So, it finally happened. After months of rumors and that weirdly charming trailer during the Summer Game Fest, we actually have our hands on the LEGO Horizon Adventures set. Honestly? It’s a bit of a trip seeing Aloy’s post-apocalyptic world turned into plastic bricks. You’d think the gritty, rusted-metal vibe of the 31st century wouldn't translate to something you can step on in the middle of the night, but here we are. This isn’t just a toy; it’s a weirdly specific bridge between a high-end PlayStation franchise and the Danish brick empire that somehow works.
People were skeptical. I was skeptical. When the first Horizon Zero Dawn set—the Tallneck—dropped a couple of years back, it felt like a one-off experiment for collectors. But with the release of the LEGO Horizon Adventures video game, LEGO Group and Guerrilla Games doubled down. They didn't just want a display piece for your shelf; they wanted something that felt like the game.
The Aloy & Varl vs. Shell-Walker & Sawtooth Set is Real
Let’s get into the weeds of what’s actually in the box. This specific LEGO Horizon Adventures set (officially numbered 77037) is a direct tie-in to the LEGO-fied version of the game. It’s a 768-piece build. That’s a decent size—not so big it takes over your dining table for a week, but not a "polybag" you finish in ten minutes.
You get Aloy. Obviously. She’s got her bow and a tiny little Focus piece that clips onto her hair. But the real draw for fans who have been following the lore since 2017 is Varl. This is the first time we’ve seen him in minifigure form. He comes with his spear, and the printing on the torso is surprisingly detailed for a plastic guy with no nose.
The machines are the stars, though. Always have been.
In this set, you’re building a Shell-Walker and a Sawtooth. If you’ve played the games, you know the Shell-Walker is that annoying crab-like bot that guards its cargo crate like its life depends on it. The LEGO version has the hexagonal shield piece and a removable crate. The Sawtooth, on the other hand, is a bit of a nostalgia trip. It was the first "big" boss fight for many players in the original game. It’s fully articulated, which means you can actually pose it in a pouncing position without it falling apart.
Why the LEGO Horizon Adventures Set Matters for Collectors
Most "gaming" LEGO sets fall into two categories. They’re either massive, expensive display pieces like the Pac-Man arcade machine, or they’re play-sets meant for kids, like the Sonic the Hedgehog line. This one sits in a weird middle ground.
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It’s affordable. Or, well, "LEGO affordable," which means it’s around $44.99 or £39.99 depending on where you're shopping.
The design philosophy here shifted. While the 2022 Tallneck was all about sleek lines and being a "model," the LEGO Horizon Adventures set feels like a toy. It’s chunky. It’s colorful. It uses those translucent orange pieces to represent the "Blaze" canisters that you're supposed to knock off the machines. It’s a physical manifestation of the game’s core mechanic: tactical dismantling.
Guerrilla Games’ Art Director, Roy Postma, has mentioned in interviews that they actually worked backwards for the game. They built things in physical LEGO bricks first to see if the proportions worked before animating them. That’s why the Sawtooth in your living room looks exactly like the one on your PS5 screen. It’s a rare instance of digital and physical design teams actually talking to each other instead of just slapping a logo on a box.
The Hidden Details You Might Miss
If you look closely at the foliage included in the set, they used those tall "stalker" grass pieces. In the game, that’s where you hide. In the set, it’s mostly there to hold up the machines, but it’s a nice nod to the stealth mechanics.
There’s also the matter of the "Stud" count.
In the LEGO Horizon Adventures game, you collect studs to buy upgrades, just like in the Star Wars or Batman LEGO games. The physical set includes a few of these scattered around the baseplates. It’s a small touch. Kinda unnecessary? Maybe. But for a fan, it makes the set feel like it’s part of a larger ecosystem.
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The build itself isn't overly complex. If you’re looking for a Technic level challenge where you’re building gearboxes and complex suspension, you’re going to be disappointed. This is a System build. It’s about SNOT (Studs Not On Top) techniques to get the curves of the Sawtooth’s armor right. It’s satisfying but breezy.
Comparisons: Tallneck vs. Adventures Set
People keep asking if they should get this if they already own the Tallneck (Set 76989).
Look, the Tallneck is a masterpiece. It’s one of the best sets LEGO has produced in the last five years. It’s tall, elegant, and looks like a piece of art. The LEGO Horizon Adventures set is a different beast. It’s a playset. It’s about the conflict. It’s about Aloy and Varl taking down machines.
- Scale: The new set is not in scale with the Tallneck. If you put the Sawtooth next to the Tallneck, the Sawtooth looks way too big.
- Minifigures: The Aloy in the new set has slightly updated printing compared to the 2022 version. Her hair piece is still the same dual-molded masterpiece, though.
- Vibe: Tallneck is for your office shelf. The Adventures set is for your desk where you can fiddle with the Shell-Walker’s legs while you’re on a boring Zoom call.
What This Means for the Future of PlayStation LEGO
This set isn't a fluke. It’s a sign. Sony is clearly looking at LEGO as a way to keep their IPs alive between the massive 6-year development cycles of the main games. We’ve seen rumors of God of War or The Last of Us getting the brick treatment, but Horizon is the perfect fit because of the machines.
Machines are essentially BIONICLE for the modern era. They’re mechanical, they have clear weak points, and they look cool in primary colors.
The LEGO Horizon Adventures set proves that there is a market for $40–$50 gaming sets that aren't just for kids. It targets the "kidult" demographic—people who grew up with LEGO and now have "adult money" but still want to play with robots.
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Addressing the Elephant in the Room: Price per Piece
In the LEGO community, people love to complain about the "price per piece" ratio. At roughly 760 pieces for $45, the math actually looks great on paper. Usually, licensed sets (like Star Wars or Marvel) carry a "Disney Tax" that inflates the price.
However, keep in mind that many of these pieces are tiny 1x1 studs or small connectors used for the machine joints. You aren't getting 700 massive bricks. You’re getting a lot of greebling—those little bits and bobs used to make mechanical surfaces look "busy" and realistic. Is it worth it? Yeah, probably. Especially since you get two unique machines and two "named" minifigures.
How to Get the Most Out of the Build
Don't just rush through it. One of the coolest parts of building the Sawtooth is seeing how they used "Nexo Knight" shields and claw pieces to mimic the armor plating.
If you’re a custom builder (a MOC-er), this set is a goldmine for "Sand Green" and "Dark Orange" parts. Those colors are notoriously hard to find in bulk, and this set is loaded with them.
Also, keep the box. For whatever reason, these PlayStation collaboration sets tend to hold their value incredibly well on the secondary market. The original Tallneck retired and immediately jumped in price on sites like BrickLink. While I’m not saying you should buy this as an "investment"—please, just play with your toys—it’s nice to know it won't be worthless in three years.
Tactical Advice for Fans
If you’re planning on picking up the LEGO Horizon Adventures set, here is the reality of the situation:
- Check the Joints: The Sawtooth uses small ball joints. Over time, if you pose it too much, they can get a bit loose. If you’re displaying it, pick a pose and leave it.
- Sticker Alert: There are stickers. I know, everyone hates stickers. They’re used for the "Watch" eye and some of the rusting detail on the Shell-Walker. Use tweezers to apply them; your fingers are too big and you’ll get them crooked.
- The "Blaze" Canisters: They’re designed to be easily detached. If you have kids or cats, these will be the first things to go missing. Maybe press them down extra hard or just be prepared to find translucent orange nubs under your sofa for the next six months.
- Compatibility: The set uses the standard LEGO clip system for the weapons. This means you can give Aloy's bow to a Stormtrooper or give Varl a lightsaber if you’re feeling chaotic.
The Horizon universe is expanding in ways we didn't expect. Between a Netflix show (maybe?), the remastered games, and now a dedicated LEGO sub-theme, Aloy is becoming the Mario of the PlayStation world. This set is a solid, tactile piece of that expansion. It’s not perfect—I would have loved a Scrapper or a Grazer instead of the foliage—but it’s a high-quality kit that captures the specific "primitive-future" aesthetic Guerrilla Games spent years perfecting.
Go for the build if you want a piece of gaming history that you can actually hold. It’s a reminder that even in a world of 4K textures and ray-tracing, sometimes the most satisfying way to experience a machine is by clicking two plastic bricks together.