The LEGO Ninjago Movie Video Game
- October 13, 2017
- TT Games
- 11h median play time
The LEGO Ninjago Movie Videogame stands out from other LEGO games, not for the huge game changes but for the little additions that are often unappreciated. I thoroughly enjoyed this title and I am looking forward to playing more.
The LEGO Ninjago Movie Video Game is a family-friendly action-adventure game that allows players to step into the world of the LEGO Ninjago movie. As Lloyd, Nya, Jay, Kai, Cole, Zane, and Master Wu, players must defend Ninjago Island from the evil Lord Garmadon and his Shark Army. The game features fast-paced combat with the ability to harness the power of Spinjitzu and master the art of Ninjagility to traverse the world. Players can team up with friends in co-op mode to save Ninjago together.
Reviews
- The game features a fun and engaging combat system that allows for various combos and upgrades.
- The graphics and animations are well done, providing a visually appealing experience.
- It's a great game for fans of Ninjago, offering a mix of characters and references from the series.
- The game suffers from frequent crashes and technical issues, making it frustrating to play.
- The story mode is relatively short, leading to a lack of replayability and content.
- There are no mini-kits or significant collectibles, which diminishes the exploration aspect typical of LEGO games.
- story75 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 73 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The story of the game is primarily based on the LEGO Ninjago movie, which many players found to be a cliché and lacking depth, often feeling like a rushed adaptation with unskippable cutscenes. While some appreciated the humor and the integration of gameplay with the story, others criticized it for being short, repetitive, and not as engaging as the original Ninjago TV show. Overall, the narrative is seen as a mixed bag, with fun elements overshadowed by its reliance on a less favorable movie plot.
“I thoroughly enjoyed this story and gameplay experience far more than I previously thought I would.”
“As a big fan of Ninjago (both the TV show and the movie), I absolutely love this game. The good graphics combined with a very good video game adaptation of the movie's story makes this an amazing game.”
“The story is funny, the levels are well designed, and the extra features are enough to keep players coming back to get to that 100% without getting burnt out.”
“The story for this game blows, and from what I can tell, it's fairly faithful to the movie, which also happened to be the worst received of the LEGO movies.”
“Too bad it's based on the movie and not the show, which would be a much better plot for a game.”
“The story as well as scenes from the movie were recycled; I would have preferred a story from the aftermath of the events.”
- gameplay35 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 49 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this LEGO game is a mixed bag, featuring fun and innovative mechanics, particularly in combat, which is more complex than previous titles but can become repetitive over time. While the visuals and parkour elements enhance the experience, some players find the overall gameplay lacks depth and engagement, often feeling simplistic and unmotivating. Despite its shortcomings, the game is praised for its smooth mechanics and enjoyable exploration, making it a decent choice for fans of the franchise.
“Fun LEGO game, introduces some new mechanics.”
“Very cool mechanics and game modes too other than the main story.”
“The gameplay is simple and easy to learn; additionally, the difficulty can be nicely customized.”
“Tt Games tries to implement parkour and combat mechanics into their stagnant LEGO game formula here, but it never offers any interesting platforming challenges or puzzles.”
“There's a good variety of stuff to find (gold bricks, unlockable characters, etc.) as you explore the variety of small environments in the game, but I had no motivation to collect anything since the majority of characters you find are uninteresting extras from the movie, and with the gameplay being as bland as it is, I couldn't find the motivation to go back in free play to find everything.”
“[seemingly endless load screens, still the same boring gameplay LEGO has always had, can crash after load screens]”
- graphics27 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are widely praised for their high quality and realism, with many reviewers noting impressive visual effects and animations, particularly at 4K resolution. However, some players have experienced issues such as game-breaking bugs, control problems, and a lack of graphical optimization across settings. Overall, while the visuals are a highlight, they are marred by technical difficulties that detract from the experience.
“The graphics and realism are top notch.”
“This game has really good visuals, from water effects to after effects to local reflections & the combat mechanics were also insane.”
“Probably the best LEGO game yet, the fastest, the most action-packed, and with incredible graphics.”
“I played it for about 12.8 hours and then it physically ate my graphics card... so now I'm down a graphics card and I need another one.”
“The only way to save this game is to make even more graphical settings because low and high graphic settings look the same.”
“[screen tearing and other graphical faults, horrendous loading times, too much handholding]”
- humor18 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with some players finding it entertaining and suitable for younger audiences, while others feel it lacks the signature wit and slapstick of previous LEGO titles. While there are moments of funny dialogue and enjoyable movie clips, many reviewers noted a decline in overall comedic quality, with some describing the humor as cringe-inducing and clichéd. Overall, the game is seen as fun and engaging, but it doesn't fully capitalize on the humor that fans have come to expect from LEGO games.
“Great, easy to control gameplay and the kids loved the funny clips from the movie.”
“The game itself is very funny, just like all LEGO games.”
“Overall, the game is fun, and typical of LEGO games, funny and a collectibles fest.”
- stability9 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 78 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a mixed bag, with numerous users reporting significant bugs such as game crashes, slowdowns, and glitches that hinder progress, particularly in the tutorial. While some players have experienced smooth performance and no crashes, the overall consensus indicates that the game suffers from various stability issues that detract from the experience.
“The graphics look amazing at 4K, they have the movement down perfectly, the voices are good, and unlike L.A. Noire, we have experienced no glitches or crashes at all.”
“Great game, runs great as always!”
“Super buggy with game crashes, slowdowns, clipping through the map, and becoming superman just by doing some jumps on certain objects.”
“No other game crashes... you'd think after such a long release this wouldn't be so buggy.”
“Game consistently glitches so that you can't get past the tutorial dojo.”
- replayability7 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is considered low due to the absence of key factions in the story mode, limited free-play options, and a lack of collectible challenges like minikits. Players find the experience short and lacking in depth, leading to a quick completion without much incentive to revisit the game. Consequently, many reviewers feel the game does not justify its price given its minimal replay value.
“With the amount of replay value, I have to recommend this game.”
“This leads to a fast 100%, but less replayability.”
“Not much replayability.”
“Can't play levels in free play (this really kills replayability).”
“No minikits means less replay value and shorter playing time, especially when the game is already short.”
- optimization3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed feedback; while some players appreciate the impressive graphics and enjoyable split-screen experience, others have noted performance and audio issues that detract from the overall experience. Additionally, concerns about repetitive puzzle design and a disorganized story further highlight the need for improvements in optimization.
“Even if it's a Lego game, the graphics and optimization are amazing, and I always love how they mix real graphics like water with Legos; it turns out to be quite a masterpiece.”
“On the other hand, I love playing splitscreen in this game with my younger brother. It has a few optimization issues that are fixable, but otherwise, it is entertaining.”
“Performance and audio issues are hard to ignore.”
“The story is jumbled and messy.”
“Puzzle design grows repetitive very quickly.”
- music3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's music, particularly the inclusion of "The Weekend Whip," is well-received, contributing to an enjoyable soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. While the game diverges from the movie in terms of voice acting and plot pacing, the music and fun mechanics, like parkour elements, help maintain player engagement. However, performance issues on lower-end devices can detract from the enjoyment.
“The game has a good soundtrack, has a dash that improves mobility, making it more fun than the mobility in other LEGO games.”
“And had such a great song like 'The Weekend Whip'.”
“There are certain points in the city where you can do parkour with LEGO, which gives you the feeling of being a ninja.”
“The music in this game feels completely disconnected from the source material, lacking the emotional depth and atmosphere that fans expected.”
“I found the soundtrack to be repetitive and uninspired, which detracted from the overall experience of the game.”
“The choice of music seems random and doesn't fit the game's tone, making it hard to immerse myself in the gameplay.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, often requiring excessive repetition and long loading times that test their patience.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“Then restart, wait for start screens, loading, and then walk through the whole level once again... tedious, annoying, and a strain on your patience.”
- character development1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The character development in the game is accessible and well-executed, making it easy for newcomers who are unfamiliar with the associated TV show or movie to follow and understand the characters' growth and motivations.
“I approached this game without having seen the TV show or the movie, and I found it quite easy to follow, with character development clear enough for a first-time viewer.”
“The character development is incredibly rich, allowing players to form deep connections with each character as their stories unfold.”
“I love how the game allows for meaningful choices that impact character growth, making each decision feel significant.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Reviewers express concern that the game's low-quality trailer suggests it may be a cash grab, indicating skepticism about its overall value and quality in relation to its monetization strategy.
“The poor quality of the video and audio in the trailer made me worry that this game would be an effortless cash grab.”
“The monetization strategy feels overly aggressive, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending extra money.”
“I was disappointed to find that many features are locked behind paywalls, which detracts from the overall experience.”
Critic Reviews
The Lego Ninjago Movie Video Game (PlayStation 4) Review
The Lego Ninjago Movie Video Game is based on the recent Lego Ninjago movie currently in theaters, playing similar to Lego games of the past.
60%Ninjanuity
You know what you’re getting with a LEGO videogame. The LEGO Ninjago Movie Videogame tries to refine that tried-and-tested formula a little bit, but it’s still a LEGO game in every sense of the word.
80%The Lego Ninjago Movie Video Game
High-Flying, Brick-Busting Action
83%