LEGO Star Wars
Added June 15th, 2005 by Dakota Grabowski
Introduction:
“If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you could possibly imagine.” That’s what Obi-wan stated in Star Wars: A New Hope. It’s funny that a quote as such could apply to the whole Star Wars franchise when it is translated into a video game. In the past, Star Wars video games never turned out to be more than mediocre even though they were among the first of the movie adaptations. For humanity’s sake, these games should all be collected and burned in one big pile as they all tore the Star Wars namesake to shreds -- titles such as Rebel Assault 1 & 2 on the PC, Masters of Teras Kasi on the PS1, Demolition, Rebellion, almost all the Phantom Menace influenced titles, except for the pod racer, and nearly all the other latest prequel based games that draw likeness to their movie counterparts. There’s so many with the Star Wars license attached to it that never became more than just an average video game. What’s ironic is that with the advance of technology, Star Wars video games have begun to catch up to the movies. It all could be linked to KOTOR having at least five times the better story and drama than the prequels, or maybe it’s the fact that people are going back in time to live through the original trilogy with Star Wars Galaxies, and even Star Wars: Battlefront which results in additional great action for the franchise.
With all the rambling put aside, would a Lego Star Wars game succeed in the long run? If you type out the equation, it looks something like this: Lego + Star Wars =? Some may question the faithfulness of such a lighthearted game wondering if it could keep both the story and action intact, and deliver an all around solid game. With Lego being the licensee, Eidos had the rights to publish this and give the game a thumbs up or a thumbs down. Would a publisher that has been saddled with bad luck lately be able to deliver on such high promises of a title? If I have anything to say about it, it’s Lego + Star Wars = Family Fun.
Gameplay:
Yes, I said family fun. Lego Star Wars is geared toward all age groups, but don’t let that turn you off. Anyone, and I mean literally anyone, will be able to enjoy this game in some type of fashion. Whether you are the type to get your fix off the humor, the action, the portrayal of certain characters, the cleverness of scene representation or just plain co-operative fun, Lego Star Wars has a little of everything to appeal to one and all.
“If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you could possibly imagine.” That’s what Obi-wan stated in Star Wars: A New Hope. It’s funny that a quote as such could apply to the whole Star Wars franchise when it is translated into a video game. In the past, Star Wars video games never turned out to be more than mediocre even though they were among the first of the movie adaptations. For humanity’s sake, these games should all be collected and burned in one big pile as they all tore the Star Wars namesake to shreds -- titles such as Rebel Assault 1 & 2 on the PC, Masters of Teras Kasi on the PS1, Demolition, Rebellion, almost all the Phantom Menace influenced titles, except for the pod racer, and nearly all the other latest prequel based games that draw likeness to their movie counterparts. There’s so many with the Star Wars license attached to it that never became more than just an average video game. What’s ironic is that with the advance of technology, Star Wars video games have begun to catch up to the movies. It all could be linked to KOTOR having at least five times the better story and drama than the prequels, or maybe it’s the fact that people are going back in time to live through the original trilogy with Star Wars Galaxies, and even Star Wars: Battlefront which results in additional great action for the franchise.
With all the rambling put aside, would a Lego Star Wars game succeed in the long run? If you type out the equation, it looks something like this: Lego + Star Wars =? Some may question the faithfulness of such a lighthearted game wondering if it could keep both the story and action intact, and deliver an all around solid game. With Lego being the licensee, Eidos had the rights to publish this and give the game a thumbs up or a thumbs down. Would a publisher that has been saddled with bad luck lately be able to deliver on such high promises of a title? If I have anything to say about it, it’s Lego + Star Wars = Family Fun.
Gameplay:
Yes, I said family fun. Lego Star Wars is geared toward all age groups, but don’t let that turn you off. Anyone, and I mean literally anyone, will be able to enjoy this game in some type of fashion. Whether you are the type to get your fix off the humor, the action, the portrayal of certain characters, the cleverness of scene representation or just plain co-operative fun, Lego Star Wars has a little of everything to appeal to one and all.
Lego Star Wars is based off the three prequels (*Spoiler* and a hidden original trilogy mission). The story of the game is summed up by the best parts of each and every movie. A few key scenes are missing that I wished I was able to play, but I will cover that in just a few minutes. There are 18 missions to play through with one unlockable. Each movie is divided up into its own room and you have the choice to play them out of order. If you desire to go toe to toe with Darth Vader himself, you can go straight to Episode 3. Of course you’ll be forced to play through chapter by chapter to get to him but once you beat a level, you can play through it again with an assortment of different characters. Before I continue on, you’ll be navigating each Episode through Dexter’s Diner. Through Dexter’s Diner, you can enter each Episode or head outside to view your unlocked space ships.
Back on track, at the end of each episode, you will be facing a boss battle so be prepared to take on the likes of Darth Maul, Darth Vader and Darth Tyranus (aka Count Dooku). Beyond those three treacherous baddies, you will be facing off against the likes of General Grevious, Jango Fett and even Sebubla. Technically you don’t face Sebubla in a fight, but that evil alien is a toughie in a race. You face off against him when you take over in the Mos Espa pod race. In total, you’ll be participating in seven boss fights. Besides that, you can jump into the cockpit of a jedi-starfighter or pod-racer. Those missions help alleviate the fact that so many missions are laid out the same.
Graphics:
Lego Star Wars isn’t as much the beauty in the visual department as it is in the true enjoyment department. The game does in fact look like it was made with actual Legos and video taped so I have to give them credit where credit is due. Each character is represented in a unique way. General Grevious has his four arms that attribute to the fact he’s one of the most challenging battles in the game. Darth Maul has his menacing look and of course his dual lightsaber. Animation wise, the fighting couldn’t be done better with Lego’s. Yoda hops around fighting on the battlefield such as Kashyyyk, Jango Fett flies with his jet pack, Genoshian warriors also fly and many other unique traits could be pin pointed to several other characters that set them apart when using them. When the developers (Traveller’s Tales) had to step it up with presentation, they did so in a fashionable way. It appears as if all the scenes were torn from the film reels and put effortlessly onto the video game. One thing that made them stand out so much was the humor added into it since no voice-overs were included in the game.
Back on track, at the end of each episode, you will be facing a boss battle so be prepared to take on the likes of Darth Maul, Darth Vader and Darth Tyranus (aka Count Dooku). Beyond those three treacherous baddies, you will be facing off against the likes of General Grevious, Jango Fett and even Sebubla. Technically you don’t face Sebubla in a fight, but that evil alien is a toughie in a race. You face off against him when you take over in the Mos Espa pod race. In total, you’ll be participating in seven boss fights. Besides that, you can jump into the cockpit of a jedi-starfighter or pod-racer. Those missions help alleviate the fact that so many missions are laid out the same.
Graphics:
Lego Star Wars isn’t as much the beauty in the visual department as it is in the true enjoyment department. The game does in fact look like it was made with actual Legos and video taped so I have to give them credit where credit is due. Each character is represented in a unique way. General Grevious has his four arms that attribute to the fact he’s one of the most challenging battles in the game. Darth Maul has his menacing look and of course his dual lightsaber. Animation wise, the fighting couldn’t be done better with Lego’s. Yoda hops around fighting on the battlefield such as Kashyyyk, Jango Fett flies with his jet pack, Genoshian warriors also fly and many other unique traits could be pin pointed to several other characters that set them apart when using them. When the developers (Traveller’s Tales) had to step it up with presentation, they did so in a fashionable way. It appears as if all the scenes were torn from the film reels and put effortlessly onto the video game. One thing that made them stand out so much was the humor added into it since no voice-overs were included in the game.
Audio:
Speaking of which, the audio is disappointing for a Star Wars game. Sure Lucas Arts didn’t have control of this as much as they would have liked, but voice-overs would have been excellent for Lego. There were a few times there was spoken dialogue in the game but ironically it came from standard droids fighting in one scene. Also you can hear the loud “wooaaauuu” from R2-D2 when he is hit. Of course the standard Star Wars themes and music is included but nothing new to be seen here in the audio department. Could have been so much more included in the audio to make it a complete game.
Control:
This is easily the best part of the game that will be appeal to all age groups. Not only can kids jump on and not have to learn a certain combination for a particular move, but the gameplay is simplified for clueless friends to join in and still be able to kick major butt in the game. You can either attack, jump, jump attack, or use your force powers. Real simple for those who are action oriented. If you’d rather not go into a huge crowd and hack away, you can, of course, block, which is highly advisable. Some characters have a few other actions not available to others. Yoda can hover on his little pad to transport around easier; Jango can fly with his jet packs; Jar Jar Binks can jump higher than almost all the characters with his double jump; the bodyguards of General Grevious have a high single jump; and most attacks differ with each character in the game. The control is so easy to pick up and play; this makes for a perfect party game especially since it’s quite short.
Replay:
On the topic of it being short, some hardcore fanatics will be disappointed that it’s so short. Never fear though, you can play through as many as times as you want to finish unlocking all the characters; claiming “True Jedi” status; finding all the hidden objects within the levels; and figuring out the way to win the secret level that can only be obtained after several goals are completed. Sadly, no online play is included, that would have been extremely fun to pick up and play with anyone around the world. The multiplayer in the game is strictly co-op but you can go one on one with your friend since friendly fire is included in the game. Nothing is more satisfying than shooting your friend in the back and claiming it was an accident. If you are an ultimate sith such as Darth Vader, might as well stick a lightsaber in their back and make them aware of your true power. I’d recommend using General Grevious in any combat where you challenge your friend, as he’s the best fighter in the game. You’d think Yoda would be the best but he’s hard to get used to since he’s always bouncing around on the screen. With over 40 characters in Lego Star Wars, this is a complete package using the license to its full advantage.
Speaking of which, the audio is disappointing for a Star Wars game. Sure Lucas Arts didn’t have control of this as much as they would have liked, but voice-overs would have been excellent for Lego. There were a few times there was spoken dialogue in the game but ironically it came from standard droids fighting in one scene. Also you can hear the loud “wooaaauuu” from R2-D2 when he is hit. Of course the standard Star Wars themes and music is included but nothing new to be seen here in the audio department. Could have been so much more included in the audio to make it a complete game.
Control:
This is easily the best part of the game that will be appeal to all age groups. Not only can kids jump on and not have to learn a certain combination for a particular move, but the gameplay is simplified for clueless friends to join in and still be able to kick major butt in the game. You can either attack, jump, jump attack, or use your force powers. Real simple for those who are action oriented. If you’d rather not go into a huge crowd and hack away, you can, of course, block, which is highly advisable. Some characters have a few other actions not available to others. Yoda can hover on his little pad to transport around easier; Jango can fly with his jet packs; Jar Jar Binks can jump higher than almost all the characters with his double jump; the bodyguards of General Grevious have a high single jump; and most attacks differ with each character in the game. The control is so easy to pick up and play; this makes for a perfect party game especially since it’s quite short.
Replay:
On the topic of it being short, some hardcore fanatics will be disappointed that it’s so short. Never fear though, you can play through as many as times as you want to finish unlocking all the characters; claiming “True Jedi” status; finding all the hidden objects within the levels; and figuring out the way to win the secret level that can only be obtained after several goals are completed. Sadly, no online play is included, that would have been extremely fun to pick up and play with anyone around the world. The multiplayer in the game is strictly co-op but you can go one on one with your friend since friendly fire is included in the game. Nothing is more satisfying than shooting your friend in the back and claiming it was an accident. If you are an ultimate sith such as Darth Vader, might as well stick a lightsaber in their back and make them aware of your true power. I’d recommend using General Grevious in any combat where you challenge your friend, as he’s the best fighter in the game. You’d think Yoda would be the best but he’s hard to get used to since he’s always bouncing around on the screen. With over 40 characters in Lego Star Wars, this is a complete package using the license to its full advantage.
Summary:
“Do or do not. There is no try”, wise words equally applicable to those who want to buy this. There is no “try” when you want to buy this game. Either you buy it or you don’t. Some may fall into the first category with buying it since you are either: (A) a huge Star Wars fan boy; (B) need a game for your child; (C) need a game to play co-op with your friend as Halo isn’t cutting it anymore; or (D) all of the above. For those who fall into the later part, you might end up renting it since you are: (A) out of money; (B) sick of Star Wars movies, books, games and all the other licensed material; or (C) haven’t read a word of my review. For those who haven’t read a word of my review, they are missing out on a fun experience that should be loved by many.
Before I leave you to the final score, I must mention that there is going to be another Lego Star Wars game in the future that should be taking place during the original trilogy. Will it turn out to be as good as the three prequels presented in this game? I leave you to a quote from our little green friend named Yoda, “Difficult to see. Always in motion is future.” Well said Yoda, well said.
“Do or do not. There is no try”, wise words equally applicable to those who want to buy this. There is no “try” when you want to buy this game. Either you buy it or you don’t. Some may fall into the first category with buying it since you are either: (A) a huge Star Wars fan boy; (B) need a game for your child; (C) need a game to play co-op with your friend as Halo isn’t cutting it anymore; or (D) all of the above. For those who fall into the later part, you might end up renting it since you are: (A) out of money; (B) sick of Star Wars movies, books, games and all the other licensed material; or (C) haven’t read a word of my review. For those who haven’t read a word of my review, they are missing out on a fun experience that should be loved by many.
Before I leave you to the final score, I must mention that there is going to be another Lego Star Wars game in the future that should be taking place during the original trilogy. Will it turn out to be as good as the three prequels presented in this game? I leave you to a quote from our little green friend named Yoda, “Difficult to see. Always in motion is future.” Well said Yoda, well said.
