**Review of Lego City Undercover (Xbox One)**
**Gameplay & Mechanics:**
Lego City Undercover is one of the most ambitious and original Lego games ever made, offering a massive open-world experience that blends classic Lego humor with Grand Theft Autostyle freedom (minus the violence). Players step into the shoes of Chase McCain, an undercover cop on a mission to stop the mischievous Rex Fury and bring peace back to Lego City.
Gameplay combines open-world exploration, puzzle-solving, vehicle driving, and traditional Lego combat. The controls are responsive, and Chases unique disguisessuch as firefighter, astronaut, and robberadd clever gameplay twists, each granting special abilities for solving environmental puzzles or accessing new areas. The variety keeps the experience engaging throughout, and the mix of missions and side activities ensures theres always something to do.
Driving mechanics are simple but fun, letting players commandeer cars, bikes, boats, and helicopters across the sprawling city. Collectibles are everywhere, ranging from bricks and costumes to vehicles and secret builds, making exploration genuinely rewarding.
**Story & Progression:**
The story is one of the games highlights, blending a surprisingly strong police drama with loads of humor and parody. It doesnt take itself seriously, frequently poking fun at classic cop shows and action movies. Chase McCains witty dialogue and the colorful cast of characters keep the tone light and entertaining.
Progression follows a structured campaign with distinct story missions, but you can freely explore Lego City between objectives. Completing missions unlocks new disguises, vehicles, and abilities, gradually giving you more freedom to access hidden areas. The pacing is well-balanced, and the game encourages revisiting earlier locations to uncover missed secrets once youve acquired the right tools or disguises.
**Modes & Features:**
The Xbox One version improves upon the Wii U original, most notably by adding local two-player co-opmaking it an even better family experience. Co-op allows a second player to jump in at any time, sharing in the open-world fun without disrupting progress.
Theres no online multiplayer, but the sheer amount of content more than compensates. The game includes over 20 story missions, dozens of side quests, hundreds of collectibles, and countless vehicles to unlock. The city itself is huge, packed with hidden challenges, races, and bonus puzzles that extend playtime far beyond the main campaign.
**Graphics & Presentation:**
Visually, Lego City Undercover looks vibrant and detailed on Xbox One. The city is bustling with activity, full of pedestrians, vehicles, and interactive elements. Environments like the downtown district, harbor, and forest areas each have a distinct feel, making exploration fresh and diverse.
While the graphics arent cutting-edge, the clean art style and improved lighting over the original version make it one of the most visually impressive Lego games. The game runs smoothly most of the time, though minor frame drops can occur during heavy action sequences.
**Sound & Music:**
The sound design is excellent, featuring catchy background music that fits the upbeat tone of the adventure. Voice acting is top-notch, with Chase McCain and the supporting cast delivering comedic performances that perfectly match the writing. The sound effectsfrom car engines to Lego pieces clatteringadd life to the world.
