LEGO Dimensions represents the latest attempt by a company to get into the increasingly crowded toys-to-life space. It features tons of popular properties, including Portal, Lord of the Rings, and Batman, and it can be expanded even further with additional toy packs.

Aside from the intermingling of its many different IPs, Dimensions also distinguishes itself from the competition by having you build actual, physical LEGOs, which are then placed on a platform that brings them into the game world. It’s certainly a unique approach to the genre, but how does the game itself play? We’ve gathered up some of the first reviews below to give you a better idea of what to expect.

• Game: LEGO Dimensions
• Developer: Traveller’s Tales
• Platforms: PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Wii U
• Release Date: September 27
• Price: $100 (Starter Pack); $15-$30 (extra packs)

GameSpot — 8/10

“In the first few hours of LEGO Dimensions play time with my six-year-old son, almost half the time was spent on playing with blocks. We built the portal together. We built the Batmobile, and then opened up a Scooby Doo pack and built the power-up Scooby Snack and Mystery Machine located within. We then hit the Wizard of Oz world, with Batman’s head comically poking out the top of the Mystery Machine. In any game within the toys-to-life genre, there’s sometimes an unspoken question: is this also a great toy or just a great game? In LEGO Dimensions’ case, the answer is easy: it’s both.” – Randolph Ramsay [Full review]

Game Informer — 8.75/10

“Despite the extraneous content, LEGO Dimensions is a hit. I haven’t laughed this much playing a video game in a long time. I couldn’t wait to see what would happen next, and my wife even sat in to watch the story unfold in crazy ways. Whether you just purchase the core set or go bonkers purchasing figures, LEGO Dimensions delivers big thrills and fun playability both in the game and on your living-room floor.” – Andrew Reiner [Full review]

VideoGamer — 8/10

“LEGO Dimensions is the most fun I’ve had with a LEGO video game since the whole idea was new back on the PS2. It’s full of cool new ideas and a story rammed with iconic references and witty humour–something that adults will enjoy perhaps even more than young children. The move to a toys-to-life model will be amazing for some but annoying for others. As a standalone entity the Starter Pack is at once really rather lovely and also a clear gateway drug into a very expensive world. You’ve been warned.” – Tom Orry [Full review]

GamesRadar — 3.5/5

“Overall, the starter kit is a qualified recommendation. Even as a self-contained game, it’s delightfully bizarre in a way few will expect but many will appreciate, and the use of the portal is genuinely clever throughout the core gameplay. But, on the flip side, if you don’t want to commit to any other purchases, know that throughout your adventure you’ll suffer a disappointing pattern of spotting cool, exciting new stuff only to find that you’re resolutely locked out of it… and that will grate more than the eye-watering initial price.” – Ben Tyrer [Full review]