LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is exactly what you want, expect, and need from a LEGO game, and still exceeds all expectations.
The LEGO Star Wars games have been fan favorites since they first came 15 years ago in 2007. The original LEGO Star Wars began the ongoing legacy of the LEGO Games by TT Games, and LEGO Stars Wars: The Skywalker Saga is the pinnacle of their achievements, somehow expanding upon, improving, and reinvigorating terrain they have crossed numerous times before. The game feels new and nostalgic in the most enjoyable way possible.
LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is New Nostalgia
I have played every LEGO Star Wars game that included the prequels. The original, the complete saga, and now The Skywalker Saga. I have always been a fan of the prequels and never understood the hate. The Original Trilogy is a better story, and nothing comes close to the reveal of Vader being Luke’s father in the prequel, but the prequels were more my Star Wars. Mostly because of Mace Windu’s purple lightsaber and Genndy Tartakovsky Clone Wars.
Anyways, so I began with Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. Began by infiltrating the trade federation ship, then stowing away to the surface of Naboo. There I, as Lego Qui-Gonn inadvertently save the life of Jar Jar Binks, who brings us to his home and gets us passage to the kingdom of Naboo. There we rescue the Queen only to end up stranded on the desert planet of Tatooine. And I’m basically just summarizing the movie…
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LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga allows players to relive the movies in LEGO form, with the LEGO lightheartedness, and LEGO twists. You get a prime example in my first hour of playthrough above, Qui-Gonn saves Jar Jar, and gets his head hit by a droid tank to the beat of the “Empire March.” It is so silly and unnecessary, but it never takes away from the main story and it adds an x-factor that keeps the game fun, engaging, and not just a railroad game where you basically just play the movie.
The upgraded graphics of LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga immediately sets it apart from its predecessors. Honestly, it borders the line of too real. This is a good thing of course, but wow! I have been binge playing the game and so for minutes after I stop playing the real world looks like LEGO constructs. It is pretty freaky. Luckily the urge to break the environment looking for LEGO currency hasn’t jumped into the prime reality. At least not that I’m willing to admit that.
Simple and Intuitive but Also Infinite Gameplay
Gameplay is pretty much the same as all other LEGO TT Games. Again, to the game’s benefit. The surprisingly robust possibilities from the simple control scheme, combined with nearly every character in the Skywalker Saga, as well as every vehicle, provide what feels like endless possibilities. The added combo tracker also adds a nice bit of variety to the combo system as it provides a live visual cue if you doing the same thing or changing it up.
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Getting to use different vehicles is also incredibly fun. Whether it’s zooming on a speedster bike, riding a bantha, or having a dogfight with your Naboo Starfighter, the simple controls are intuitive and seamlessly transition making for a thoroughly enjoyable and satisfying experience. Taking down AT-AT’s with the snowspeeder hasn’t been this fun since Shadows of the Empire. Well, it’s pretty fun in Battlefront too. Regardless reliving epic Star Wars vehicle moments and creating new ones is yet another layer of pure enjoyment.
TT Games Has Perfected Their System
Where LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga truly excels, is the overall polish and intuitiveness of the level-up system and collecting. What often burnt me out on other LEGO TT Games is the grind of collecting. It is still a key component this time around, and you can see me waste a lot of time collecting currency as I search for bricks, but it feels more rewarding this time around. I don’t know if it’s the improved graphics bringing this LEGO version of the iconic films to life, or because you stumble onto collectibles, but it feels a lot more connected to the game rather than something you have to waste time on to enjoy the game.
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The level-up/RPG system is a great touch. I believe this is something that has been around a while, but it feels perfected. It scales as you play the game and feels powerful without making the game feel too easy. I’m not sure what it is, but it is a masterful balance of ramping up gameplay and abilities without ever diminishing gameplay. You simultaneously feel like a Jedi Master but also the game still feels like it requires Jedi Master level skills to play. Or Sith Lord, or bounty hunter, whatever you’re playing as.
The Missing Pieces
I am reaching to find something to critique in LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga. It is what you want and more from the LEGO games and a beautiful homage, tribute, and reimagining of The Skywalker Saga. The gameplay can get repetitive, but honestly no more so than any other third-person action game. The game is not noticeably challenging, but also it is not meant to be. It might not have the depth some gamers want, but it never tries or feigns to do so. It is an incredibly deep game just in its own unique and completely enjoyable way.
The only critique I can come up with is that there is not enough Bad Batch content. But the show really only has a single season and is just a personal obsession for me at the moment. There is always DLC as evident by the character pack, plus the game is incredibly stuffed as is. I mean just the “Press Start” screen is wonderfully full of easter eggs and comedy. I’m really stretching to not seem biased. It is essentially perfect. The only thing, it’s not 4 players. This is really just a personal preference too but pretty much the only way I can say the game isn’t perfect. But it is.
LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga Wraps Up An Incredible 15 Years of LEGO Star Wars and Masterfully Sets the Stage for the Future
LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is the epitome of TT Games’ LEGO Games. It simultaneously brings their 15-year journey full circle and excites players for the future. Beautifully rendered, geniusly executed, and pure joy to play. Star Wars fans can play through the entire Skywalker Saga created with a single narrative. LEGO Game fans have the most realized and polished system of all LEGO Games. Players of all ages can play the game without pressure or angst, alone, or with each other. It is the perfect family game, nostalgic game, and new game all at the same time. LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is the ultimate comfort game.
For being an absolutely enjoyable game through and through, LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga gets a 10/10
LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is available now on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S, PlayStation 5, Microsoft Windows
About LEGO Star Wars The Skywalker Saga
Initial release date: April 5, 2022
Series: Lego Star Wars
Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Engine: NTT Engine
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S, PlayStation 5, Microsoft Windows
Developers: TT Games, Traveller’s Tales
Modes: Single-player, Multiplayer
The galaxy is yours with LEGO® Star Wars™: The Skywalker Saga! Play through all nine Star Wars™ saga films in a brand-new LEGO video game unlike any other. Experience fun-filled adventures, whimsical humor, and the freedom to fully immerse yourself in the LEGO Star Wars universe like never before.
Have you played LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga? What saga did you start with? Which character will you use most? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to share all your love frustrations with the game with us on Twitter.
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