LEGO The Hobbit
Release Date: April 8, 2014
Action, TPP, fantasy, LEGO, movies, humorous, co-op, splitscreen, PS Plus Premium, PS Plus Extra, singleplayer
OpenCritic
Steam
LEGO The Hobbit is a 3D action platformer and an adaptation of the movies Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. It was developed by Traveller's Tales, a studio that specializes in LEGO games (i.e. LEGO Star Wars and LEGO The Lord of The Rings). During their adventures, the players can play as Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf, and the dwarves on their dangerous journey to retrieve the treasures of Smaug the dragon.
LEGO The Hobbit for PC, X360 and etc. is an action game based on The Hobbit film series and developed by Traveler’s Tales, a studio that specializes in LEGO games.
The Plot
The game’s campaign is based on the two frist movies of the series, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug. The remaining story was released as a DLC. As we play, we will control the most famous characters like Bilbo, Gandalf, all of the dwarves: Thorin, FIli, Kili, Oin, Gloin, Dwalin, Balin, Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, Dori, Nori, and Ori. Each of the playable characters has their own unique stats and skills. We will visit Shire and Bag End, travel to Rivendel, or try to find our way through the goblin city. The game focuses on the most important story elements of the movies, but approaches them with a sense of humour typical for the series and the serious moments of the story are presented in a humorous way.
Mechanics
Gameplay mechanics in LEGO The Hobbit for PC, X360 and etc. are very similar to those from the previous LEGO games from Traveler’s Tales. We get an action game where we have to fight with many groups of enemies. We will also have to face some platforming and stealth elements, and solve a puzzle from time to time. Combat system is simple but engaging, which, combined with various attacks and character skills, makes the battles more diverse. New feature included in LEGO The Hobbit is that along with the coins, we will gather resources (wood, fish, iron, ropes, stones, etc.). We will use them to build more complex mechanisms and feed our heroes.
Just like in the previous LEGO games, players can join our game anytime they or we want them to, changing the game from single player into a cooperative adventure. LEGO The Hobbit emphasizes the cooperation between the heroes available in a given moment of the game. Some of the things we have to do, like defeating a more powerful enemy or breaking through a giant wall, are possible only if those characters join their forces.
Key gameplay element in LEGO The Hobbit for PC, X360 and etc. is the exploration in order to find valuable items that will unlock access to new characters and additional equipment. Just like in LEGO The Lord of the Rings, we can freely explore the Middle Earth in between the missions. We will find many new secrets, characters to recruit, unique locations (blacksmith’s house or miniset warehouse), and NPCs that will give us side missions.
Technical Aspects
When it comes to visuals, LEGO The Hobbit for PC, X360 and etc. has the same style as other LEGO games from Traveler’s Tales. Both characters and some of the environmental elements were designed to look as if they were made from actual LEGO blocks. The game’s soundtrack is made of the pieces of music from the films’ OST and the dialogues use actual lines from the movies.
Last updated on April 26, 2017
Last Update: May 20, 2014
LEGO The Hobbit Game Guide & Walkthrough
This unofficial guide to LEGO The Hobbit is a complete walkthrough, which should prove useful while avoiding the dangers lurking for the protagonists and while searching out all of the thoroughly hidden treasures.
- Middle Earth - Side missions, White question marks - walkthroughs for quests 1-20
- Middle Earth - Side missions, White question marks - walkthroughs for quests 41-60
- Middle Earth - Mithril LEGO bricks, Map
- Middle Earth - Side missions, White question marks - walkthroughs for quests 21-40
- Middle Earth - Side missions, White question marks - walkthroughs for quests 81-100
Videos and Screens
[1:41] LEGO The Hobbit launch trailer
[1:40] LEGO The Hobbit Buddy Up - trailer
GameSpot: 5 / 10 by Carolyn Petit
Lego The Hobbit is charming, funny, faithful to the films, and incredibly tedious to play.
PlayStation LifeStyle: 8 / 10 by Cameron Teague
A minor issue I found too was while playing co-op with my wife. The game lets you visit two different areas of the map and work on separate things, which is nice. However, if I was working on a specific quest and then my wife started talking to an NPC to gain a new quest, the game collapses the split screen and reads you the quest. This becomes increasingly annoying when one person is in the middle of doing something and a quest is started, sometimes accidentally. This would be fixed with an option for online co-op, however that has still not been realized in the series sadly.
Metro GameCentral: 6 / 10 by Roger Hargreaves
One of the weakest Lego games of recent times, and not just because the formula is getting old but because The Hobbit isn't a particularly good fit for it.
The main pros of the game
- Engaging Open World: Many users highlighted that the game features a more engaging open world compared to previous LEGO games, particularly "The Lord of the Rings."
- Graphics and Design: The graphics received praise for being visually appealing, contributing to an enjoyable gaming experience.
- Diverse Character Abilities: Players appreciated that different characters, especially the Dwarves, have unique abilities, adding depth to gameplay.
- Classic LEGO Mechanics: The game maintains the classic LEGO gameplay mechanics that fans have come to love, making it accessible and fun.
- Large Map and Side Quests: Users enjoyed the vast map and the numerous side quests available, enhancing replayability.
- Humor and Fun: The game retains the humorous tone typical of LEGO games, making it enjoyable for both children and adults.
The main cons of the game
- Incomplete Story: A significant drawback mentioned by users is that the game only covers the first two films of "The Hobbit" trilogy, leaving out the third film, which disappointed many players.
- Bugs and Glitches: Several reviews reported technical issues, including unresponsive controls and characters running in different directions, making parts of the game unplayable.
- Frustrating Mechanics: Some players found certain mechanics, like the item collection system, to be confusing or difficult to get used to.
- Character and Task Issues: Users experienced problems with specific characters and tasks not functioning properly, requiring them to restart levels.
The features or elements that are missing from the game according to users
- Third Film Content: The absence of content from "The Battle of the Five Armies" was a major complaint, with many users expressing a desire for the game to include the full story of the trilogy.
- Better Co-op Functionality: Some players found the character-switching mechanic cumbersome, especially in multiplayer mode, and wished for smoother co-op gameplay.
- Improved Save System: Users noted that the game does not have an automatic save feature, which could lead to frustration when needing to restart levels.
- More Robust Bug Fixes: There were calls for better support in resolving the numerous bugs and glitches that detracted from the overall experience.
Summary
- Overall, while LEGO® The Hobbit? has many appealing qualities, the missing content and technical issues have left some players feeling disappointed.
Summary generated on:
GAMERS Score
Average score from 986 votes. 399 players anticipated the game.
LEGO The Hobbit Summary
Platforms:
PC / Windows April 8, 2014
PlayStation 4 April 8, 2014
Xbox One April 8, 2014
Nintendo Wii U April 22, 2014
PlayStation Vita April 8, 2014
Nintendo 3DS April 8, 2014
PlayStation 3 April 8, 2014
Xbox 360 April 8, 2014
Developer: Traveller’s Tales / TT Games
Publisher: Warner Bros. Games
LEGO The Hobbit System Requirements
PC / Windows
Recommended: Core i5 2.6 GHz, 4 GB RAM, graphic card 1536 MB (GeForce GTX 480 or better), 10 GB HDD, Windows XP(SP3)/Vista/7/8
LEGO The Hobbit and LEGO The Lord of the Rings withdrawn from sale
Digital editions of LEGO The Hobbit and LEGO The Lord of the Rings have been withdrawn from sale on PCs and consoles. The official reasons for this are unknown.
video games
Christian Pieniazek
January 3, 2019