Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy

"Awww... Mass Violence Has Never Been So Cute!"

Not so long ago in a galaxy far similar to our own, Lego Star Wars took the world by surprise as a cute, simple game that was actually really quite good. As gamers found joy in blasting miniature storm troopers and coming up with unique and creative ways to kill Jar-Jar Binks it was easy to see that a sequel loomed on the horizon. Well that promise has been fulfilled with the highly entertaining, and surprisingly deep, Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy.

As the title implies, this iteration of the game takes us back to the films that were actually good, and allows you relive the more memorable moments of the films. From the Death Star trench run, to the Battle of Hoth and the swamps of Dagobah, all your favorite moments are here… and they're adorable. Much like the original, the entire game is composed of Lego characters inhabiting block worlds that very closely resemble the locales of the films. In the story mode you'll command heroes such as Luke, Obi Wan, Han Solo, and the ever-popular ladies' man, Mr. Lando Calrissian himself. Levels are nicely divided between combat and simple puzzles, where you may fend off a wave of baddies while constructing a turret out of Lego blocks that you can use to blast open a door. There are several different character classes, and each have a unique special power which can be used to access secret areas and get you through previously impassible areas. The game balances very nicely between combat and puzzling, and the constant changes of pace keep the game fresh throughout the entire process. On top of the story there is also a free play mode in each level, where you can take control of most of the characters you have unlocked and use their special abilities to hunt down secret items and power ups, as well as really rack up the Lego studs the game uses as currency to buy new characters and secrets. On top of these options there are also Super Story and Bounty hunter missions, all of which give the game immensely replay value and ensure that you'll keep coming back for more. Finally, the game supports a jump in co-op mode where a buddy can press start at any time on controller 2 and take command of one of your onscreen allies. This mode adds a fun multiplayer dimension, and relieves you of the often stupid and ineffective computer AI that can shoot a probe droid all day but never seem to kill it. The gameplay of Lego Star Wars II is fun at almost every turn, and the team at Traveler's Tales really did a terrific job of spicing up what could have been a bland action game with fun and simple puzzles and tons of reasons to keep coming back for more.

As with most next-gen titles, the game's environments look very nice, and the utilization of Lego blocks to build entire worlds and characters is highly impressive. It's also very amusing to watch your characters start stacking a previously jumbled pile of pieces into such useful devices as a speeder bike or an AT-ST. Seeing all the things these little guys can build makes me want to go get a kit myself… until I remember how I can never get the stupid pieces in the right place and it seems like the dog always eats those little studs that seem to hold the whole stinking thing together. Also, death animations are quite amusing, as watching your enemies fall apart into their component pieces is almost always good for a laugh.

Speaking of humor, this game is full of it, and will have you giggling until your sides hurt. This is a game that doesn't take itself too seriously, and piles on the slapstick humor and sight gags. Rarely a cutscene goes by where you won't find yourself in stitches over something that has happened. On top of this, none of the characters have voices, so all important conversations are essentially acted out in pantomime. Suffice it to say, the scene in which Darth Vader revealed his true connection to Luke had me laughing so hard I basically forgot to continue playing the game once the scene was over. This game is filled with such moments, and you'll find yourself wondering how anything so simple can be so ridiculously funny.

Really the only thing that holds the game back from true perfection is some minor control issues. In order to aim your characters' attacks you merely face the direction you wish to attack and press the button. This works most of the time, but there will be several moments where either your allies will get in the way of your shot and be hit themselves, or your blaster will merely fire straight ahead instead of properly aiming. This is especially frustrating in levels where you are trying to take out enemies who are on a ledge above you. You'll find yourself trying to calculate the correct distance to get your character to fire upwards, all the while trying to avoid enemy fire and continue facing the right direction. In addition, characters who have the power to use the Force also have a bit of targeting trouble, as attempts to interact with an object will sometimes lead to you Force-choking one of your companions because for some reason they were targeted instead. Finally, switching between multiple characters is also troublesome, as there are often three to four party members onscreen together, and switching to the correct member in the heat of battle sometimes leads to your untimely death.

Despite these minor flaws the game still delivers as a truly fun experience that is well worth the price of admission. The learning curve is gentle enough that an inexperienced gamer can jump in and have fun, while hardcore players will spend hours scouring every square inch of a level looking for that last mini-kit piece or power brick. For the first time since the abomination known as the “new trilogy” of Star Wars films were released, I wish George Lucas would come back for one more go so we could have more Lego Star Wars games. This is one of the rare occasions where attempting to mild every last dollar from a franchise actually paid off. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a miniature adorable galaxy to save.

Overall Score 9.25 out of 10

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 04/23/07