What's cute, deadly, and falls to pieces easily? No, it's not the girl you dumped an hour before prom; it's LEGO Star Wars! The most surprisingly enjoyable game series is going the route treaded by its cinematic big brother: When there's no new content on the horizon, just re-release something!
Not Too Long Ago…
LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga is just what you'd expect, combining the two games into one giant package. That means you'll be able to pimpslap Jar Jar and behead a gaggle of Ewoks -- all in one disc! After beating the first level, all Episodes are open to selection, allowing you to play through whichever movie you want. The "wretched hive of scum and villainy" known as the Mos Eisley Cantina acts as a hub to tie the stages together.
New kids to LEGO Star Wars' block have definitely been missing out, as its charming style complements habit-forming gameplay. The struggle of the Rebel Alliance against the Empire is at its best in LEGO form: Reflect Stormtrooper blasts to cause your enemy to literally fall apart; collect multicolored studs which act as currency to purchase literally hundreds of playable characters; and battle huge bosses like the Rancor monster which still look adorable while chomping off Gamorrean guard heads. Consequences for death are minimal, and difficulty is casual-friendly.
Who's the Padawan?
One of LEGO Star Wars' best features has been the drop-in, drop-out multiplayer co-op. In the time it took Greedo to shoot wide right, you can be joined by a human ally, who can just as quickly leave you in the presence of an AI posse. In The Complete Saga, co-op extends to online. With the short level size and emphasis on teamwork, multiplayer shines over Xbox Live. Just make sure you don't get too greedy over loot.
Capitalizing on the artistic, building nature of LEGO, players can piece together parts from various characters to make new and oftentimes hilarious personas. Since The Complete Saga is just that -- complete -- the number of parts has doubled. Meld Boba and Jango Fett's armor into one bounty-hunting anti-hero, or have the sultry (yet angular) Padmé Amidala squeeze into Leia's slave-girl outfit.
Subtle Tweaks, These Are
Gameplay enhancements are much subtler, and really require the Pepsi Challenge to spot. Vehicle mechanics have been refined, and witty interactive hotspots are more abundant. Bounty hunter missions have been added, though don't expect cutthroat assassination missions. Loot is more prevalent, compensating for dead spots in levels, but at the same time unlockables have gotten pricier.
This marks the first time the original LEGO Star Wars game has appeared in hi-def. As a result, the graphics look decidedly LEGO-ier. The overall aesthetic hasn't lost its sheen, and you'll marvel at how such a simplistic art style can be so attractive. The audio is once again a blend of motion-picture sound bytes and the same John Williams score we could hum in our sleep.
Do Or Do Not
LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga tries to shed some light (saber) on this beloved series, but doesn't quite do enough. These are great games made better -- or at least more convenient -- by their inclusion in one stellar package. Those looking for new Force-shaking additions, however, will likely be disappointed. Coming out a little cheaper than most games is helpful, but this is no competition to Orange Box for "Bargain of the Year." Treat LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga like the Special Editions of the original movie trilogy: Check it out for the new eye candy and minor changes, but base your buying decision on the size of your fandom.
Review by: Justin Leeper
Video Produced by: Tim Jennings
