I loved it LEGO 2K Drive, despite the fact that I have only known a bit of everything that Visual Concepts wants to offer us. I have had the opportunity to get behind the controls of the new open world game from the creators of WWE 2K23 And I finally got what I was longing for: a good reason to immerse myself in the world of blocks.
blocks on wheels
“The Ultimate AAA Driving Game” was the phrase used by Mark Pierce, the developer’s executive producer, to describe what we were about to try. The foundations are as clear and crystal clear as you can see in the trailer just below. Taking the essence of LEGO, the one that has triumphed and successfully adapted so many franchises in video games, to take it to a ground that had not trodden until now.
We talk about a open world to explore, drive, drift, race and test all types. A well-aligned concoction that feels fabulous playing, because here the bet is not in the sense of simulation, but in offering an arcade experience with which everyone feels comfortable. It is difficult not to enjoy all the places that Bloquelandia has in store, although the first stop I had to make was in the tutorial area; the Turbo Acres biome.
A small space that brings together the fundamental elements that make up LEGO 2K Drive, because there are roads, rivers, bridges, ramps to jump and buildings in which to carry out activities. Freedom is absolute, without barriers, so the first impulse is to accelerate to the bottom to see what the car is made of. However, the first surprise comes as soon as you leave the well-polished asphalt.
We don’t just advance in a sports car, but the vehicle we use is modified depending on the terrain we are on. If we start to go cross country, a kind of SUV appears. If we dare to take a dip, a huge boat awaits us to propel us over the water. That is to say, a kind of The Crew, but with the plus point that we don’t need to press anything. The change is completely automatic, which makes it tremendously dynamic.
And it is that Visual Concepts has made it clear that it wants you to slow down rather little, because destroying everything you see has its reward. The vehicles have a turbo that is constantly refilled, but if we want to speed up the process, all we have to do is drive over fences, other cars or street furniture to reduce everything to blocks. In turn, there are two essential movements to take the curves as well as possible, either skidding -which also increases the turbo- or making tight turns. It is common for you to combine the trio of skills in the race, so none is relegated to oblivion.
Step on the accelerator
Yeah, LEGO 2K Drive It is an open world, but the zones are not interconnected with each other. there is until four different biomes and I have been able to visit one of them called Nalgo County, which is inspired by the American West. Classic desert in which we only find rocks, the occasional stream and many farms full of animals. Unlike the first field, here there is much more space to run.
It’s not that we’re talking about an extension at the level of a GTA, but it is a portion of the map that combines everything you need to have a good time. One of the main reasons for this is the tests that must be passed if we want to level up. The ultimate goal is to become the ultimate Blockland driver, so you’ll have to race against speedsters with bold names like Johnny Brake. The races are not the display of originality, because they recreate the formula that has given Mario Kart such good results over the years.
The power-ups appear before us so that, randomly, we get a missile, a protective shield that shoots lightning at the rest or a dimensional portal that moves us to the head positions in a jiffy. They all have their function, though. some enhancer that drinks directly from the LEGO blocks is missing, such as building a wall to block the opponent or an instant ramp. In any case, the circuits are varied in their layout, very wide and with many opportunities when it comes to taking shortcuts.
It’s not that the AI has made it too difficult for me, since I have always won every race in which I have participated, but this format is designed to be played with friends. Just because, LEGO 2K Drive has a multiplayer mode, either in local split-screen format for two people or in tournaments with people from all over the planet for up to six players. That is the moment in which putting your foot down will have its importance in the races, against real people. A part of the game session was scheduled for us to play against each other, but due to technical problems, it could not take place.
A construction paradise
However, the fun does not end here. After receiving flags to level up and the money to buy parts -we’ll get into that later-, it’s time to take a walk to discover the best part. Quick events are bizarre situations that we find in the middle of the world, such as bringing a giant egg to a huge frying pan in less than 45 seconds. Tests as extremely complicated as completing a race in the shortest possible time without touching the cones that delimit the track.
Once again, dynamism returns with this format. There is no loading screen, you do not have to press anything to start the show; You simply go through an arch that shows the information of what you must do and go ahead. Of course, all this is washed down with the unmissable humor of LEGO, since I had to reach the entrance of a tunnel in less than seven seconds. I managed it, although the problem appeared in the form of a frontal collision against what was paint on the rock. Yes, in the style of Warner Bros. Coyote and Road Runner.
I don’t want to stop talking about how Visual Concepts has managed to offer missions that are not reduced to deciding who is the fastest. I have enjoyed tasks such as pairing two characters, rescuing little blue pigs lost by their farmer, driving a police car to chase a fugitive or exterminating an alien invasion. All this without getting out of the car and being as much fun as skidding around a curve. In addition, all this has its reward in the form of boosters for the vehicle’s statistics.
The authentic and divine fantasy of LEGO 2K Drive It is outside the open world, because you have to dedicate a special section to the Workshop. As we have always dreamed, we will be able to build our own vehicles in the way that we really want. I was able to try it out for half an hour and, although I’m not the best candidate to unleash my imagination with blocks, I realized that I had before my eyes a tool with infinite possibilities.
More than 1,000 pieces to be able to use easily, being able to flip them, paint them and choose from the wide range that LEGO has. In principle you have to choose the body, but from that point you can build in any direction in the way you want. You’re going to spend a lot of time in the Workshop, as you can save a multitude of models that you create for the open world or tournaments that can be tested on a test track before being given the go-ahead.
As if that were not enough, the creations in the Workshop can be uploaded and downloaded from the game servers, so the community will constantly feed each other. From Visual Concepts itself we will receive more content, as we will have collaborations with McLaren to include the McLaren Solus GT and McLaren F1 LM. Not only that, but the title will feature a DrivePass that will introduce new vehicles and themes periodically in four expansions upon release. The sensations with LEGO 2K Drive They have been more than positive, convincing me, a layman in the video games of the saga, and shining as I have rarely seen to make the most staunch fans of the brand fall in love.
- platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch and PC (played version)
- multiplayer: Yeah
- developer: Visual Concepts
- Company:2K Games
- Launch: May 19, 2023
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