The latestLEGOgame from Traveller’s Tales has hit store shelves after some delays and years of hype.LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Sagaadapts the nine mainlineStar Warsfilms, and provides fans a celebration of the franchise. With this title, Traveller’s Tales reinvented the formula it has established over the years, and now it is looking to apply this new style of LEGO game to another franchise.
Many are interested in seeing Traveller’s Tales' next gamebe a newLEGO Marveltitle, an updated version ofLEGO Indiana Jones, or even aLEGO Clone Warsgame. While those would all be great steps for Traveller’s Tales, it should tell its own story not based on any franchise. Traveller’s Tales has shown it is capable of adapting a non-franchise LEGO line withLEGO City Undercover, and it should try its hands at another LEGO line likeLEGO Castle.
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Traveller’s Tales Has Crafted Many Original Stories
Traveller’s Tales' LEGO games were built on adapting movie franchises. The series began withLEGO Star Wars: The Video Game, which adapted the prequel trilogy into a fun-filled co-op title. Since then, the series has gone on to adapt the entire Skywalker Saga, the first few seasons ofClone Wars, theIndiana Jonesseries, the first fourPirates of the Caribbeanfilms,Lord of the Rings, the first twoHobbitfilms,Harry Potter, bothLEGO Movies, and the beginning of the MCU. While Traveller’s Tales has shown that it can make fun movie-based games, it also knows how to tell original stories.
Ever since 2008’sLEGO Batman: The Videogame, almost all of its superhero-related LEGO titles are original stories set in the Marvel and DC universes. It has told the story of the Justice League through threeBatmantitles, as well as a spin-off title calledLEGO DC Supervillians.In 2013, it showed that it was equally capable in telling stories using Marvel’s sandbox withLEGO Marvel Super Heroesand its sequel four years later. Many fans have praised the writing and storytelling that Traveller’s Tales crafted for these titles.
Traveller’s Tales went the extra mile in 2013 when it chose to tell a completely original story disconnected from any franchise.LEGO City Undercoverbrought players to a fully realized version of the fictional city, and had players go through a storyline following police officer Chase McCain. The game was praised for its storytelling and humor, but currently this is the only LEGO game by Traveller’s Tales that is not based on a franchise.
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LEGO’s Old Medieval Brand
The only time LEGO games have deviated from their typical sci-fi, superhero, or modern-day aesthetics was when the franchise dipped its toes infantasy withLEGO Lord of the Rings, LEGO The Hobbit, andLEGO Harry Potter.LEGO Harry Pottermaintained some of a modern aesthetic, butLEGO Lord of the RingsandThe Hobbitwere a completely new feel for the franchise. Taking inspiration from the two Middle-earth LEGO Games, Traveller’s Tales should attempt to craft a wholly medieval title.
LEGO used to have a line of setscalledLEGO Castle. This line was released in North America in 1981 and lasted until 1999 before being rebooted a couple of times, with the last reboot occurring in 2013. People could build castles, blacksmiths, jousting tournaments, inns, and even siege equipment. It allowed LEGO fans to construct their own medieval villages and have various kingdoms wage war against each other. LEGO’s theme park, Legoland, even has aLEGO Castle-themed area, and theLEGO Movieincluded some figures from the line in Middle Zealand. The brand has struggled to maintain a foothold in recent years, but many fans remember these sets fondly
A LEGO Castle Game Could Be a Lot of Fun
If Traveller’s Tales took theLEGO Castlebrand and crafted a video game around it, it could be a great time for LEGO fans and medieval fantasy enthusiasts alike. Traveller’s Tales could make fun of all sorts of tropes and ideas from the Middle Ages using its iconic LEGO humor, and it could craft an engaging story similar towhat was written forLEGO City Undercover.
The game could encompass multiple kingdoms based on the various factions fromLEGO Castle,like the Black Falcons and Crusaders. Players could travel to these kingdoms through a large open-world hub filled with tiny villages and collectables. Traveller’s Tales could take inspiration from how it craftedMiddle-earth inLEGO Lord of the Rings, and combine that with the expansive hub worlds that it created forLEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga. It could even go the extra mile by having the NPC LEGO minifigures react positively or negatively in each kingdom depending upon the allegiance of the player.
Much likeLEGO DC Supervillians, aLEGO Castlegame should put the player at the forefront of the story.LEGO Castleshould allow players to create their own medieval character, and allow for different stories depending upon what side the player chooses; similar to howLEGO Batmanoffered two different routes. Throw in hundreds of other medieval characters to purchase, an original story, and the updated LEGO gameplay, and aLEGO Castlecould be great.
While the next LEGO gamewill most likely adapt a film franchise or continue one of the superhero stories, Traveller’s Tales should consider making another game based on a standalone LEGO line instead of movies. TheLEGOgames have stayed away from medieval settings, so crafting a game around theLEGO Castleline would help rectify that.
