Nearly four months after the release ofLEGO Horizon Adventures, Guerrilla Games, Studio Gobo, PlayStation, and LEGO have finally released the game’s first LEGO set: Aloy & Varl vs. Shell-Walker & Sawtooth. First announced in November, this 768-piece set features the first official LEGO recreations of the robotic Shell-Walker and Sawtooth machines as well as the first official Varl minifigure. However, this is the onlyLEGO Horizon Adventuresset that LEGO has announced so far. WhileLEGO Horizon Adventureshad mixed reviews, LEGO and PlayStation should strive to make more sets based on the entire world ofHorizon.
Horizon’s History With LEGO
Following the successful release ofHorizon Zero Dawnin 2017, many fans thoughtHorizon’s post-apocalyptic world, which is filled with gigantic animal-like machines and tribal civilizations, was a perfect fit for a LEGO adaption. Both Guerrilla Games and LEGO seemed to agree with fan sentiments, and LEGO Model Designer Isaac Snyder quickly began collaborating with the game’s developer to produce aHorizonLEGO set. Snyder and the LEGO Group sought to captureHorizon’s spirit in LEGO form, and they achieved that goal with2022’s LEGOHorizon Forbidden West: Tallneck set. This 1,222-piece set perfectly recreated the towering Tallneck machine in LEGO form, and it was packaged alongside the first official mini-Watcher figure and Aloy minifigure.
Despite fans' overwhelmingly positive response to the LEGO Tallneck, the set quickly sold out and was retired. However, rumors about a potential LEGOHorizonvideo game soon began popping up, as such a game could capitalize on the LEGO Tallneck set’s positive reception. Behind the scenes, LEGO went to Guerrilla and pitched a LEGOHorizongame to be developed. Guerrilla accepted the project and, in January 2023, announced that it was co-developinga newHorizongame with Studio Gobo. Finally, during the 2024 Summer Game Fest, LEGO, Guerrilla, and Studio Gobo’s latest project was officially revealed to beLEGO Horizon Adventures, the firstHorizongame to feature multiplayer and release simultaneously on the Nintendo Switch.
LEGO Horizon’s Narrative and Gameplay Explained
Unlike some of TT Games' most-popular LEGO games, which are relatively short LEGO adaptations of films,LEGO Horizon Adventureswas made as a more comical, truncated adaption ofHorizon Zero Dawn. It still focused on taking down rogue animal-like machines and dangerous cultists, but it abandoned the mechanics of taming and riding certain machines that appear in the original game. Instead, much ofLEGO Horizon Adventuresis focused on rebuilding and customizing the hub, Mother’s Heart, and unlocking fun costumes for Aloy, Erend, Varl, and Teersa. Each character has unique abilities and weapons, and most ofHorizon Zero Dawn’s cast reprise their roles inAdventures.
LEGO Horizon Adventuresis Studio Gobo’s first LEGO game, while TT Games has developed 29 LEGO games since 2005.
Potential Future LEGO Horizon Sets
Sales numbers for the LEGO Aloy & Varl vs. Shell-Walker & Sawtooth set are currently unknown, but if it’s anything like the LEGO Tallneck set, this new set will likely sell out fast. Based on this expectation, Guerrilla and LEGO should strive to produce more LEGO sets based on the world ofHorizon. Neither Guerrilla nor LEGO have suggested that moreHorizonLEGO sets will be made, but it would make sense for LEGO to at least producesets of every machine encountered inLEGO Horizon Adventures. Only 13 machines are interacted with directly inAdventures, but parts of the Stormbird andForbidden West’s Sunwing can be seen as Mother’s Den decorations. These machines could serve as the first full wave ofLEGO Horizon Adventuressets.
If theLEGO Aloy & Varl vs. Shell-Walker & Sawtooth setsells well, the next set to release would likely be a Tallneck that is branded underLEGO Horizon Adventures, as the two sets would share similar blocks and minifigures. Making the Tallneck the second set in theLEGO Horizon Adventuresline could satisfy fans who missed out on getting the original Tallneck set. It could also act as an eye-opening set that would stand out on store shelves, which could lead people to try outLEGO Horizon Adventuresfor the first time. From there, LEGO could produce sets of the other machines and even make some sets of buildings seen in Mother’s Heart or boss stages within Cauldrons.
LEGO Horizon Forbidden West Sets
Given the mixed reception thatLEGO Horizon Adventuresreceived, Sony and LEGO may hold off on producing a sequel to the game based onHorizon Forbidden West. However, LEGO could still produce sets based on leftover machines and locations fromZero DawnandForbidden West. A small Sunwing was already designed as decor forAdventures, so LEGO could use that as a set, or include it in a larger set, to start off theLEGO Forbidden Westline. From there, LEGO could make sets with more ofForbidden West’s unique machines, such asDreadwings, Grimhorns, Slitherfangs, Tiderippers, Tremortusks, and Specters. If LEGOHorizonsets turn out to be highly successful, LEGO should strive to make a gigantic LEGO Horus set made up of thousands of pieces.
