Lego 2K Drive Hands-on: Is Lego's latest racing game a winner or does it stall on the starting grid?

Over the years we've had some absolute corkers of Lego games. Be it Star Wars, Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings, Marvel, DC, even simple Lego originals like the more modern Lego Builder's Journey or the classic Lego Island. We have been spoiled. And now 2K is looking to get in on this action, as it has now entered into a multiple year partnership with the blocky brand to deliver a variety of video games, something that is kicking off with the now officially unveiled and announced, Lego 2K Drive.

As you can probably imply by the name of this game, this isn't a platforming adventure like the ones we have come to expect from TT Games. No, this is purely a racing title, but it does sprinkle in plenty of that Lego charm to make it more than just endless on-track competition.

What I mean by this is that Lego 2K Drive, which is developed by Visual Concepts, is actually an open-world racing game, where you can hunt for collectibles, compete in races, complete additional activities and side quests, all on top of customising and even creating your own vehicles, all in the wonderful world of Bricklandia. Think of Forza Horizon, except instead of using simulated driving mechanics where realism is the aim, a more arcade-like kart racing set of mechanics is what the game is built on.

Many of you will likely instantly think about Forza Horizon 4's Lego Speed Champions expansion when I bring up this comparison, but it is worth making it clear that these two Lego experiences couldn't feel more different in practice. As I mentioned earlier, as the gameplay uses kart-like physics, you get highly chaotic, fast-paced action where winning a race is not just about how well you drive but also how intelligently you can use picked up power-ups - such as rockets or a spider's web (think Mario Kart's Blooper ink) - and likewise react to opposing racer's attempts to use these abilities against you.

It all goes a step further here as well, as there is a loadout suite. It's nothing on the likes of Call of Duty's current Gunsmith system, but it does allow players to switch up which cars they use in the street, off-road, and water slots - with these being vehicles that are automatically switched to when you start driving on a different terrain. It's an unusual system that amplifies the chaos when in races, but otherwise is not really noticeable at all.

While I can say that my time with Lego 2K Drive's racing suite didn't blow me away and present something truly new, it was incredibly fun, and I think Visual Concepts has crafted a very competent kart racer here. It's no Mario Kart - then again, very few kart racers can live up to this series - but it is unique and thrilling enough to stand on its own.

But, Lego 2K Drive is more than just racing and this game also has an open-world to explore, with a storyline to follow to boot. It's here that you instantly recognise that this is a game that is realistically tailored to younger audiences, as the world (which is split up into smaller biomes that are not physically connected) feels rather barren and flat to drive around. Aside from zooming as the crow flies to the next race, there are very basic side quests, a bunch of collectibles, mini-games (such as short time trials or jumps - again think Forza Horizon's Danger Signs), and if it wasn't for these rewarding you with experience to be able to compete in the next race, I'd probably end up skipping these entirely.

It is worth adding however that Lego 2K Drive's open-world isn't some behemoth that will take tens of hours to complete. They are smaller and are more like broad playgrounds for you to throw your car around in to kill a few hours here and there. In the just over an hour-long part of the session I had to muck around in the world, I found myself putting a large dent in the tutorial biome and the second location of Big Butte.

The name of the latter in particular is a perfect reason to talk about the tone of this game as a whole, as Lego 2K Drive features a humour and nature that resembles a lot of other Lego works. It's daft, silly, and crammed with on-the-nose humour that will tickle younger folk and even cause more mature audiences to have a giggle here and there. This tone is probably the only reason to pay attention to the campaign and narrative, as otherwise it doesn't do a lot to grip the player. It feels like it has been crafted simply so that the game has a narrative, and for no other reason, as it features unmemorable characters and a plot that isn't very gripping. But then again, Lego 2K Drive isn't meant to be a contender with The Last of Us, and the fact that Visual Concepts has put more focus into the racing and customisation is a big positive.

Touching on the racing aspect once again, this title will also feature split-screen support, online matches, and even future content that will bring even more tracks to the fray (plus more biomes and so forth). The post-launch support doesn't mean that Lego 2K Drive will be overwhelmed with monetisation efforts, as I was told that Lego is very strict about this practice, meaning any ways you can spend real money on the game will come in the form of battle passes, and not ways that will affect the gameplay. Although, considering the Garage customisation suite exists, you probably won't be finding much reason to need to buy additional cosmetics options found in the battle passes.

And I say this as the Garage system reminds me of jacked-up Lego Builder's Journey building system, with this allowing players to literally create whatever vehicle they want by placing a collection of hundreds of different brick types on a variety of unique chassis, for either the street cars, off-roaders, or water-based vehicles. It's complex, and if anything, a little overwhelming at first glance, but once you start to crack the suite, and begin to master the block-placing mechanic that can be a little clunky, it really begins to blossom into something special and exciting.

I'm not going to say that Lego 2K Drive left me blown away after the three hour-long preview session, but I did have fun for the most part, and I think younger folk in particular (or parents with younger kids) will have a blast with this game. And the best part is that you won't have to wait long to actually play it as the game will be arriving as soon as May 19 on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series, and Nintendo Switch.