|
|
|
Lego Star Wars: The Video Game
Although the quality of Star Wars games has been pretty good overall the first time I heard about this title I have to admit I was a bit skeptical. Making a game about all three of the first Star Wars movies is certainly an ambitious idea and allowing the player to control virtually every famous Star Wars character from the movies even more so. The fact that everything is based on the popular Lego range of toys is what might scare away a few of the older fans though. A couple of minutes playing the game was enough to convince me that the Lego license doesn’t detract from the experience in the least and actually the lighthearted graphics makes the game more accessible to those who would normally steer clear of such games.
The game is split up into three chapters each of which is centered on one of the movies and contains five or six “episodes”. It’s clear to see that the game was made with two-players in mind since you’ll always have a partner at your side. In single player the computer takes control of the second player and you can switch characters at any time but playing with a fellow human is just so much cooler. The game is essentially a platform title with plenty of action and some minor puzzles thrown in as well. You get to play through scenes from the movies like the invasion of Naboo, attack on the Wookie world and assault on the droid factory. Each stage usually involves killing all the enemies in sight and using your force powers (Jedi’s only of course) to open up new paths forward. Virtually everything that is destroyed releases a shower of studs and this is the currency of the game. Studs allow you to buy secrets, new characters, hints and collecting the required amount on each stage will also upon up a secret stage right at the very end of the game. Besides studs also be on the lookout for “special” parts which are hidden all over the place. Each stage has ten of these and collecting them all has its own rewards. Once you complete a stage in “Story” mode you can try it again in free play which is essential for finding all those special parts. In free play you can use any character you’ve unlocked or purchased unlike story mode which only allows you to use the characters relevant to the story. This means some parts can only be found in free play since different characters have different abilities making some parts impossible to acquire in story mode. This gives the game some much needed replay value since it can be completed virtually in a day’s time. The fact that you cannot die (you only lose some studs) means you can never be game over and while this makes the game a lot less frustrating for younger or inexperienced players it might make it seem like a “children’s’” game to others. There’s no denying that the game is very easy to play but you do need some skill and reflexes to make it through the trickier parts. Besides the platform levels there are also some nice shooting segments and you even get to take part in the pod racing on Tatooine. Just because the game is based on the Lego license doesn’t mean it’s lacking in the graphical department and the programmers have worked closely with NVIDIA to deliver a unique and eye catching experience. While it might not be as cutting edge as some other games I’ve seen it does have a charm of its own and if you pay close attention you’ll notice all kinds of graphical goodies like bump mapping, bloom filtering and shadow mapping. Since virtually everything in the game is made up of Lego blocks the end result is a game that looks unlike anything before it. Even the worse Star Wars titles usually have awesome audio and this game is no exception. The game really sounds like an authentic Star Wars movie (albeit with Lego) and those with surround sound equipment will get the most out of it. For control you’ll ideally want a decent gamepad (this is a console game after all) but the keyboard works well enough (you’ll have to invest in two gamepads or flip for it if you play with a friend). While Lego Starwars isn’t going to break any new records or win any game of the year awards no Star Wars fan will be able to resist the lure of playing as their favorite characters. I only have to mention names like General Grievous, Darth Vader and Darth Maul before people start drooling so I’m sure fans will get their money's worth. Unlike console owners computer gamers don’t have the luxury of renting games so if you plan on buying this one make sure you plan on squeezing every drop of gameplay out if it because if you only intend on finishing the story mode you’re bound to be disappointed.  |
System Requirements
TAGS: Lego Star Wars: The Videogame,
|
|
|
Copyright © 2013 GAMERamble. All rights reserved