Bionicle sold poorly upon its release, resulting in Argonaut not receiving any licensing royalties; the company would dissolve in August 2006.

In order to replenish their supply, the player can shield and absorb attacks from enemies or draw in energy directly from the environment.

[21] Bionicle was showcased that July at EA's "Camp EA" event;[22] IGN praised this version's gameplay as "fast and furious" and said that "the level of detail and care put into Bionicle was really surprising, and it gives the impression that LEGO Interactive is committed to delivering a quality kid friendly title".

They also noted that each level required collecting a certain number of lightstones to complete and cited the game as being an "eight to ten hour adventure".

She sharply criticized the "horrid" camera system, "hodgepodge" of gameplay styles, "thin" storyline, and short length.

[49] Brett Todd of GameSpot said that "all the wonder of the Bionicle universe has been bled dry by a vapid design and an atrocious camera system" and questioned whether even kids could remain engaged throughout the game's short length; he noted the game could be completed in less time than it takes to watch Bionicle: Mask of Light.

[4] PC Gamer likewise criticized camera angles "which shift at inopportune times" and the game's controls, calling it "a terribly frustrating experience".

[51] Byron Wilkinson of Cube claimed that readers would "have more fun buying a bucket of Lego and building a toilet" than they would playing Bionicle and called it a "sad" indictment of the video game industry's treatment of licensed properties.

[46] Frank O'Connor of Official Xbox Magazine unfavorably compared Bionicle to a PlayStation title, citing the "blocky textures", "primitive camera angles", and "garish color palette".

He also criticized the auto-target ability and felt the game would be only appropriate for only "serious Bionicle fans", as it "follows the bizarrely melodramatic plot to a tee".

[48] Macworld pointed to lack of challenge for experienced players, short length, "absolutely wretched" camera controls, and higher price point than the console version as reasons why the OS X version is "one to avoid" except for "a Bionicle fan... who hasn't already played this on a console", instead recommending Rayman 3.

[2] While GameZone reviewer The Whiz was critical of the short length and camera, he praised Bionicle for its mission variety, boss battles, and environments as well as its difficulty and felt it would appeal to "both beginners and veterans to the platformer series".

[3] Reviewing the GameCube version, Nintendo Power called the difficulty too high for novices but recommended the game for "experienced platformer fans" who would "enjoy the challenge".

[54] Bionicle (along with Argonaut's other Christmas titles SWAT: Global Strike Team and I-Ninja) reportedly sold poorly and failed to generate any licensing royalties for the studio.