Jim Posted August 5, 2017 Posted August 5, 2017 REVIEW - LEGO DIMENSIONS - PS4 INTRODUCTION Okay I did it. I bought it. When I first heard about LEGO Dimensions I was thrilled. Combining physical LEGO builds with a computer game....what's not to like?! However, when the set was released I somehow lost interest and was afraid the game was targeted for kids only. Recently (that is about a year ago now) I saw the box on the shelf of a local retailer, and it suddenly piqued my interest again. After doing some research I decided to pick up the game and give it a go. I like the fact that it's tremendously expandable, by adding extra level packs and fun packs. That's the moment your inner child takes over and you realize this is probably gonna cost a lot of money. Instead of only buying the starter pack, I added the Back to the Future and Ghostbusters level packs and the LEGO Movie Emmet fun pack. The little devil on my shoulder definitely had a say in this. For more information about LEGO Dimensions visit the LEGO Dimensions website. For a complete overview of pack availability and release dates check the LEGO Dimensions Wikipedia page. [media]http://youtu.be/B0zE_7tHgOo[/media] IMPORTANT INFORMATIONI have started writing this review quite some time ago. Recent rumors have come to our attention, that TLG will most likely stop the LEGO Dimensions franchise in the near future. This has NOT been officialy confirmed, but these rumors tend to be true. So, after reading this review, you might want to pick up the game before it's too late. PICTURESPictures can be clicked to view hi-res versions. DISCLAIMERThe opinion in this review is my own and is in no way linked to TLG. SET INFORMATION Number: 71171 Title: Starter Pack: PS4 Theme: Miscellaneous, Games Released: 2015 Part Count: 269 Box Weight: 1047 gr (344 gr inner box) Box Dimensions: 48,2cm x 27,7cm x 7,4cm (25,9cm x 18,7cm x 5,8cm inner box) Set Price (MSRP): € 99.99 / $ 99.99 / £ 99.99 Price per Part: € 0.372 / $ 0.372 / £ 0.372 Links: Brickset, Bricklink THE BOX The front of the box shows the three main characters in action on the right side and the actual hardware, game and characters on the left. There's a lot going on and I think the box certainly is appealing. The front also states you will be needing an internet connection. No connection, no dice. BACK The backside shows that you will be building the portal, after which you will connect it to your console. It also shows the vehicle is a 3-in-1 build, which means there are different variations for a single vehicle. SIDE On of the sides shows the entire collection of available characters in the first five waves, counting a total of 41 characters. CONTENTS OF THE BOX The box contains: 1x Game (for PS4 in this case) 1x Booklet (with support information) 1x Poster (to track your collection) 1x Electronic platform (with USB connection) 1x Inner box (the actual LEGO set) THE GAME The game is packed in a standard PS4 game case, with a booklet, just like other (LEGO) games. THE POSTER The poster can be used to track your collection, which can be convenient for children and parents alike. INNER BOX There's a box in a box! The inner box contains the LEGO elements to build the portal and characters. The front is the same as the outer box, while the back shows the different characters. BACK OF THE INNER BOX The back shows a summary of all available characters, color coded to indicate in which kind of pack they will be released. CONTENTS OF THE INNER BOX The inner box contains: 1x Instruction booklet 1x Unique plate (you will most likely never use for something else) 1x Toy pad 3x Numbered bag BOOKLET AND PLATE The instruction booklet and plate. TOY PAD The toy pad comes with a pretty long USB cord (over 2,5 meters), which is great. I still had to use a USB extension cord, but for most users the provided USB cord will be sufficient. THE BAGS Three numbered bags containing the parts to build the portal, vehicles and characters. HIGHLIGHTED PARTS This section contains a summary of special parts. 1x2 PLATE WITH WHEEL HOLDER Introduced in the same year as the LEGO Dimensions set, this Plate, Modified 1 x 2 with Wheel Holder is actually a 2 x 2 Wheel Holder cut in half. Provides more flexibility in using the part for other purposes than holding wheels. 1x2 PLATE WITH HANDLES ON ENDS Also introcuded in 2015, is the Plate, Modified 1 x 2 with Handles on Ends. We know this part with the handle at one end, but this one is new. SPECIAL PLATE This uhmmm....special plate is called a Plate, Modified 12 x 24 with 6 x 6 Square Cutouts at 2 Corners and 6 x 6 Round Cutout, which is quite a mouthful. I think it's pretty safe to assume we won't be seeing it a lot in MOCs. A-SHAPED WEDGE PLATE The Wedge, Plate A-Shape with 2 Rows of 4 Studs is a pretty common part, but we have never seen it in Azure Blue. SLOPE WITH SLOTS Seems like a common part, but the Dimensions set is actually the first set to contain the Slope 18 2 x 1 x 2/3 with 4 Slots in Light Bluish Gray. In 2016 it has been released in several other sets. DOUBLE CONVEX 3x3 SLOPE If you are in need of a Slope 33 3 x 3 Double Convex in Dark Blue, you will only be finding it in this set. TOY TAGS The Toy Tags come in a wide variety. The unprinted one is a generic tag, which can be used for a multitude of characters and/or vehicles. The printed ones are dedicated for a certain character, although technically they are not different from the generic one. KEYSTONES There are five different Keystones, each with a different power. More on that later. THE BUILD With 269 parts, this should be a fairly quick build. The portal consists of a base and a ring section (the portal itself). Looking at the portal, it makes you wonder whether TLG will ever include a MacGyver...uhmm no...a Colonel Jack O'Neill fun pack. Enough with the nonsense, let's start building this gateway to another dimension. It doesn't take long to finish the base. The rear side of the base shows connection points for the different keystones. One of them will be connected to the portal itself. Next is the portal, which will be attached to the base. The box shows that the purple keystones are placed on the front of the portal, so at this point I wonder why you need to attach them to the back of the base. The rear view with all the keystones in place. Now it's time to add the entire portal to the toy pad. This concludes the build...more or less. At this point you still have lots of parts left. These parts are needed to build the batmobile. Apparently this isn't done with analogue instructions. Instead the game will show us how to build the vehicle. I'm anxious to find out how the digital instructions are implemented. Which brings us to powering up the console! THE GAME The build is okay, the portal looks cool, but obviously this set is more than just a build. This set is about the LEGO Dimensions game. Here's a short introduction (taken from Wikipedia): On the planet Foundation Prime, a wavy desert-like dimension with a hidden palace, in the center of the Lego Multiverse, Lord Vortech and his former minion X-PO seek the twelve Foundational Elements, the cornerstones of time and space itself, in a bid to merge all the universes into one under his control. These elements, such as the ruby slippers, the One Ring, Metalbeard's treasure chest, Master Chen's staff, the flux capacitor, and kryptonite, were scattered across the dimensions long ago, but gathered together at Foundation Prime's palace can unlock the power to control the multiverse. No longer needing X-PO, he banishes him to another dimension. Unfortunately, Vortech's own body cannot handle too many more dimension jumps, forcing him to open vortexes to thirteen different worlds, recruiting local villains to aid in his search for the Elements while imprisoning heroes pulled through the vortexes and damaging the boundaries between worlds, causing them to merge and characters to be displaced. When Robin, Frodo, and Metalbeard are each pulled into the vortexes, each unknowingly in possession of one of the Elements, Batman, Gandalf, and Wyldstyle all jump in after them. The three get pulled into the same vortex and appear on Vorton, where they decide to ally with one another and build a vortex generator of their own. Aided by X-PO, the three use the generator to travel through eleven worlds within the multiverse to search for the five missing keystones that power the generator and the Foundational Elements, hoping to find their missing friends and stop Vortech's plan from succeeding. During the introduction it immediately is clear that combining the different franchises into a single game results in hilarious situations. When Gandalf meets Batman, he hasn't got a clue who this birdman actually is. I think this is one of the stronger sides of the game. GAMEPLAY The gameplay mechanics are what you can expect from a LEGO game. Animations and character control are smooth and well executed. Combined with tons of humorous cut scenes. Is the game difficult? Well, I have to admit that I sometimes needed a Youtube video to find the solution. After seeing the video, I found myself kind of stupid for not finding the clue myself. After all; this is a game designed for kids. Luckily we live in an era where you can find help easily. One of the sources I found is the IGN Walkthrough. KEYSTONES The introduction already stated that this game revolves around finding five keystones, each with a unique ability. Keystones (read more) allow different kinds of modes throughout LEGO Dimensions. Scale Chroma Elemental (Fire, Electricity, Water, Earth) Shift Locate Chroma - Changes the color of the character so he or she can follow their colors' paths. Locate - Uncover special items or help from characters of different franchises. Elemental - Builds a shield around the character for better defense, causing him or her to use magic for fighting or solving puzzles. Shift - Using the LEGO Gateway you can open three kinds of portals to help you move around level areas. Scale - Enables the player to become huge or tiny. STORYLINE The game has tons of different levels and worlds, but there's a main storyline, which you can finish with only the three main characters. It's wise to finish the main storyline, since you will get all the Keystones during this game. You will need the keystones in the other worlds too. The main storyline is very fun to play, because you will visit a plethora of different worlds (franchises). You will encounter a wide variety of enemies on your way to fight Lord Vortech. EXTRA WORLDS When you buy additional Level Packs, new worlds will be available. You can enter a world if you have at least one character for that world. These extra levels provide you with a short extra level (for the theme of the pack) and it will open up a new world for free roaming exploration. All in all this game will keep you busy for ages! THE TECHNOLOGY This chapter is for those of you who are interested in the technology behind used in the hardware. The tags, which are located in the blue base, are Mifare Ultralight tags. These tags use Near Field Communication (NFC) to communicate with the base. When you build a vehicle, you need to place it on the center spot of the base. After that, information is written to the tag. So the tag actually includes the stats of the vehicle, which is kinda neat. This also means you can program the tags yourself, if you are a bit tech savvy. Here are some interesting links for those of you who like to know how it works: Tag Specification Hacking the Tag RFID Cloning Device LEVEL PACK BACK TO THE FUTUREMarty McFly has been catapulted back to 1950s Hill Valley when an experiment by his eccentric scientist friend Doc Brown goes wrong, and he needs your help finding a way of travelling back to the future to rescue his friend! Build Marty, attach him to his LEGO® Toy Tag and place him on the LEGO® Toy Pad to see him come to life in the game. Activate his special Sonar Smash ability to help him solve in-game puzzles and overpower enemies, and when he needs a time-traveling boost, add the rebuildable 3-in-1 DeLorean Time Machine and Hoverboard in to the game! Unlocks the exclusive Back to the Future™ “A Hill Valley Time Travel Adventure” level. Rebuild the DeLorean Time Machine into an Electric Time Machine and Ultra Time Machine. Rebuild the Hoverboard into a Cyclone Board and Ultimate Hoverjet. SET INFORMATION Number: 71201 Title: Level Pack: Back To The Future Theme: Dimensions Released: 2015 Part Count: 94 Box Weight: 98 gr Box Dimensions: 21,2cm x 8,6cm/18,8cm x 4,7cm Set Price (MSRP): € 29.99 / $ 29.99 / £ 29.99 Price per Part: € 0.319 / $ 0.319 / £ 0.319 Links: Brickset, Bricklink CONTENT THE BUILD LEVEL PACK GHOSTBUSTERSFight ghosts with The Ghostbusters™ LEGO® DIMENSIONS™ Level Pack! Help Peter Venkman and the rest of the Ghostbusters save New York (and the world!) from Gozer once and for all. Build Dr. Venkman, attach him to his LEGO® Toy Tag and place him on the LEGO® Toy Pad to see him come to life in the game. Activate his Laser Deflector, Suspend Ghosts and Hazard Protection abilities to solve puzzles and overpower enemies, and when he needs an extra ghost-hunting boost, add the rebuildable 3-in-1 Ecto-1 or the Ghost Trap in to the game! Unlocks exclusive The Ghostbusters™ “A Spook Central Adventure!” level. Rebuild the Ecto-1 into the Ecto-1 Blaster and Ecto-1 Water Diver. Rebuild the Ghost Trap into a Ghost Stun ‘n Trap and Proton Zapper. SET INFORMATION Number: 71228 Title: Level Pack: Ghostbusters Theme: Dimensions Released: 2015 Part Count: 269 Box Weight: 108 gr Box Dimensions: 21,2cm x 8,6cm/18,8cm x 4,7cm Set Price (MSRP): € 29.99 / $ 29.99 / £ 29.99 Price per Part: € 0.261 / $ 0.261 / £ 0.261 Links: Brickset, Bricklink CONTENT THE BUILD FUN PACK EMMETHelp save the multiverse with perfectly average Emmet from The LEGO® Movie™! Join Emmet on a series of crazy adventures in a mash-up multiverse of your favorite characters. Build and place him on the LEGO® Toy Pad and see him spring to life in the game, then activate his special Drill, Fix-It, and Master Build abilities to solve puzzles and battle enemies. If he runs out of ideas, bring in Emmet's Excavator and rebuild it into The Destroydozer and Destruct-o-Mech for upgraded in-game powers! SET INFORMATION Number: 71212 Title: Fun Pack: Emmet Theme: Dimensions Released: 2015 Part Count: 55 Box Weight: 68 gr Box Dimensions: 21,2cm x 8,6cm/18,8cm x 4,7cm Set Price (MSRP): € 14.99 / $ 14.99 / £ 14.99 Price per Part: € 0.273 / $ 0.273 / £ 0.273 Links: Brickset, Bricklink CONTENT THE BUILD CHARACTERS, VEHICLES AND GADGETS This is the selection of characters which all can be used during your adventures. The same goes for all of these vehicles. SUMMARY It took quite some time to write this review. That's because I was busy playing this awesome game. At the time of writing I started out with the sets described in this review. And I don't really dare to say how my collection looks like now. I have included a cartoon at the end of this review which more or less reflects what can happen when you buy this game. Funny story, which actually happened. I was in my local retail store and the lady at the store saw me looking at the sets and on my phone. She asked whether I needed help, so I explained I was looking up the abilities of each of the figures. She assumed I was buying this for my kids and we started talking. Her opinion was that the price was rather steep. I explained that you get a full game, and LEGO figurines. Normally a game will set you back 50 euros, if not more. For an additional 30 euro (the starter kit now costs 80 euro instead of 100) you get the hardware and LEGO figurines. Additionally you get a ton of gameplay, which will keep you occupied for a while. "Well if your kids like it, why not?" she concluded. At that point I told her it wasn't for my kids I think this little story more or less resembles how I feel about this set. I am not saying the game is cheap, but I think it's a fair price. You get the hardware, game, LEGO, etc. The starter kit will keep the kids happy for quite some time. Additional Level Packs or Fun Packs will give you access to new open world levels, which results in days of new fun. For me this game is the best of LEGO computer games, purely because of the diversity and longevity. I absolutely recommend getting this game, since it trumps every other LEGO game (sorry Star Wars, it's true). SCORE Since this isn't a regular set, I won't gives scores like I usuallly do. I will simply conclude with a single score. 9 out of 10 MEDIA JOKE Looks like you are having fun with LEGO Dimensions Quote
terryfay1983 Posted August 6, 2017 Posted August 6, 2017 youve certainly put together a nice review here, loads of info. i really enjoy Dimensions, its great to play when the kids are over and when i just want some easy gaming time. love the figure that are released aswell Quote
Jim Posted August 11, 2017 Author Posted August 11, 2017 On 06/08/2017 at 0:04 PM, terryfay1983 said: youve certainly put together a nice review here, loads of info. i really enjoy Dimensions, its great to play when the kids are over and when i just want some easy gaming time. love the figure that are released aswell Thanks and I definitely agree with you Quote
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