LEGO City Undercover

Description

LEGO City Undercover follows the return of legendary officer Chase McCain to the sprawling metropolis to stop a crime wave led by his nemesis, Rex Fury. The story is a relentless homage to 1970s and 80s police procedurals and action films, featuring an original cast of characters rather than relying on a licensed movie property. The atmosphere is bright, satirical, and genuinely funny, leaning into the absurdity of a world where everything from the cars to the skyscrapers is constructed of plastic bricks.

Gameplay revolves around the Disguise System, which acts as the primary mechanical hook for both combat and environmental puzzles. As Chase progresses, he unlocks various personas that each grant unique traversal and interaction skills. The city is a massive, seamless hub filled with hundreds of vehicles to commandeer, Super Builds to construct, and thousands of collectibles. It rewards curiosity with hidden references to everything from The Shawshank Redemption to Titanic.

Originally released as a Wii U exclusive, the game utilised the GamePad as a police scanner, communicator, and real-time map, providing a unique second-screen experience. The later 2017 ports for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch removed these specific dual-screen features but introduced a highly requested local two-player co-operative mode. This addition allowed the entire campaign to be played with a partner, significantly increasing its value as a social title. At its initial launch, LEGO City Undercover was one of the best reasons to own a Wii U, Reviews praised its sharp writing and the impressive scale of its world, however it loading times were truly infamous, often exceeding a full minute when transitioning between the city and indoor levels. Although performance and resolution improved with ports, the loading times remained poor compared to contemporary open-world titles. Retrospectively it is a standout entry in the LEGO library, particularly as an original IP.