Game lover LEGO and Bridge Constructor, the association between the two immediately intrigued me, and it was with unfeigned pleasure that I discovered the game via a demo specially designed for this 2022 edition of the gamescom.
Little surprise that pleases from the outset, ClockStone took the time to contextualize using a scenario lego bricktales. Gone are the days of building without knowing why. After a tutorial of a few levels that helps you get started, you are thrown into the jungle environment to continue learning the game by helping independent archaeologists who have crashed in the middle of the jungle. In addition to building bridges and other fun things to unlock stuck characters, we will discover our first treasure chests and other animals hidden on the map. In the treasure chests are bananas, the in-game currency, which you can use to expand your wardrobe, allowing you to customize your yellow figurine as you wish.
As indicated above, we are not released in the middle of nature, and his avatar will have to make his mark by completing the different levels of the tutorial. During the meeting, I was able to practice the game using an XBOX pad, and as much to tell you that it was... somewhat tedious. Despite a relatively clear tutorial, the controller grip is not obvious at first. Manipulating the different LEGO pieces takes a bit of time, and we sometimes end up with some approximations in terms of precision that make you clip a piece to within one or two squares. Nothing frankly prohibitive, but the comfort is felt despite everything. At home, via a build provided by the studio, I was able to try again using the sacrosanct keyboard/mouse combo... and it wasn't really any better. First of all, although the demo excuses it, only QWERTY was available, which requires a little brain gymnastics that you take after a few minutes. You can of course count on moving with the mouse to move between the different puzzles, but it's a little too approximate as it is, compared to the joystick of a pad.
However, these default menus disappear as soon as you enter construction mode with the keyboard-mouse. The selection of the parts is done smoothly, the placement turns out to be quite fluid and I for my part was much more efficient than with the controller, except when you have to manage if you want to fit a part via the top or the below. The objective of these multiple puzzles is simple: you have to build what is requested with a limited number of pieces. A simple 2x2 block at the beginning, then a staircase, then a bridge, a support beam, etc... the constructions seem varied at the moment, and you can come back to them once in creative as soon as you have finished the level "script". The number of parts is higher and one can think of the decoration of the whole. Be careful, however, that the building does not collapse under its own weight, and that it can support the test robot. Without this, it is impossible to validate the level!
On the technical aspect, not much to complain about, it's fluid and it runs in 4K/60fps on my machine, for a very clean result. The graphic touch LEGO is respected, and the lighting effects are extremely successful, which gives quite charming environments. As it stands, however, no trace of Ray-Tracing, which did wonders on LEGO® Builder's Journey and which would have further improved the rendering of Bricktales. Hopefully a potential addition before the title is released (well, I passed the word to one of the devs anyway!).
This first grip confirms the full potential of this lego bricktales ! In addition to respecting the universe of the Danish brand, the puzzles offered are interesting and highlight the creative richness that we have as soon as we touch the LEGO. A title to watch for this end of the year, without a doubt!
