LEGO Voyagers

LEGO Voyagers is a tender and well-crafted adventure that tells a story about friendship and the value of the time we choose to spend with someone else. It does so through a narrative conveyed by images, whistles, and small gestures of love and camaraderie, without ever putting a single word on the screen. The feeling it seeks to evoke, rooted in the Danish concept of hygge, is one of warmth and wholeness, the kind of completeness that only this type of bond can bring. Unfortunately, the control system lacks precision and reaches its most frustrating point precisely in two of the most important aspects of the LEGO universe: building and creativity. Players’ inventiveness is never truly celebrated; in fact, over the five hours it takes to complete the adventure, stacking bricks often feels more like an obstacle than an opportunity.

Even though I have my frustrations with the controls and I was left wanting more from the puzzles, I still very much enjoyed my time with Lego Voyagers. While it had potential for greater things, the puzzles are still good fun and strike at the elements that make co-op play uniquely enjoyable. At a tight three hours, it’s the kind of game you could easily play with your partner or kid to spend a cozy, lazy evening together.

Ultimately, Voyagers lands in a weird place for me as far as recommending it goes, and also with who I would recommend it for. The simplicity and repetition of the experience means it’s hard to recommend to older players who might be looking for a little more meat on the bone. On the other hand, it might not be right for a younger audience due to the execution issues with some of the puzzles. Despite landing in this mixed middle ground, I did have an enjoyable time with my wife, and we walked away with fond memories of it, so for me Lego Voyagers gets 6.5 stuck together bricks out of 10.