The idea of combining the joy of LEGOs with the Star Wars universe was brilliant. So brilliant in fact that the team behind the series has now signed on to two more LEGO titles based on popular franchises as well becoming known as “the LEGO guys”. With the release of The Complete Saga the circle is now complete as gamers are now treated to the definitive collection of both original games as well as some new enhancements such as more polished visuals and of course online co-op play. Granted if you already own both of the original games in some form or fashion and online play doesn’t appeal to you than TCS will likely not interest you, but for everyone else there is absolutely no reason not to own this wonderfully addictive and immensely fun romp through the Star Wars mythology.
The premise here is simple; take all six movies, shave them down into bite-sized levels, and inject infinite amounts of humor. This formula for success works on every level and is appealing to gamers young and old. Difficulty is non-existent seeing as you have infinite continues yet there is a layer of depth and strategy involved in going for full Jedi rankings on all levels and of course unlocking every single item in the game, of which there are literally too many to mention here.
The true appeal though comes from the game’s ridiculously simple mechanics and recognizable characters. Everyone knows who Darth Vader and Yoda are and everyone loves to spark up a lightsaber and mow down Stormtroopers by the dozens, all of which can be obtained with little effort on the part of the player.
The Complete Saga doesn’t stray from the original formula; you still have one attack button, a jump button and of course a special move button which is reserved for force powers for the Jedi characters. You can also switch between characters by simply walking up to them and tapping a button so you are never forced to play through any level as one particular character, unless you are on a flying level of course.
Much like the previous two games in the series The Complete Saga uses Mos Eisley Cantina as your hub to jump between all six episodes. The prologue level is available from the outset so you can jump around as much as you want between the movies, but you will have to play through each one in succession to unlock them all. This is probably the biggest draw the LEGO Star Wars; the ridiculous amount of content to see and unlock throughout the game.
Whether you are replaying levels to find hidden items, collect more bolts to purchase items, or simply to venture into new areas previously inaccessible because you didn’t bring the right character The Complete Saga is a massive amount of game stored on one DVD (or Blu-Ray if you picked it up on PS3). Simply blasting through all six episodes in succession without toying around with side missions or mini-quests will run you around 10-12 hours, but that only accounts for about 30% of the game which is astounding. If you are one of those gamers that feels the need to explore everything a game has to offer than TCS is more than worth your money.
Another huge draw to this series is the ability to play co-op with friends or even your children. The game is simple enough for anyone of any age to enjoy and playing with someone else only doubles the satisfaction. With Complete Saga Traveller’s Tales have added an online co-op mode to both the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of the game while Wii owners get the short end of the stick with only local co-op action available. Either way you slice it the game is ten times more enjoyable when you are slicing down enemies alongside a buddy.
Visually the game is very similar to the last outing with some subtle additions of shinier HD textures for both the PS3 and 360 versions. The level design is fantastic and the large color palette and constant scenario changes make this a game that doesn’t get boring half-way through. The only real hindrance is the same problem that plagued previous versions of the game; a wonky camera system. Complete Saga does address some of the issue but you will still oftentimes find yourself falling off a ledge due to poor angles. The music is what you would expect from the Star Wars archives. John Williams score always accents these games nicely and the sound effects are spot on. Of course you can expect no spoken dialogue, but sometimes the simple grunts of your characters add more to the humor than any written lines could produce.
When all is said and done LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Sage is a fantastic game that deserves to be played by everyone. It is easily accessible, truly addictive, and loaded with tons of content to warrant the $50 price tag. However, if you have already played through the first two games there is little here worth coming back for unless online co-op and more Achievement points are your thing. Otherwise this is a must own for Star Wars fans and anyone who enjoys great games.