Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy

"Solid sequel to a great game"

Fans of the first LEGO Star Wars will find that not a whole lot has changed with the sequel. For many, like me, this is a good thing since the first one was so much fun to play and had a lot of replay value. The makers of LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy were very smart not to screw up what was good about the first installment. For that reason, the sequel gets the same score that I would have given to the first game had I actually bothered to write a review for it.

GRAPHICS: 9/10
My score for graphics is not based on the quality, per se, but whether the graphics accomplish what they were meant to. Most people give a score based on how realistic things look in a game, but let's face it, LEGO characters simply aren't meant to look realistic. The graphics in this game are superb, in my opinion, simply because everything looks exactly the way you would expect it to look if the whole universe were made of LEGOs. One point got taken off for some minor camera angle problems, but nothing that seriously detracts from the fun of the game.

SOUND: 8/10
Standard Star Wars stuff, just like one would expect to find in any other Star Wars game. I gotta say I still love the music from the Original Trilogy a lot more than the music from the prequels, no disrespect to Mr. Williams.

CONTROLS: 9/10
The controls are simple, easy to learn and master, and just as effective as they were in the original. The control configuration really hasn't changed much at all. You've got one button that easily controls your attack and defense moves with a lightsaber or blaster, and as a bonus, non-Jedi characters like Han Solo or Princess Leia can now dodge incoming blaster fire with a well-timed tap of the button, just like a Jedi would deflect a shot with his lightsaber. Controls for jumping, switching characters and using special items like droid panels and levers are basically the same as in the first game.

GAMEPLAY: 10/10
I think the gamemakers decided to make the sequel a little more challenging than the first game. I say that because in the first game I was almost always able to collect enough LEGO studs in Story and Free Play mode without having to use any special bonuses like Invincibility. This time around, I found several levels where, after several runs through, I still couldn't get the required number of studs and eventually just threw up my hands, turned on Invincibility and was done with it. The actual gameplay itself is every bit as fun to play and watch as the original game. They have several new features including a Super Story mode that unlocks whenever you complete all six chapters of one of the movies. In Super Story mode you play through the entire movie from start to finish with no breaks in between chapters, going either for time or for high score. There are several levels now that focus on starfighter combat, like piloting your X-Wing down the Death Star trenches or navigating through an asteroid field in the Millenium Falcon, all familiar scenes from the films. There is also a new class of character, the Bounty Hunter, like Boba Fett or Greedo. These characters can throw special bombs that blow up objects in the Free Play mode that other characters can't touch, even Jedi. There is also a special option that, once earned, allows you to import most of the characters you unlocked from the first game. As far as I can tell, there are a few overlap characters, like Yoda and Darth Vader, who can't be imported from the old game because they already exist in the new one. But if you've ever wanted to see Luke Skywalker and Darth Maul go at each other, now you can.

REPLAYABILITY: 10/10
With so many new features to unlock, and so much fun to be had watched little LEGO figures running around trying to blow each other apart, I have no doubt that this game will have as much staying power as the first, which is where it gets its overall score.

OVERALL: 10/10

Rent or Buy: I reserved this game a month in advance and bought it the day it was released. That says it all.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 09/18/06