Ever wanted to be a ninja? Build your own space rocket? Design a castle? Or maybe just have a pet elephant? You can do all of these things – and more – in Lego Universe, the new online game that sets you loose in a world made of plastic bricks.

It’s an MMORPG, or massive multiplayer online role-playing game. That means you’ll be sharing the game universe with thousands of other players from around the world, and the game doesn’t end when you switch off your PC.

There is a story, of sorts, about a sinister force called the Maelstrom and the heroic agents of the Nexus who join together to stop it destroying the Lego Universe forever. When you first start the game, you’ll be introduced to the different factions within Nexus, and you’ll get to choose which path you want to follow. You can specialise in combat, inventions or exploration, with the fourth character type letting you play with Maelstrom forces.

You can choose to do missions, but if you just want to roam around, chatting with other players and finding new Lego bricks for your collection, that’s fine as well. You can create your own constructions, and have them added to the gameworld for other players to mess around with. And you’ll also be constantly updating your little minifigure character with new outfits and items, to make them stand out from the crowd.

Lego Universe looks OK, but it won’t win any beauty contests. The maps can sometimes be a bit confusing, and it’s easy to get lost and frustrated while you figure out where everything is and how it all works. It can also be a bit expensive, costing £29.99 for the game, and £7.49 per month to stay in the game.

If you’re a Lego fan, however, then the chance to live in a Lego universe where the only limit is your imagination is well worth the time and money.

7/10