TechRadar Verdict
Lego Fortnite is a solid swing at a survival crafting game, but will likely only fully come into its own after a few updates. Building is an issue at present, a real issue in a Lego title, but as a survival game, it’s excellent.
Gorgeous open world
Lego Styles are genuinely delightful
Progression loop is devilishly moreish
No split-screen co-op
Building is clunky and drawn out
No farming at launch is a missed opportunity
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Platform reviewed: PS5Available on: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, AndroidRelease date:December 7, 2023
LegoFortnitemarked the pinnacle of an extremely important week forFortnitelast week; not one, not two, but three new games were released withinFortnite, with the Lego-focused entry leading the way. It’s a survival crafting game that’s more than a little bit likeMinecraft,and it’s being marketed as a full game that ‘lives inFortnite,’a claim that does raise the eyebrow somewhat. However, this essentially holds up;Epic Gamesand Lego have put together a competent, approachable, and surprisingly moreish survival crafting game for no additional cost. It’s missing a few features that you’d expect from this sort of game, but it’s well worth trying out with friends.
The fact thatLego Fortniteis a fully featured game released within the biggest battle royale game around is noteworthy, and pretty much unprecedented, at least at this scale. It’s free too, and tied intoFortnite’s existing experience points (XP) systems. You can hop intoLego Fortnite, and earn XP towards your main Battle Pass, before jumping into one of the other hundred or so modes. It really is unlike anything I’ve seen before, and likely just Epic Games’ first step towards craftingFortniteinto a one-stop destination for a range of gaming experiences.
Part of what makesLego Fortnitesuch a compelling proposition for existing players is how seamlessly it’s been folded intoFortnite’s world. There are 1,200 Lego skins at launch, based on those already found inFortnite. I first spent ages looking through my Outfits, checking which ones had Lego styles and which didn’t. Seeing Lego versions of iconicFortnitecharacters like Peely, Fishstick, and Jonesy never really gets old, and it’s genuinely mind-blowing just how many skins Lego and Epic have managed to put together. You can also use many of your favorite emotes, and it’s a real joy to see how Lego characters move when certain ones are triggered.
Begin at the beginning
Lego Fortnite’s opening hour walks you through the basics, leading you from punching down trees with your plastic Lego hands, to building your first shelter.Lego Fortniteis immediately striking, utilizing the very best of what Unreal Engine 5 has to offer. Strangely, this is probably the best-looking Lego game released so far, combiningFortnite’s vibrant color palette with the shiny, plastic real-life look of Lego bricks. You’ll spawn into a randomly selected spot in the world, or you can enter a seed if you have somewhere more specific in mind. Over the following hours, you’ll be well on your way to building and managing your very ownFortnitevillage, with an ever-changing cast of characters that’ll visit and join in the fun.
Lego games are often some of the most approachable and easy to understand, making them excellent for a younger audience.Lego Fortniteis a great example of this, with an easy-to-understand gameplay loop and control system. Unfortunately, this sense of streamlined simplicity does not extend to building, which feels overbaked in its current state. Each build has multiple stages, each stage with multiple pieces that need to be placed onto a defined grid. While this is clearly a nod to how Lego is put together in the real world, it’s completely out of place here. Large builds can take ages to complete and, due to the placement of objects being a little finicky at times, often feel frustrating.
Unlocking the glider completely opensLego Fortniteup. You can use geysers to soar up into the air, allowing you to reach previously inaccessible resources. Make sure you get your plastic little mitts on it as soon as you can.
Over on the survival side of things, there’s a hunger and temperature meter and fairly easy-to-understand third-person melee combat. There’s a great-feeling dodge roll and even a way to stun enemies with a well-timed shield block. You’ll need to eat to keep your health up, but the balance is a little bit out of whack at present. It can feel overbearing at times, with constant reminders of your character’s hunger before you stand still munching berries to stave it off for 10 minutes or so. Similarly, your temperature will drop dramatically when it’s raining, meaning you’ll need to wait inside or risk losing health. This does get better as you craft charms that add heat and cold resistance, but the first few hours are rough.
Upgrades, people
The auto-build mechanic found in other Lego games would really fit intoLego Fortnite, and help alleviate what is currently a very annoying building system. There’s no real build camera either, meaning you need to walk around a large building, looking up at certain spots in order to place individual parts. It’s a shame thatLego Fortnitemisses the mark in its building, especially given how fun it is in other Lego games. Generally, crafting and resource gathering are much better, with a clear and defined loop associated with crafting tools to gather resources of escalating rarity.
As a survival crafting game,Lego Fortniteis excellent. As a Lego game, it’s a little bit lacking. You cannot move buildings and instead need to destroy them and go through the lengthy building process all over again. Villages feel messy and cramped as a result, and there’s very little room for experimentation and play, something that really doesn’t mesh with Lego’s main strengths. Another missed opportunity is the lack of split-screen co-op. This is present in some ofFortnite’s main modes, so its absence is especially puzzling here. Lego games are some of the best ways to play alongside younger family members (in particular), makingLego Fortnitea difficult game to recommend for those with children who like to play together in the same room.
Lego FortnitesharesFortnite’s Accessibility settings, which means they’re slightly too buried in menus. Still, there’s a sound visualizer, completely remappable controls, as well as some HUD scaling options.
There are many quality-of-life changes I’d like to see brought toLego Fortnitein the future, and well, this isFortnite, so updates are very likely. You’ll probably be surprised to know that farming animals is currently not possible inLego Fortnite, making certain resources difficult to get ahold of. This creates bottlenecks in your plans, grinding progression to a halt for hours at a time. Generally, though, the gathering, crafting, and progression loop inLego Fortniteis precisely what it needs to be. You’ll gather better resources to craft better tools that allow you to reach even better resources in different and more dangerous biomes. It’s incredibly moreish, and my group of friends has already had trouble logging off at the end of a long play session. Perhaps just one more expedition before bedtime.
I have no doubt thatLego Fortnitewill be supported and updated in the future, and generally, there’s more than enough here to warrant its claims of being a full game. Like everything else inFortnite’s ecosystem,Lego Fortniteis incredibly slick, solid, and extremely good value. It’s a riot in four-player co-op, though you’ll need to head online to squad up with friends. As a swing at being aMinecraftcompetitor,Lego Fortnitehas heaps of potential. In its current state, it actually reminds me more ofValheim, with a clear and rewarding progression loop that’ll keep you coming back for hours and hours.
We’ve pulled together all thebest free gamesif you’re searching for another adventure to sink hours into. However, for a more communal experience, you might want to check out all thebest multiplayer PC games, too.
Jake is a freelance writer who currently works regularly with TRG. Hailing from the overcast shores of Brighton in the United Kingdom, Jake can be found covering everything from features to guides content around the latest game releases. As seen onNME.com,Eurogamer.net, andVG247.com, Jake specializes in breaking games down into approachable pieces for guides, and providing SEO advice to websites looking to expand their audiences.
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