This week in video games: Lego Dimensions, Uncharted, Broken Age

Playing Lego Dimensions, becoming Nathan Drake on the PS4, and how to get Broken Age for free.

Playing Lego Dimensions

There are a few ways that Lego Dimensions separates itself from the other toy-based video games, Disney Infinity and Skylanders. 

Primary among them is that up to seven toys can be put on the platform and brought into the game at any time, and they can be any mix of characters, props, and vehicles. 

But the developers at TT Games, knowing what makes Lego so much fun to begin with, made sure to incorporate real-life Lego building into the game itself. 

So before you progress too far into the game you’ll find yourself building the portal that Batman, Gandalf, and Wildstyle—the three characters included with the starter kit—travel through in the first part of the game. Not long after that, you’ll build the game’s version of the Batmobile, which is necessary to get through the first level, which is set in the land of Oz.  

Patience is needed when first getting into Dimensions, because there’s a lot of watching and not as much playing during the first hour of play. 

Like the other toy-based games, there are some areas of the game that you can’t access without needing to purchase other characters. These are not necessary to progress, of course, but do add more play to the game. For a price.

But for kids—of all ages—who are fans of Lego, Dimensions will scratch that itch and give you a sigh of satisfaction.

Uncharted 

The Uncharted games have always charmed with clever writing, nuanced acting, and wild action sequences. With just-released The Nathan Drake Collection, the first three games in the franchise, originally developed for the PS3, are available to play on the PS4 for the first time.  

Developed by Naughty Dog, the action-adventures feature Nathan Drake, a rakish relic hunter who has more in common with the wily Lara Croft than the academic Indiana Jones.  

The games are set in breathtaking venues from around the world, and provide opportunities for players to fight, navigate, and explore. The chance to be Nathan Drake on the PS4 is not to be missed.

Purchasing the Uncharted collection also grants players exclusive access to the Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End multiplayer beta which will be made available between December 4 and 13. 

Broken Age available for free to PlayStation Plus members

Becoming a member of Sony’s PlayStation Plus program is essential for PS4 players who want to play games like Destiny and the multiplayer modes of Call of Duty. 

But it also gives players access to free games, and this week, Broken Age is on that list. 

The adventure game from Double Fine is a twisting tale of two youth coming of age and cultures colliding. It’s a delightful game, made even better when you’re getting it for free.