Lego is the latest franchise to enter the world of online gaming with their Lego Universe Massively Multiplayer Online Game (MMO). In this article we preview what players can expect from this new universe and whether it is worth the subscription price.

To address that latter point upfront entry to the online Lego Universe is based on a subscription, paid monthly ($9.99), half yearly ($49.99) or annually ($99.99) with an additional $40 upfront for the game disc.

For a child-centred online game this is steep and is attracting alot of negative attention at this early stage. Lego may find that there are more adults than kids playing the online game, as many parents will not want to spend that amount of money on their kids' games, and that is most likely not in their interest.

However, as this is at the early stage in the process things can change and there may be more benefits than we are aware of just now. The game itself looks promising. At Beta stage as of time of writing, there have been numerous positive reports from players allowed in to test the game.

The Lego Universe game is based around a player's minifigure character, part of the Nexus Force, an elite team of heroes united to defeat the Maelstrom, a dark menace trying to destroy imagination. The game travels through various Lego themes where the figure meets people and interacts with them to determine their next move.

Battles take place, Lego models are built and connections are made with friends also playing online. There are all the usual goings on of an MMO, just within the Lego theme worlds. Being a child-centred game Lego has taken precautions to make sure it is a safe environment to be in. There are characters called Mythrans who regulate in game play to make sure characters are behaving.

Lego have a tough road ahead with the prices they have chosen but it remains to be seen if people will respond. While certainly not the highest output for a MMO subscription it is steep for a game aimed squarely at kids. Hopefully parents who feel their kids would benefit from playing and building in the Lego Universe will take a leap of faith and give it a go.