Game Review: Lego Star Wars The Skywalker Saga
Written by Grady Fiorio Original Publishing Date: June 8th, 2022 Rating 4/5
Building a new classic
Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
Developer TT Games Playtime 24 Hr Platform PC Release Date 2022
To say that I have a close bond with the original Lego Star Wars series of games would be a bit of an understatement. I still remember playing Lego Star Wars 2 for the first time. I was maybe six or seven years old, and at a friend's house when he showed me the game on his computer. Honestly, it was love at first sight. As a six-year-old, nothing was more entrancing than playing through my favorite Star Wars movies while running around as lego minifigures. For some reason, I remember being particularly fascinated with the Jedi double-jump lightsaber ground smash. So fascinated that I talked my mother's ear off while walking around a Kohl's clothing store explaining just how cool it was, and then later trying to replicate the move at home... minus the flip. My enthusiasm must have been pretty clear, as shortly thereafter I got the game for my Gameboy. When I popped in the cartridge I was slightly confused and just a tad disappointed that the Gameboy version was actually a different game than the main release, but I was still so excited to have Lego Star Wars in any capacity that it didn't really matter. I still have fond memories of being late for school because I was too busy playing. Once I even got in trouble for bringing it on a first-grade field trip. However, it didn't stop there because when I eventually upgraded to a DS, I once again got Lego Star Wars. This version being much closer to the main release. But of course, this was then followed by getting the game again on my computer and finally once more as The Complete Saga version on the Wii.
The Wii version probably holds my best memories. Growing up my older brother and I didn't agree on much except for our shared obsession with this game. When we started playing, the arguing stopped. We both played through the whole game in co-op countless times. It was just one of those games that could capture the imagination of any kid playing it and hold their attention to no end. It was fun and I still think about those memories quite a bit. It was just one of the many cornerstones of my childhood. After Lego Star Wars I played plenty of the other Lego Games, mostly Indiana Jones, Batman, and of course, Lego Island 2 (the best Lego Island, fight me) but my best memories still come from Lego Star Wars, where it all began.
When TT Games announced that not only were they making their comeback to Lego Star Wars but that it would include all nine movies, reworked combat, and would feature every planet as a mini open-world, I was pretty damn excited. The wait was long and after multiple years of delays, the new and improved Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga was here. So was it worth the wait? I can confidently say yes. It's by no means perfect, but TT Games has managed to create not only the most expansive lego game yet, but maybe the most expansive Star Wars game yet. I've never seen a Star Wars game or any piece of Star Wars content (barring Wookiepedia) that covered so much of the Star Wars universe. As previously mentioned it covers all nine films but also features an insane amount of side quests, unlockable characters, vehicles, and ships from each and every corner of Star Wars lore. From the most mainstream to obscure, this game covers it all. If you ever wanted to play as Willrow Hood or Rothgar Deng, this game has you covered. Hell, you can even buy, fly, and explore the damn Death Star. At times it feels like this was tailor-made for someone like me. Each planet in the game is explorable, acting as a mini open-world. I think if six-year-old me knew this game existed my head would explode like that one guy in Scanners. This game has an insane amount of content. If you're a Star Wars fan and really enjoy the lore of that universe, this is a must-buy.
While Lego games have stuck to a mostly unchanged formula since the original Lego Star Wars, TT Games used this new iteration of Lego Star Wars to take a chance and revamp the Lego games format. While at its core it still keeps the loop of puzzles and combat, everything has been updated or given a facelift. Combat most noticeably has made a change for the better. No longer is combat relegated to "push A to kill". Combat has been updated and split into four different methods of play. These are ranged, Jedi, melee, and vehicle/space combat. Ranged follows a standard third-person shooter style, with over-the-shoulder aiming, cover, and grenades. Jedi is more hack n slash, like a diet Devil May Cry. Featuring basic combos, counters, and a healthy amount of force powers. Melee is probably the least involved but has still been updated to include light and strong attacks, as well as aerial variations. Vehicle combat splits between ground and space. Ground vehicles usually have one basic attack but are really more designed for transportation. Space combat on the other hand has been given much more variation than previous entries in the series. It's not on the level of Squadrons, but it gives much more flexibility in movement and combat maneuvers, with each of the many ships flying differently. Like combat, puzzles have also been given a nice touch-up. While not on the level of something like The Witness, there's been an effort to add more throughout the levels. Levels have also been given sparse but varied routes that allow the player to approach situations differently. This mostly boils down to a simple choice between combat or stealth but does help to give even more replay value to the game at hand.
One of the most interesting aspects of this game is how it compares to its predecessor The Complete Saga, and what each one does better. Thankfully The Skywalker Saga doesn't invalidate The Complete Saga. Both offer two uniquely different experiences even though they may share a similar foundation. The Complete Saga thrives in its simplicity. It's an easy pick-up and put-down game. Jumping into a couple levels of quick and satisfying co-op is where the game excels. The Skywalker Saga on the other hand is more focused on exploration of the Star Wars universe. However weirdly enough one leg that the original game has over its successor is in its storytelling and pacing. Now neither games are a comprehensive retelling of their source materials, serving more as cliff notes with some parody thrown in. Not quite Spaceballs but not Shakespeare either. I thought with all of its new bells, whistles, and inclusion of voice acting The Skywalker Saga would have a more detailed retelling of these films. However, what ends up happening more often than not is the story is relegated to the greatest hits moments of each Star Wars film with little to connect each following segment. The original game proves that simple solutions are often the best. When you can't rely on voice acting and set pieces you gotta get creative and more direct. Now if you're playing this game you've more than likely seen all these films, maybe even more than once, but it's still nice to see retellings that don't feel like scrolling through Movieclips on Youtube.
This directly leads to the issue of pace. The Skywalker Saga's films are made up of five levels. However, because it follows a much more open structure, levels are relegated to set-piece moments, on-rails segments, and boss battles. The in-between moments are filled with smaller tasks and cutscenes that move the plot along. This leaves the actual levels to be quite short and awkwardly paced. Some can be as short as 5 minutes while others can be as long as 30. You never 100% know what you're getting into. On occasion, this can be exciting because the gameplay is consistently changing, but it does lead to a noticeable amount of inconsistency. Revenge of the Sith is almost all boss battles while The Force Awakens is a lot of exploration and planet-hopping. This can lead to further frustration as only the levels are replayable and not these in-between slices of gameplay, which inevitably make up the meat of most of the films. Even though individual levels are inconsistent, what stays consistent is the total playtime of each film, rounding out to about two hours for each film. Because the original game is much more linear, these are all nonissues, however, this comes at the cost of less content and exploration. After playing each film and touching on a bit of side content I clocked in at 24 hours of playtime, and I still intend on going back and doing more.
After years of waiting, TT Games strikes back with another solid entry into the Lego series of games. Proving that old dogs can in fact learn new tricks. The Skywalker Saga is both a breath of fresh air, while also a trip of nostalgia for the kids who grew up on the classics. It may lack some of the focus of its predecessors but more than makes up for it with heaps of content to keep you coming back for free plays. The Skywalker Saga rightfully earns its spot on the list of future gaming classics.
