Review by Clinton Butler
A long time ago, in a galaxy not so far away…
LucasArts brings us Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga, a light-hearted action adventure encompassing all six episodes. The basic appeal for this game is that it lets you revisit all the memorable moments from Star Wars with cute little Lego people wielding a light-saber.
There are 36 levels (6 per episode) and over a 160 playable characters; more than enough to keep you entertained. Once you have completed the first level, you have the choice to enter any other level in the game. This is done through the Mos-Eisly Cantina, a lobby system which perfectly integrates all the episodes into one solid game. After ‘strolling’ a Walker, raising complete carnage, you can go straight to pulling off troopers’ arms with a Wookie. Its all up to you.
Multiplayer co-op is the clincher in this game. You can enter and exit instantly without affecting other gamers’ play. This makes it ideal for family and friend play without the hassle of trying to get everyone together at the same time. However, when you do, you can annoy them with tales of how Star Wars affected your childhood. Great.
Online co-op is also added for this edition. It runs well except for rather annoying pausing to sync players.
The gameplay is both frenzied and constantly changing; from deflecting blaster shots with a light saber to the vehicular action available in every episode. The Death Star trench run, waiting for that one magical shot, was my personal favourite.
There are plenty of puzzles to solve, nothing too complicated, but thoroughly enjoyable. Most need the help of another, either the AI or a friend, making them more interactive. Some of the puzzles can only be completed in Free Play (unlocked after finishing a level) with the use of a different character to the original story. This entices you to replay a level, especially if you are an achievement go-getter.
Graphics are exactly what you would expect, nothing exceptional, but more than adequate. After all, it is Lego pieces and nothing more. The game portrays this perfectly as each level seems to be painstakingly built from scratch with shiny Lego blocks. I just might go scratch out my old sets and build my very own pod racer.
Being able to smash and break almost anything on the level adds to the nostalgic appeal of all that is Lego. Visual effects are also well done, but not as to off-set the basic builds of each level.
The story plays the same as the movies, but is done brilliantly. Cut scenes add a humorous and quirky take on all of the famous scenes of the saga without diverting too much from the original plot. You will laugh. I guarantee it.
The levels in the Extra area were a lot of fun. Most are pre-builds of levels in the game, but there is one where you get to play as Darth Vader himself. It’s a pity that there was not more action with the Dark Lord as it would have brought balance to the force.
Verdict: 4.5 stars
Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga is a must for die-hard fans of the saga and anyone who enjoys an action adventure without the guts and gore of most modern titles. The jump in-jump out co-op makes this title a winner.
Release Date: 9 November 2007
Approx 2nd hand price on xbox-360.co.za – R120
Editor’s Note:
There are actually 3 Lego Star Wars Titles Available
Lego Star Wars : The Video Game(contains Episodes 1,2 and 3) on XBOX, PS2 and PC
Lego Star Wars II : The Original Trilogy (Episodes 4,5 and 6) on XBOX, XBOX360, PS2 and PC
Lego Star Wars : The Complete Saga (all 6 episodes) on XBOX360, PS3 and Wii.
Naturally, you should try to get “The Complete Saga”, as it will give you the best bang for buck.
3 February 2010 at 4:19 pm
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