The Joy of Lego Star Wars

There were many possible headings I could have used for this article, some nice force-based pun perhaps, or a more cryptic and enticing title but at the end of the day joy seemed the most appropriate word when describing Lego Star Wars. I had managed to miss the individual games when they were released a couple of years ago but since the Complete Saga was released last year I have been intrigued, and buying it has been a great decision. Now to get off to a start let me just say that the game has its share of flaws, the vehicle sections are clumsy and often frustrating, the camera often has a mind of its own, the levels can get a bit repetitive and the whole game is not that challenging to complete, or that deep in terms of design. Yet it simultaneously manages to be one of the most fun, addictive and enjoyable gaming experiences I’ve had in years. Part of this is down to the genius design of the game, in terms of structure and implementation, the advocacy of a two player throughout practically necessitates co-operative play and the ease with which characters can drop in and out and which the game has been designed around this mechanic is great, it makes the game a much more social and enjoyable experience all round and never feels tacked on or forced like many other co-op game modes.

Secondly the marring of Lego and Star Wars is inspired, a lot of care and attention has gone not only into recreating the films faithfully and cleverly, but to the Lego as well, the universal appeal of that helps the game appeal to more than just the Star Wars fanboy userbase and it somehow makes the whole game more fun to see it created out of Lego blocks. There is a good implementation of the key features of both things as well, there are plenty of opportunities to build things and manipulate the Lego, as well as lots of in-jokes and referenced to Star Wars with a great inclusion of powers and abilities and a wide range of characters you can play as. One of the best things though about the game is its hidden depths. If you want to simply play through the game and be done then you can, and that is perfectly enjoyable but the inclusion of hidden canisters and other challenges on every single level encourage exploration and increase the replay value of the title exponentially. The ability to go back and replay levels in Free Play mode where you can choose and switch between a range of characters is fantastic and so much of the clever design is revealed through these extended play-throughs, often revealing secrets and extras that are missed or not accessible during the initial run through of the level. Add in the extra characters to unlock, the collection of Lego studs which allow you to buy things, extra challenge modes for each film and a bonus room of extra levels not to mention the blue canister challenges for each level and you get a game more packed with content that many you come across. It’s a wonder as well that this rarely feels like a chore to collect, it is not necessary but for those, like me, who are compelled to see and do everything in a game and it really feeds the completionist inside.

Overall this game is great fun, yes it has its flaws but the sheer joy of the gameplay and the world that has been created and the flair with which it has been realised more than make up for it. Maybe one day the Lego-isation of film franchises will become stale and repetitive, but for now this stands as a well crafted and jam packed game that will keep you going for hours on end, if you have missed out on the phenomenon so far then I strongly encourage you to check this out, if you are in any way a Lego or Star Wars fan then you won’t be disappointed.