every planet to add to my collection. Each task is quick and simple, and secretly teaches players what they can do, from high level of course, but once I was set free, the sheer amount of possibilities felt endless.
All the tools are accessed the traditional radial menu, and it can be cumbersome at times. It is also worth noting that the longer I explored, and the more blueprints I collected, made the create menu a little overwhelming and cluttered. It would have been a good idea to minimize the design here. Still these are minor gripes that can easily be addressed with patches.
The sheer amount of ways to play the game is what sets it apart. Unlike something like Minecraft, players have various tools at their disposal that all do different things. There is a scanner that copies blueprints to create new items. There is a terrain tool that can raise and lower the world. There is a copy tool, to mimic things in the world. There is even a paint tool that allows players to customize and mix colors. It is all simple to use, but deep to get into. I highly recommend digging into the tutorial, as it does a great job of laying the groundwork.
Worlds in creative mode are randomly generated, but not without purpose. Each area hosts new items and characters to scan. It feels like a complete LEGO set that players can manipulate. I admit, it was addicting generating new worlds to explore, and the simple toolbar helps with random exploration. I felt like a kid again, having all these options available to me, and more just hidden around the next corner.
Controls have always been a sticking point in the LEGO games for me. It feels clunky, and while LEGO Worlds does little to alleviate the core problem, it does add some nice features that make it a bit more accessible. For example the camera is full 3D now, meaning I can spin it around like a normal third-person game. I could also zoom in and out of the view, and even going into first-person for that full on Minecraft effect. Some problems have been alleviated, but I still got stuck on weird geometry at times, and the game still feels clunky at times.
