Gaming

LEGO Horizon Adventures review: Flat-out fun

Horizon Lego Dawn

Published

November 13, 2024

Lego Horizon Adventures is the first Horizon game that I just couldn’t put down. It’s fun, relatively easy to play, and adds some brevity to an otherwise too self-serious title.

It lego-fies the base game of Horizon Zero Dawn and offers an abridged version of the story. All the while, it offers fun platforming and relatively challenging combat.

Horizon Lego Dawn

Whether or not you’re familiar with the story told during this franchise’s debut, you’ll likely find yourself enjoying how the experience is presented here. If you’ve played any Lego games before, it has the signature Lego game humor, poking fun at the material it’s “adapting” while still telling a generally faithful story.

Lines like “you know how hard it is to count with no fingers” are littered across the game’s dialogue. And they never get old. Many of the punchlines are delivered on time and on target. It’s such stark contrast to the sometimes overly serious tone of Horizon Zero Dawn.

That said, it’s able to take the 23-25 hour story of the original game and tell it in a little over half the time. I completed my playthrough in roughly around 15 hours.

A slightly different LEGO game

The last Lego game we played is LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga. While they share the same DNA in terms of dialogue, aesthetic, and storytelling, the gameplay is vastly different.

Unlike in the LEGO Star Wars, LEGO Horizon Adventures has a fixed camera angle. The platforming sections of the stages differ slightly but the entire game generally has a top-down perspective view.

This helps simplify the experience. But make no mistake, there’s still a fair bit of exploring to do. It’s in the players best interest to move around the screen and check every nook and cranny for treasure chests, loot, and what not.

The top-down perspective also makes the combat feel a little bit like the games that have that perspective like Diablo and Hades. While not as challenging as the aforementioned games, this one offers a good variety to keep you engaged.

Arrows, Spheres and more

Combat is pretty straightforward. Square is your primary attack button. You can press it quickly for quick strikes. But it’s best used to press, aim, and hold for more efficient damage.

As you progress in the game, you gain different types of arrows just like in Zero Dawn. These vary from elemental damages to different ways of firing your arrows.

Meanwhile, the circle button is how you activate your gadgets. You can only hold one at a time and most of them are pretty useful in combat. My favorites were the one that lets you dart around in a flash and a Horizon classic – the trapper.

Weapons and gadgets can be picked up throughout a stage. But they’re also available during midpoints where you encounter a merchant and you have three chests to open, mostly containing a full ammo set at your disposal.

Healing is handled through berry trees scattered across the stage. These are very generously placed, especially during the early part of the game. They get a little bit scarcer as you progress.

Dealing with Machines and The Hive

Just like in Horizon Zero Dawn your primary foils are the Machines and The Hive. They can be dealt with generally in the same way. Machines still have weak points that can be targeted when you use your focus. Meanwhile, members of the hive can be dealt shot with weapons, gadgets, or even carried and thrown against each other.

Most of the combat happens in an enclosed space. After exploring, you arrive at the area where there’s tall grass you can hide in. In the enclosed space, you’ll find weapons, gadgets, and things you can throw at the enemies. Some stages also feature environmental things you can use to knock out enemies.

It’s in your best interest to move around as much as you can because the enemies tend to swarm you all at once. By moving around, you become a hard target to hit and also open yourself up to more possibilities of taking them out.

This is the part of the combat that, mechanically, somewhat felt like Hades. It’s nowhere near as challenging as that game, but it has the same general feeling. More importantly, it’s pretty fun and challenging without being too easy or too frustrating.

Clearing these combat spaces, even in just the balanced difficulty, can feel rewarding. Boss fights offer some variety, but the game does well in making sure established rules of engagement remain pretty much the same.

Mother’s Heart

Your base of operations is Mother’s Heart which is your tribe’s town/village. As you progress, you’re able to unlock areas of the town and build different kinds of establishments. They vary in look, feel, and potential for interaction.

It’s here where you spawn after every mission. You can customize the town to your liking with lego parts related to the Horizon franchise but there’s more to unlock and have fun with.

It’s also in this hub where you can level up, change your look, and collect more Lego Bricks by completing town quests. These quests are mostly simple and just require building certain things. While others require you to wear a particular costume as you go on your adventures.

You can change up your look after a certain point of the game. It unlocks pretty early on. You can dress as Horizon characters. And just like the buildings and structures, more non–Horizon costumes will be available to you as you progress through.

There’s a general skill tree that applies to all the characters you can control. Yes, characters. As a solo player, you’ll have four playable characters at your disposal. If you’ve seen some of the previews of the game, you already know that Varl is one of them. Won’t spoil the rest.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to try Co-op play as my Player 2 was away during the review period. That opened up some tricky decision-making as to which character I will use in each mission. Ultimately, I went canon and just used Aloy 85% of the time.

Is this your GameMatch?

LEGO Horizon Adventures is a Super Swipe. It’s a game we can easily recommend because it’s such a good time. The gameplay is fun, the humor is on point, there’s an option for couch or online Co-op, and it’s easy to pick-up and play.

I have unfinished playthroughs in both Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Forbidden West. Something about those games just didn’t land with me personally right away. But the lego-fied version is different. In fact, it’s even renewed, even just by a little bit, my desire to complete the playthrough of the actual game it’s based on.

I also learned a lot about my personal tastes playing through this. I’m all for realism and the usual cinematic action-adventure that PlayStation offers. But if Astro Bot and now LEGO Horizon Adventures is any indication, there’s definitely a place for bright, stylized games that’s just flat-out fun.

Gaming

The next Elder Scrolls game is called Sentinel

And it will be set in Hammerfell.

Published

November 4, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Can you believe that it’s been over eight years since Bethesda announced The Elder Scrolls VI. Since then, we’ve seen neither hide nor hair of the upcoming title. Today, the studio has mercifully revealed a tiny bit more about the game including its title and setting.

Historically, the Elder Scrolls franchise is not known for its numbering. It’s not The Elder Scrolls III, IV, and V; it’s Morrowind, Oblivion, and Skyrim. Now, we know what The Elder Scrolls VI will be called — Sentinel.

The name is also a huge clue as to where the game will take place. Besides being the name of the game itself, Sentinel is also the capital of Hammerfell, a region in northwest Tamriel. The teaser, which shows a sword being uncovered from a pile of sand, confirms this. After all, the Alik’r Desert is one of the region’s highlights.

Now, Hammerfell is not a new region for players. The region, especially the titular Sentinel, was previously featured in The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall. Obviously, not a lot of gamers would have played this classic game before, so a return will introduce the region to a lot more modern players.

Unfortunately, despite throwing us a bone with the name and the setting, Bethesda did not reveal when the title is coming. Given that Grand Theft Auto VI is launching very soon, the time is ripe for the launch of another much-awaited title.

Gaming

Wild Rift Patch 7.3, celebrates K/DA comeback

K/DA returns with FIRESTARTER

Published

November 2, 2026

GadgetMatch

Riot Games is celebrating the return of virtual K-pop group K/DA with new music, exclusive skins, and major gameplay updates in League of Legends: Wild Rift Patch 7.3.

After a six-year hiatus, K/DA returns with FIRESTARTER, the group’s newest track and the title track of an EP featuring three additional songs. The release marks a new chapter for the virtual group, which brings its latest musical era to the mobile MOBA through the new HEATBRINGER skinline.

To celebrate the comeback, Riot Games hosted FIRE IT UP: The K/DA Comeback Party in the Philippines. The event brought fans together for a listening party featuring music from across Riot Games’ virtual acts, live Wild Rift gameplay, community activities, and exclusive photo opportunities.

Attendees also experienced live AAA ARAM matches featuring gameplay disruptions and augments inspired by Riot Games’ musical universe, including HEARTSTEEL, Pentakill, and TRUE DAMAGE.

K/DA returns with new HEATBRINGER skins

The K/DA comeback introduces the HEATBRINGER skinline, featuring new looks for the group’s four original members: Ahri, Akali, Evelynn, and Kai’Sa.

The skins give the champions a new visual identity inspired by K/DA’s latest musical era, with fiery red and white elements that bring their stage presence to the Rift.

The collection also includes Prestige K/DA HEATBRINGER Evelynn.

The new skins are exclusive to Wild Rift and are scheduled to launch on November 4, 2026.

The comeback extends beyond the cosmetics. With FIRESTARTER and its accompanying EP now available on major music streaming platforms, K/DA’s return brings together Riot Games’ music and gaming communities.

Wild Rift Patch 7.3 overhauls marksmen and item builds

Beyond the K/DA celebration, Patch 7.3 introduces significant gameplay changes that reshape champion builds, jungle strategies, and objective control.

One of the biggest changes targets marksmen, giving critical-strike builds more room to scale. Base critical-strike damage increases from 175% to 200%, while the attack-speed cap rises from 2.5 to 3 attacks per second.

Several marksmen also receive individual adjustments, including Ezreal, Kai’Sa, Twitch, Lucian, Caitlyn, Draven, Miss Fortune, Samira, Zeri, Jinx, Vayne, and Ashe.

The item system gets an overhaul to support these changes. Players can explore new or redesigned options, including Hexoptics, Yun Tal Wildarrows, Fiendhuler Bolts, Stormrazor, Rapid Firecannon, and Immortal Shieldbow.

Lifesteal also receives changes intended to support basic attacks, on-hit damage, and abilities treated as basic attacks.

Support items are part of the update, too. Echoes of Helia is positioned toward offensive supports who want to convert damage into healing, while Ardent Censer, Staff of Flowing Water, and Harmonic Echo also receive changes.

Jungle changes reward efficient farming

Patch 7.3 also changes how junglers approach the early and mid-game.

The updated jungle system rewards consistent camp clearing with bonus gold and introduces a catch-up mechanic for junglers who fall behind. This reduces the pressure to constantly gank and encourages players to balance farming with opportunities to assist their teammates.

Clearing camps also progresses Ecosystem Protection stacks, allowing Smite to scale from 600 to 1,000 and eventually 1,400 true damage.

These changes make efficient farming more important when preparing to secure major objectives such as Baron Nashor, Rift Herald, and Dragons.

Epic monsters also adjust to the pace of each match, scaling according to the average player level rather than simply growing stronger as time passes.

Turrets receive substantial changes as well. Plating now extends to outer, inner, and inhibitor turrets and remains permanently. The new Crystalline Overgrowth mechanic lets turrets accumulate crystals that champions can detonate with their first basic attack.

Together, these changes place greater emphasis on lane pressure, defensive positioning, and coordinated pushes. Winning team fights remains important, but teams must also turn their advantages into meaningful objective damage.

Hwei, Sylas, and Rek’Sai join the roster

Patch 7.3 expands the champion roster with three additions: Hwei, Sylas, and Rek’Sai.

Hwei, the Visionary, brings a flexible set of abilities to the mid lane. His Subject: Disaster, Subject: Serenity, and Subject: Torment ability groups give him tools for dealing damage, supporting allies, and controlling opponents.

Sylas offers explosive damage and crowd control. His kit includes an ability that pulls enemies into a stun-to-knock-up combination, while Kingslayer restores health based on his missing health. His ultimate lets him steal an enemy champion’s ultimate ability.

Rek’Sai brings another approach to initiating team fights. Her Unburrow ability knocks up nearby champions, while her ultimate helps her track nearby enemies before striking.

These additions give players more options for adapting their team compositions and strategies.

Ranked play and game modes get updates

Competitive players also get changes to Ranked and Legendary Ranked.

The S/A and MVP scoring systems now evaluate performance according to a player’s lane and champion role instead of relying on a single universal metric. Strong performances can also yield more Ranked energy.

Legendary Ranked receives adjustments to its seasonal entry requirements for former Grand Masters, alongside a new trial format designed to help top performers advance from Legendary Commander Rank.

Players looking for something different can also try Rift Rumble, a new 3v3 mode played on a symmetrical map. Teams battle for kills and compete to capture ultimate stones that can change how their champions secure eliminations.

Meanwhile, AAA Realm continues to evolve with a music-themed season and new augment cards. These include Sonic Waves, which draws inspiration from Riot Games’ musical acts, including HEARTSTEEL, Pentakill, and TRUE DAMAGE.

A new era for K/DA and Wild Rift

With FIRESTARTER, the HEATBRINGER skins, and a sweeping gameplay update, Patch 7.3 connects Riot Games’ music and gaming communities through a shared celebration.

K/DA’s return gives fans a new soundtrack and fresh looks for their favorite champions, while the gameplay changes introduce new ways to approach champion builds, jungle farming, and map control.

Players can follow Wild Rift Philippines’ official social media channels for updates on the latest patch, champion releases, and in-game content.

K/DA returns with FIRESTARTER.

Gaming

Petit Planet launches December 4

HoYoverse’s cozy life sim arrives soon

Published

November 1, 2026

GadgetMatch

HoYoverse will launch Petit Planet, its first cozy galactic life simulation game, on December 4, 2026. The game will be available on PC, iOS, and Android, with a Nintendo Switch 2 release planned for 2027.

The announcement was made during the Petit Planet Pre-Launch Special Program on November 1. HoYoverse also revealed more details about the game’s characters, gameplay features, and launch events.

Build a planet and meet new Neighbors

In Petit Planet, players take on the role of Planet Tenders who travel across the Starsea with Oumuamua, a Starsea Spirit said to listen to people’s wishes.

Each player starts with their own planet, where they plant a Luca Seed that grows into a Luca Arbor. This tree gradually shapes the planet’s landscape, seasons, and ecosystem.

Players will also meet various Neighbors, including Planet Coordinator Mobai and Starsea Racer Elsasani. Getting to know these characters allows players to develop friendships and discover their individual stories.

Beyond their home planets, players can explore scattered Islets across the Starsea. They can also visit the Galactic Bazaar to play games, participate in auctions, and share their creations with others.

Launch events offer free rewards

HoYoverse has prepared several events to celebrate the game’s launch.

Players can enter a pre-registration lucky draw through the official website for a chance to win prizes. Regular gameplay will also offer more than 1,000 clothing and furniture items for free.

The Besties, Made to Match! event rewards players who invite two friends to pre-register. Each participant will receive an exclusive clothing item.

Starting November 1, the Launch a Planet event will let players design their own planets through the official event website. Participants will also have a chance to win surprise grand prizes.

The first Petit Planet Seasonal Creation Event will begin alongside the game’s launch. Selected fan creations can win cash prizes, in-game rewards, and official merchandise.

Players can also visit the game’s official X account after the special program to receive a Moving Guide and join a giveaway featuring a suitcase, gift cards, and an exclusive luggage tag.

Pre-register for Petit Planet

Petit Planet is now available for pre-registration on the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, and Epic Games Store. Players can search for the game on these platforms to pre-register and receive a notification when it launches.

The game arrives globally on December 4, 2026, for PC, iOS, and Android. A Nintendo Switch 2 version is scheduled for 2027.