LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game

The Good
Lego Star Wars begins in Dexter’s Diner (from Episode II) with Obi Wan and Qui-Gon. As a single player game, the player controls one character and the computer controls the other. The player can jump between characters with the touch of a button and Player Two can join in (and opt out) at any time. Dexter’s Diner has very little to play with (i.e. destroy), but a lot to use the Force on. When a Jedi is facing something that is Force-sensitive it glows. Pressing the Force power button interacts with that object: turning on Dexter’s jukebox, shaking booths, overturning seats—leading up to the infamous Force push during actual game play.

Dexter’s Diner is the game’s hub-world. Players can enter the Episode I, II, or III levels; purchase new characters, codes, or bonus items; or wander outside and see other playable characters and Lego kits unlocked during game play. As more characters become available, Dexter’s Diner takes on a sandbox quality: good and evil characters chase each other around, killing each other, and respawning.

Each of the Episodes has a story mode and a free play mode. The story mode takes you chronologically through the movies. Episode I is most developed, beginning with Obi Wan and Qui-Gon’s mission on Naboo. After an abbreviated crawl (which precede each of the game’s seventeen levels) and Lego cinematic, the Jedi Knights are aboard the Trade Federation ship and are soon taking down Battle Droids.

From the very beginning, Lego Star Wars has great graphics and pretty good controls. At first it’s all about the lightsaber, which can be used to chop up droids, deflect blaster bolts, and destroy some of the surroundings. Later characters have blasters with a useful auto-targeting feature and grapples. Other characters, like R2-D2 and C-3PO, are more useful for opening computer-sealed doors than anything else.

The player-controlled character has four hearts in their health bar which are replenished when enemies drop health power-ups. Enemies, destructible objects, and Force-sensitive objects also rain down Lego pips (unfortunately called studs). Studs are the currency of Lego Star Wars, used in Dexter’s Diner to buy characters, cheats, or character modifications. Collecting studs (groan) during a level powers up a Force bar which, when filled, earns the player one of 17 Super Lego kit pieces (that form something cool) and works toward unlocking a secret level. Each level also has ten hidden minikit pieces, but finding all of these takes time in the game’s free play mode.

As mentioned above, Episode I feels like it has the most effort behind it. The Naboo levels are sprawling and detailed, even with the Lego motif. The waterfalls and forest effects are spectacular and the level design is innovative. Towards the end of the Episode, the party gets quite large, with the Jedi, Amidala, R2-D2, C-3PO, and various Naboo guards working together to overthrow the Trade Federation. These levels wisely don’t give Jar Jar much facetime, although his jumping skill makes him a valuable free play character. A somewhat overlong podrace on Tatooine offers a change of pace, but doesn’t compare to Star Wars: Episode I: Racer while cutting out Player Two. Finally, the Darth Maul boss battle caps off a strong set of levels. If there is anything that’s missing here, it’s Anakin’s first space battle—would’ve been nice.

Episode II begins well into the movie’s storyline with Obi Wan and his astromech droid investigating the Clone Facilities and finding the Fett family. Cutting to Geonosis, Anakin and Amidala fiddle around in the Droid Factory, all of which leads up to the game’s best level: the Arena Fight. This character heavy showdown between the Jedi, the Clone Army, and the Trade Federation is as good as the game gets in terms of combat, puzzles, and level design. After a single-player experience, commanding a Clone transport across the sands of Geonosis through a level highly reminiscent of the classic arcade Return of the Jedi, Episode II ends with the fight against Darth Tyranus. Not a bad set of levels, but jumpy and where’s the hunt for Zam Wesell through Coruscant’s underworld.

Episode III walks a fine line between expanding on the film’s trailer and spoiling the storyline. In terms of story, we’re given actions without motivations. In terms of game play, we’re given a series of levels which will mean more in the next few weeks. Beginning with a massive space battle, through which the single player steers a small starfighter, this Episode makes way for Darth Vader, features everyone’s favorite Wookie, and has Yoda sighing sadly on Coruscant. Of course it ends with a lightsaber duel on a volcanic planet, but expect to spend more time on the jumping puzzle that precedes it.

The game’s free play mode lets you play levels piecemeal rather than under the banner of the respective Episode. Choosing which characters you want beforehand, you can send Chewbacca and Jango Fett off to Naboo or any other combination. The goal here is exploration: maybe Jar Jar can reach a ledge that Anakin couldn’t or maybe you didn’t have R2 along to open a door before. Since the bonus level can only be unlocked by completing the game, not just finishing it, diehard players should expect to spend some time here

The Bad
Lego Star Wars is a brief excursion into the Star Wars Universe. Since it just covers the highlights of the prequels, this is to be expected, but part of the problem comes from its targeted audience of younger gamers. Lego Star Wars is easy and you can’t die. If your character dies, he or she is immediate resurrected minus a… um… stud fee. It’s a no-lose situation, so even troublesome jumping areas aren’t that much of a bother.

It’s also a very shallow experience. Hey, it’s a fun game, it looks gorgeous—bonus points for great concept and execution, but you only seventeen bite-sized levels here. Lego Star Wars is either going to leave you begging for more or demanding more. Expand the multiplayer potential, let us design our own Lego characters and ships, and open the sandbox for a bigger and better experience.

The Bottom Line
Lego Star Wars is the ultimate fan-edit. It’s The Phantom Menace without longwinded speeches and midichlorians, Attack of the Clones minus the banal love story, and the soon to be released Revenge of the Sith with the grim context lessened. In short, it’s a Lego reenactment of the prequels’ best action scenes. As a result, Lego Star Wars is receiving grade inflation like no Star Wars game has ever seen.

It’s a fun game, but it’s definitely more of a novelty than a gaming breakthrough. It’s worth playing, but only as a rental. Now a Lego game using the Holy Trilogy… that might be worth buying.