First PlayStation Exclusive Franchise To Come to a Nintendo Console in 26 Years

Legos don’t just combine together to build toy bridges, apparently, they bridge the ever-elusive console exclusivity gap too. Guerrilla Games’ Horizon series is among Sony’s key faces for the PlayStation brand, having been exclusive to its native hardware until now. But Lego Horizon Adventures isn’t the first PlayStation exclusive IP to join a rival’s ranks; PlayStation’s Wipeout series got a Nintendo 64-exclusive entry with Wipeout 64 back in 1998. Considering Microsoft’s recent multiplatform push with titles like Hi-Fi Rush going on PS5, it’s ironic that Lego Horizon Adventures doesn’t get the Xbox treatment, being tied to the PS5, Switch, and PC as it is.

Most Cinematic and Graphically Rich Lego Game Yet

The devs at Guerrilla and Studio Gobo “wanted to create a playable Lego movie in terms of the visual quality,” according to GameSpot.. A key ingredient in such an endeavor was ensuring that every in-game asset that you see was made of individual Lego bricks, similar to how The Lego Movie was presented. This holistic brick-built approach goes much further than previous Lego games which often left the bricks out of background environments in order to cut down on rendering load. The minifig characters move around with that classic Lego stop-motion animation too, highlighted by realistic scratches and scuffs you might see on a Lego figure. It’s a striking visual package that fools you into thinking you’re playing with a real Lego set. Amplifying the cinematic presentation further is the fully voiced cast, with Ashly Burch returning as Aloy.

A Family-Friendly Re-Imagining of Horizon Zero Dawn

Lego games are built with a younger audience in mind, so much of the darker apocalyptic content from the original Horizon Zero Dawn is absent in Horizon Adventures. As the narrative director at Guerrilla says, “It’s not a faithful retelling, and neither is it a parody,”. Expect the usual slapstick humor and sharp wit that previous Lego games have had, but within the world and time-frame that Horizon Zero Dawn takes place. One of the fun aspects of Lego’s take on popular franchises is how they poke fun and present their visual gags and referential humor, and Lego Horizon Adventures takes that and gleefully runs with it.

Customizable Mother’s Heart Base

One way you can change up the tone of the game yourself is through base customization. The central hub of the game is the iconic Mother’s Heart base from Zero Dawn. The base doesn’t just look authentic and superbly Lego-fied, it can also be re-arranged with different building attachments and props. For example, the real-life Lego 3-in-1 Ferris Wheel can be attached atop various buildings and we’re sure there’s hundreds more referential easter eggs to unlock as well.

No Stud Counter

While there’s still plenty to unlock and collect, the shift to a more cinematic experience has eliminated at least one Lego game staple: the stud counter. Many previews noted the lack of a stud counter in Lego Horizon Adventures, along with the lax attitude regarding the need to break everything into studs to achieve ranks like “true adventurer”. There’s still plenty of side stuff to do besides collecting studs though, speaking of…

Can Customize Minifigs with Unique Outfits

One of the other collectibles in the game are outfit pieces for your minifig characters to wear. We’re shown a variety of outfit combination in trailers, ranging across Lego’s catalogue from Ninjago to Lego City. We’ve also seen costumes from Sony’s own mascots, including Ratchet, Rivet, and Sackboy. This comes as a delight for many fans of the series, since Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga unceremoniously got rid of character customization completely. It’ll be especially fun to share our wacky designs with friends in the co-op mode.

2-Player Online and Couch Co-Op

Thankfully, the seamless drop-in/drop-out co-op mode from past Lego games returns here, but with a caveat. Co-op is limited to two players like Skywalker Saga. We’ve been awaiting the return to four player co-op for a while now, and this isn’t the game to bring that back. But we do get online co-op here, unlike with Skywalker Saga. And of course, everyone’s favorite couch co-op option is alive and well, but this time using a single dynamic screen to share the action in. If you’re particularly fond of the autonomy that split-screen allows, as I am, there is a saving grace that helps accommodate your partner running far off-screen.

Fixed Overhead Camera Angle Like the Classic Lego Games

Another camera change for this game is the shift from over-the-shoulder to an overhead fixed camera angle. Zooming out the camera in this way creates a wide play area to see everything at-a-glance while accommodating the lack of split-screen. Lego games work much better with a fixed camera in my experience, but parents have also noted that the close over-the-shoulder rapidity exemplified in games like The Skywalker Saga and Lego Ninjago can cause nausea and visual confusion to younger players.

Many Characters To Control and Unlock

One of the joys of Lego’s partnership with other properties is experiencing beloved characters in their minifigure format. Fans of Horizon have a lot to look forward to in this regard, with key characters like Rost, Varl, Teersa, and Erend being fully playable and customizable. I’ll be especially curious to see if any of the mechanized dinosaurs are playable.

Simplified Weak-Spot Targeting System

Speaking of ferocious dinos, you’ll still use a weak-spot targeting system to take them down like in Horizon Zero Dawn. Of course, the controls are simplified to accommodate a single Switch joy-con controller.  Still, it’s nice to see such a central mechanic translated here, even if it is just holding an aim button on a glowing spot.

Strategic Elements Such as Sneaking in Grass

Sneaking in grass and using the environment to your advantage is still a strategic aspect of gameplay in Lego Horizon Adventures. Tall Lego-fied grass can be lit on fire to distract beasts and solve puzzles. And let’s be real, who won’t sabotage their partner with fire while they’re sneaking around in the tall grass?

Difficulty Slider

The devs have said that the level of strategy and general complexity accelerates as you move up the difficulty slider. In practical terms, raising difficulty probably features free aim instead of auto-aim, as well as more aggressive enemy AI. Still, this is a Lego game at the end of the day, and it’s tailored to be accessible to a young audience, and it’s not trying to match the strategic depth of its Zero Dawn inspiration.

PC Minimum and Recommended Requirements

The PC specs to run Horizon Adventures have been revealed and you’ll need at least an Intel Core i5-8400 or AMD Ryzen 5 2600 processor to run it at its lowest settings and a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 or AMD Radeon RX 580 graphics card. The recommended processors are  Intel Core i5-10600K or AMD Ryzen 5 3600As with the recommended graphics cards being NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 or AMD Radeon RX 6800. Sadly, yes, a PlayStation account is necessary for online play.

File Size

The Switch requires a much smaller file size than PC, with a meager 5.9 GB needed for the Nintendo system. By contrast, the PC requires 30 GB. While PlayStation hasn’t yet revealed their file size requirement, I’d expect it to match the PC at around 30 GB, considering past comparisons.

Story Takes 7 to 8 Hours, According to the Director

Eating up all that data is the meat and potatoes of the game: the story. The creative director has estimated that the story takes around 7 to 8 hours to complete, which is more or less average for a Lego game. But considering the unique graphical complexity regarding full brick-built environments and the like, much of that runtime is spent processing a much more dynamic and high-fidelity experience than past Lego games.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

Leading the lineup is LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, WB Games and Traveller’s Tales’ action-adventure title, which compiles all nine mainline Star Wars films into a single, abridged, typically lighthearted and humourous LEGO experience.

Then there’s Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights, developers Adglobe and Live Wire’s acclaimed Metroidvania action-adventure game, as well as family friendly horror game Five Nights at Freddy’s: Security Breach.

All three games will be available from August 6 for subscribers of all PlayStation Plus tiers- Essential, Extra, and Premium, and will remain up until September 2. That means you have until August 6 left to claim July’s free offerings, which were Borderlands 3, NHL 24, and Among Us.

God of War Ragnarok

If it wasn’t clear already after the onslaught of media in November, God of War Ragnarok is a massive experience. The base game’s story involves exploring the Nine Realms, including new ones like Svartalfheim and Vanaheim. But even the returning locations like Midgard and Alfheim have plenty of new things to see. Each realm is packed with Favors to complete, Yggdrasil Rifts, optional bosses, armor, Runic Attacks, weapon attachments, upgrade materials, you name it. The story isn’t even close to the end as a massive new area opens up in the post-game.

Elden Ring

Mechanically, Elden Ring takes many cues from developer FromSoftware’s previous works, Dark Souls being the most prominent. Influences like Berserk are also prominent throughout the design, but nothing could quite prepare Souls fans for the sheer breadth of The Lands Between. Limgrave appears unassuming enough but contains enough horrors to keep you honest. Caelid is a nightmarish wasteland, Leyndell is a sprawling capital city…and that’s only a taste of what the entire game has to offer. Bosses, unique enemies, loot, whatever the hell is going on in Volcano Manor – there’s a lot to see, and kill.

Horizon Forbidden West

You’d think that exploring the world of Zero Dawn would prepare you for Guerrilla Games’ next. However, the sheer scale of Horizon Forbidden West is incredible to behold, even when you’re a ways off from the shores. Horizon Forbidden West expands on everything from its predecessor, whether it’s the side quests and gear variety or the number of collectibles, secrets, and Machines to hunt.

Throughout all of this, there are thick new jungles to explore, arid wastelands teeming with terrifying Slitherfangs and Thunderjaws, snow-covered mountains, and of course, the gorgeous beaches with their Tiderippers. It’s a stunning game, and being able to go just about anywhere – yes, even the ruins of the Golden Gate Bridge – is incredible.

Need For Speed Unbound

Lakeshore City, the setting for Unbound, is based on Chicago and leans even deeper into the street culture scene than previous entries with its Tags, graffiti art, and personalities. As you race through the streets, you’ll encounter a variety of locales, from the City Pier and Kennedy Test Track to the picturesque Mountain Road on Kennedy Drive. Everything looks vibrant and alive, especially at night when the cops are in pursuit, and the dozens of cars and events will keep you busy.

Ghostwire Tokyo

Unlike its previous efforts, Ghostwire Tokyo by Tango Gameworks is a completely open-world game. Set in Tokyo, facing a constant downpour in the wake of the Visitors’ abduction of most residents, it’s a stunning game teeming with gorgeous lighting and reflections. But there are also tasks to complete, Torii Gates to cleanse and visit, spirits to assist, cat merchants to buy from, and rooftops to grapple on. The mix of grounded and ethereal presents enough to keep you busy.

Sonic Frontiers

The “open-zone” format in Sonic Frontiers is most decidedly not open world. But each region is incredibly huge, teeming with puzzles, Koco to rescue, time trials, roaming enemies, and much more, whether you’re gathering Memory Tokens or the Chaos Emeralds. There are also various Cyber Space Stages, fishing with Big the Cat, and massive Titans to battle. It’s expansive but still well-paced and fits Sonic’s overall sense of speed. Except for that grass-cutting mini-game, probably.

Dakar Desert Rally

Is this a great racing game? No, and the controls aren’t exactly going to satisfy rally enthusiasts. But the open world is fun to explore, with weather effects like blizzards and sandstorms mixing up the vistas in unique ways. It’s gorgeous to drive through, as long as you ignore some of the more lacklustre gameplay elements.

Gotham Knights

The Gotham City in Gotham Knights may not live up to that in Arkham Knight, but the fidelity is impressive enough. Even if you stick to one hero, enough is going on in each district, from crimes in progress to challenges, to keep them occupied. If nothing else, it’s still nice to perch up high and gaze upon the city’s lights, soaking up the atmosphere.

Saints Row

Saints Row may falter in several aspects, but Santo Ileso is still a worthwhile playground for some mayhem. From the bustling lights of El Dorado to the deserts of the Gehenna Badlands and skyscrapers of Lakeshore, there’s a good variety of environments as you wingsuit or recklessly drive through them. The amount of activities and Criminal Ventures is also pretty healthy, and thanks to a recent patch, they should be less grindy and more palatable.

Sniper Elite 5

Sniper Elite 4’s levels were already embracing larger, more sandbox-like scenarios, but Sniper Elite 5 is on another level. Karl Fairburne is again battling the Nazis in various missions set in WW2 France, but the scale and the overall number of opportunities are much higher as you search for that perfect sniping spot. The visuals and attention to detail are stunning, and aspects like deeper weapon customization, shortcuts for future kills, and Invasion Mode, where another player enters your game as a rival sniper keeps things interesting.

Pokemon Legends: Arceus

Though technically not an open-world title, instead employing giant regions that are connected, Pokemon Legends: Arceus still offers a massive, captivating world to explore. Hisui is based on Hokkaido, Japan in the early times and offers a variety of incredible vistas to explore. They’re also teeming with danger from regular Pokemon to Alpha and Noble Pokemon, and being directly involved in the battle makes each experience more visceral. Despite having “only” 242 Pokemon, the journey to capture all of the same, through various story and side quests, and post-game activities, is still incredibly fun.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

Say what you will about the performance and fidelity, but Paldea in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet is a pretty massive place. Whether you’re pursuing the Path of Legends, fighting Titan Pokemon or facing down Team Star, there is a wealth of content available, from the four main Provinces to the mysterious Great Crater. You’ll discover hundreds of Pokemon, and maybe a few Legendaries if you’re intuitive enough. Also, unlike Pokemon Legends: Arceus, the entire world is seamlessly explorable in co-op with up to three other players.

LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga

The sheer number of delays for this game is due to its massive size. Covering all nine mainline films in the series, from Episode 1: The Phantom Menace to the Rise of Skywalker, it also features hundreds of characters, upgrades, secrets, collectibles, side quests, space battles, and more. It’s a lot to take in, and while it may not offer as much freedom as other games on this list, The Skywalker Saga is still a huge experience.

Dying Light 2 Stay Human

The City is a big step up from Harran in terms of size and scale, with numerous detailed buildings to enter – some teeming with Infected Nests – and characters to interact with. Even with some aspects being stripped back, there are several side quests to undertake, and the sheer expanse lends itself well to challenges, time trials and so on. The improved controls and parkour mechanics make it much more seamless to explore.

“Hot Wheels Unleashed – Game of the Year Edition is no longer coming on Dec 15, 2022 as previously announced. We will update with a new date when we have more information to share,” the update reads.

Original story follows:

Microsoft has announced the first wave of titles coming to Game Pass in December 2022, starting with the 2D adventure title Eastward and Telltale’s The Walking Dead: The Final Season. Both are available starting today for Xbox consoles, cloud, and PC. Totally Reliable Delivery Service is also available for PC subscribers.

As announced earlier, LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga comes to the cloud, consoles and PC on December 6th. tinyBuild’s Hello Neighbor 2 is also available on the same day for the same platforms, followed by retro-style RPG Chained Echoes and Metal: Hellsinger (specifically for Xbox One) on December 8th.

On December 13th, High on Life and Potion Craft are available for cloud, consoles and PC. Hot Wheels Unleashed – Game of the Year Edition and Rainbow Billy: The Curse of the Leviathan follow on December 15th.

Of course, several titles will leave Game Pass on December 15th. Check out the list below:

• Aliens: Fireteam Elite (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Breathedge (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Dragon Quest 11: Echoes of an Elusive Age (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Firewatch (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Lake (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4 (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Neoverse (Cloud and Console)
• Race with Ryan (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Rory McIlroy PGA Tour (Console) EA Play
• Transformers: Battlegrounds (Cloud, Console, and PC)

Additional titles could be announced at The Game Awards on December 8th, so stay tuned.

Microsoft has announced that LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is coming to Game Pass for PC, console, and cloud on December 6. It looks like it’ll be the game’s base version that’ll be available to subscribers, rather than the Galactic Edition, which launched earlier this year. That said, with nine movies’ worth of content included, it’s not like the base version isn’t a package brimming with content.

In our review of LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, we awarded it a score of 9/10, saying, “LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga retains the simplicity, charm, and humour of past LEGO games and blends them with some significant gameplay improvements and expansions, delivering a robust, densely packed, and delightful experience.” Read the full review through here.

LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is available on Xbox Series X/S, PS5, Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

God of War: Ragnarok

Sony Santa Monica’s latest God of War: Ragnarok is easily a more than worthy sequel to the stellar original that was released back in 2018, and that statement alone speaks volumes about the game’s quality. The continuation of Kratos and Atreus’ tale through the Norse realms is grand and filled to the brim with a buffet of high-adrenaline moments and spectacular boss fights. The combat and exploration have been polished to an immaculate sheen, which makes God of War: Ragnarok perhaps the best game to play on your shiny new console.

Character Collection 2 offers six new DLC packs with new characters. These include Star Wars: Andor, LEGO Star Wars: Summer Vacation TV Special, Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi, Star Wars: The Book of Boba Fett, Star Wars: Rebels, and Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Overall, you’re looking at over 30 new playable characters.

Each pack can also be purchased separately for $3 or together for $15. Those who only own the base game can pick up the Character Collection 1 and 2 bundle for $25.

Interestingly, LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga was announced as having over six million players since launching in April. For more details on the base game, check out our review here. Stay tuned for updates on the Galactic Edition in the coming months.

LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is in third place, which means that two of the top three best-selling games of the month were published by Warner Bros. In year-to-date sales, TT Games’ title ranked in second place behind FromSoftware’s Elden Ring (which recently hit 16.6 million units sold worldwide).

Monolith Soft’s Xenoblade Chronicles 3 also had an impressive debut at fourth place, that too without digital sales included. It’s the best-selling title on Nintendo Switch for July. The final new release of the month was Bandai Namco’s Digimon Survive. Two days of sales were tracked, but it was still enough to net eighth place.

Check out the top 20 best-selling video games in the US based on dollar sales below.

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The Nintendo Switch version of the action-adventure title benefited the most, seeing a 175% week-on-week boost in sales. That figure stood at 140% for Xbox Series X/S. Meanwhile, F1 22, which was on top last week, has been pushed down to second place.

A number of Ubisoft games also benefited significantly from Amazon Prime Day. There’s Far Cry 6, of course, which went straight from No. 32 to No. 6 thanks to a 275% boost in sales over the preceding week. Watch Dogs: Legion jumped to No. 20 thanks to a whopping 777% increase in sales, while Assassin’s Creed Valhalla climbed to No. 11 after a 44% increase.

You can check out the full top 10 for the week ending July 16 below. 

Horizon Forbidden West

In many ways, Horizon Forbidden West is more of what made Horizon Zero Dawn so good, just enriched further. The increased fidelity fits well with the wider variety of environments, like San Francisco’s coast and the dilapidated Golden Gate Bridge. But even when traversing the deserts and forests, everything looks so crisp and detailed, from sand particle effects to the foliage and skyboxes. Of course, the animation work also deserves a nod for how much it’s expanded and enhanced, particularly in cutscenes and interactions. It helps bring every encounter to life.