Immediately upon loading this title in the Play Store, review-reading gamers will note something amiss. It seems that nearly every single reviewer absolutely LOVES this game. Not just loves this game—spams heart symbols as if each reviewer were rapturous at the mere idea of even being in the same universe as a title so wonderful.
Glorious LEGO, you are our provider, and we will strike down all who oppose you in a great battle for truth and free gameplay!
But not free—freemium. And if the hordes of "honest reviews"—including some 5-star ratings with sad faces, reminding one of the legend of "Help" messages hidden in fortune cookies—weren't enough to drive you away from this title, the in-app purchases will surely finish you off.
In order to progress through each level—which are short and repetitive, ending in simple battles hardly worthy of the "boss fight" title—you must acquire Hero Points. You don't
have to make an in-app purchase of Hero Points to proceed, but if you don't, you'll be left grinding through level challenges to collect enough points to grant passage.
As the LEGO brand is so accessible to children, it seems obvious that this mediocre gameplay is meant to target less-experienced gamers. But with childlike wonder comes a shorter attention span, and more tugging on Mom or Dad's arm begging to make an in-app purchase to get to the next level. One can't help but wonder if the developer has some ulterior motives for
LHFIFB's seemingly uninspired experience.
Factory Invasion From Below isn't the only
LEGO Hero title to grace the Play Store. Azumo Games released
Lego Hero Brain Attack in October of 2013, offering the same good versus evil plot, a heaping dose of repetitive gameplay, and ceaseless prompting to make in-app purchases. But both titles are careful not to trap you into a purchase: with enough determination, you
can get through each game without spending money—it's just not enough fun to bother wasting your time.
Despite more than 30,000 reviews and likes, the idea that anyone could truly enjoy
LHFIFB seems like dubious propaganda. Unfortunately for the hardcore gamer,
LHFIFB is just another title that milks cash through the player's boredom. Where some freemium games might be addictive and enjoyable enough to warrant an in-app purchase in desperate times (here's looking at you,
Candy Crush),
LHFIFB just doesn't have enough pizzazz. The title packed more action into its six words than the game managed to offer in the few hours any challenge-seeking gamer will be able to stand playing. But, hey—it's free, right, guys?
