LEGO Horizon adventures: Accessibility Overview and Impressions
Hello, dear readers! My name is Victor, and I am a totally blind gaming, technology, and entertainment journalist. I am also an ambassador for universal design, an accessibility consultant, advocate, tester, and public speaker.
LEGO Horizon Adventures, developed by Guerrilla and Studio Gobo, launches today, November 14, 2024, across PlayStation 5, PC, and Nintendo Switch. This game invites players to dive into the expansive, post-apocalyptic world of Horizon in a fresh way, through the charming perspective of LEGO.
We received the game for review a few weeks ago, and I’ve prepared an article for you just in time for the launch, to help you decide if this adventure is something you might enjoy.
My wife, Alina, and I have recently started collecting and building LEGO sets, making the concept of a LEGO game set in the Horizon universe particularly captivating for us. Our first project together was the Horizon Tallneck set. Witnessing this iconic machine take shape from tiny bricks gave us a true sense of accomplishment, as if we had brought a piece of the game world into our home. Therefore, when LEGO Horizon Adventures was announced, I eagerly awaited the chance to immerse myself in the experience, hoping it would vividly bring Aloy’s world to life.
Although I cannot see anything myself, Alina provided rich descriptions. She has been particularly impressed with the graphics, describing LEGO Horizon Adventures as the best-looking LEGO game ever made, by a considerable margin. According to her, everything looks incredibly crisp, colorful, and playful, showcasing the essence of both the LEGO and Horizon worlds perfectly. The game captures every moment with such accuracy that you could take a snapshot and build a corresponding LEGO set. With its stop-motion animation style and the retention of the original voice cast, the game vibrates with the energy of an animated LEGO movie, playful, humorous, and full of life. LEGO Horizon Adventures converts Aloy’s journey into a fresh, lighthearted adventure,
However, I faced a significant challenge, as the game lacks accessibility features for totally blind players like myself. In a game teeming with creativity and rich detail, this barrier is particularly disheartening. Without text-to-speech for the menus or navigation assistance, I depend heavily on Alina’s help, which is frustrating because I yearn to explore this vibrant world independently.
To make such games fully accessible, several features could be incorporated. Implementing text-to-speech and menu narration would greatly assist in navigating through the game interface. Navigation assistance would allow for independent exploration, while specific sound cues could signal important changes or events within the game. Additionally, audio descriptions could enhance storytelling elements, providing a comprehensive and enriching gameplay experience for totally blind players.
For instance, take Aloy’s “Focus” feature. It’s meant to aid in identifying targets and resources—key interactions within the game’s environment. However, without audio cues or haptic feedback, navigating feels like wandering in the dark. Simple enhancements, such as an audio cue for proximity to a target or a vibration when near a resource, would majorly improve this feature for totally blind players.
Even in cooperative mode, where Alina and I can play as Aloy and Varl, my role often feels unimportant, like a LEGO builder left on the sidelines.
While I hoped this would be a game we could thoroughly enjoy together, LEGO Horizon Adventures regrettably falls short in accommodating totally blind players like myself. LEGO as a brand has always celebrated inclusivity, creativity, and the joy of building. It is my sincere hope that Guerrilla and Studio Gobo, along with other developers, will embrace these values more fully in future projects. By embedding accessibility from the start, they can truly welcome us all into these remarkable worlds firsthand.
Nevertheless, for fans of LEGO or Horizon, I highly recommend this game. It makes for an excellent Christmas gift and offers a wonderful opportunity for families to bond over gaming. For those able to appreciate its intricate details, LEGO Horizon Adventures is a visual delight, imaginative, and effectively encapsulating the essence of both worlds.
Review copy provided by PlayStation Norway
Victor Dima
