After spending 100 hours in the world of Horizon: Forbidden West, I was ready to bring that world into my reality. Which I did, thanks to Lego.
Recently, Lego was kind enough to send Gizmodo/Gizmodo a complimentary copy of its brand new set from the popular PlayStation 5 game, the Tallneck. In Horizon, Tallnecks are large, docile robotic creatures that graze in large fields and act as waypoints to unlock areas of the game’s map for the player. Each Tallneck is treated a puzzle unto itself for the game’s protagonist, Aloy, to navigate — so a 1,200-piece Lego set that took about four hours to complete sounded like a treat. What follows is a diary of that build, complete with photos.
It all began with opening the box and finding eight bags for eight steps…
Lego Tallneck Bag One: The Base and Figures
Bag one starts exactly how you want it to, with the two included mini-figures. There’s the game’s main character, Aloy, complete with little details like her tech Focus on her ear, and her two most important weapons: a bow and a spear. The second ‘figure’ is a Watcher, one of the simpler machines from the games. It’s kinda small, but it’s all in scale for the Tallneck.
Here’s a bonus shot of the base’s structure too, because it was all about to get covered up…
Lego Tallneck Bag 2: Being Green
Bag two began to lay the foundation for what would become the base. It’s one of those steps you power through to get to something more fun.
Lego Tallneck Bag 3: Decoration
This was fun. To complete the base, you have to make all manner of exotic trees and flowers. Some are elaborate, like the tree, others are not, like the little green plants. But it’s a cool mix that gets put aside for the big boy.
Lego Tallneck Bag 4: Core Work
The first step of a build is always weird. You finish it and go…that’s it? What are all these parts for? As you’d expect though, this step is crucial as it made the Tallneck’s torso, where everything else would get connected. Not that fun, but hugely important.
Lego Tallneck Bag 5: The Title Character
What’s a Tallneck without a tall neck? And Bag 5 is all that and more. It’s also a super fun step because it’s always rewarding to layer on pieces that actually look like what you have in your mind.
Lego Tallneck Back 6: Hindquarters
The Tallneck has four legs and the next two bags put them all together. Honestly, it’s a little repetitive and monotonous but when you click it into the torso and fold it down toward the ground, it’s all worth it.
Lego Tallneck Bag 7: Front Legs
Bag 7 is basically the same as bag six, you’re just building the same piece with a few slight changes, two times. Again though, when it’s done and you can see the finish line and stand the piece up by itself, it’s worth it.
Lego Tallneck Bag 8: The Grand Finale
The best step, by far, is the final one. Bag 8 makes up the Tallneck’s head and since you’ve just done multiple bags that were hugely repetitive, it’s fun to do something different. There are a lot of stickers, alot of fun bits of construction, it’s great. Then you click it on top of the neck, lock the feet into the base, and…
Oh, look at that too. Cat cameo!
Taming the Tallneck
You didn’t expect a change of scenery, did you? Well, for the big reveal I thought it was time to go out of the dining room and into the backyard.
Here’s the Lego Tallneck in all it’s glory, with the Watcher grazing below and Aloy riding from up top triumphant, having just taken over the machine. How about one more look?
Tallneck, Long Slideshow
And there she is again. Just a beautiful piece. Not the best build I’ve ever done but I’m very happy at how Lego translated the look of one of my favourite video games of all time.
The Lego Tallneck is available to order now.