The Legolation Of Smaug: Lego The Hobbit
One toy block franchise to rule them all
Someday, we will all probably be made of Lego bricks. Based on the ceaseless, inevitable march of Traveler's Tales' "Lego The Thing" (not a Lego version of The Thing, which is something that absolutely needs to happen) franchise, it's only a matter of time. We may as well cherish what little time we have left as easily popped flesh balloons, given that we will soon be born again in jaundiced plastic. For now, though, The Hobbit is next under the Legofication Ray, and it's looking, well, like The Hobbit, only sillier and made of blocks. Watch the first trailer of Lego The Hobbit below.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but those all seem to be scenes from the first Hobbit film. That said, portions of the second film, Desolation of Smaug, will also be included.
The game will apparently put a big emphasis on combining the unique abilities of the various dwarves, and hilarity will naturally ensue. Also, Warner and Traveler's Tales are boasting "the most diverse quests of any LEGO videogame to date," which would be nice if true. I mean, Lego bricks might offer near-infinite combination possibilities, but you can only reassemble the Lego game formula so many ways before deja vu sets in.
Lego The Hobbit looks to be following in the footsteps of Lego Lord of the Rings, which certainly isn't a bad thing. That said, The Hobbit films are bogged down by large morasses of creeping, malignant tedium where Lord of the Rings is pretty much memorable moment after memorable moment. Can Traveler's Tales work its lighthearted brand of comedic magic on source material that's significantly less inspired? I sure hope so. One thing's for sure: it certainly can't hurt.
It'll be out in spring of 2014. Are you ready for another blocky journey into Middle Earth?