I’ve been waiting for this game for a long time and after several postponements – it was originally scheduled for release in 2020 – Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is finally here. An ambitious project in which TT Games gives you nine films – two of them playable in Lego form for the first time – and literally an entire galaxy to play with. Not only is it the biggest Lego game yet, it’s also the best. In that case, the wait was definitely worth it.
The nine films alone provide a lot of content here, plus all the planets you know from them. You explore them in several different areas and there are also things to do in the space around them. If you don’t just want to play the story, be prepared to take a while to get to 100 percent.
Well-known gameplay, subtle innovations, same fun
In essence, little changes in the well-known gameplay of the series. Once again you have a loving recreation of the source material, aided by a healthy dose of humour. In fact, I’d say Jar-Jar Binks’ slapstick humor is much better off here on the big screen. It’s a shame that George Lucas saw things differently at the time. But whatever. What I mean to say is that Lego Star Wars is always good for a laugh and therefore offers the best entertainment.
What is new is that this time the camera is much closer to the action. It’s a little strange at first if you know the old games. However, it quickly becomes apparent that Lego Star Wars also works well as a third-person game. Appropriately, you can now aim your firearms even more precisely at the push of a button, like in a shooter. Even individual body parts can be targeted, which has different effects, such as knocking back or stunning opponents. Of course you don’t just walk on foot. There are mounts, vehicles and spaceships that you can get your hands on. Everything a fan’s heart desires, from the Bantha to the X-Wing to the Speeder Bike.
And variety is also provided. In the Episode 1 levels alone, you flee from giant fish, take part in the pod race, fight the droid army, complete a somewhat more detailed boss fight against Darth Maul and plunge into the space battle around the droid control ship. Anyway, after the pod race, I’m in the mood for a new Star Wars Racer again. Thank you TT Games.
Once across the galaxy and an upgrade at that
Between these individual levels you run across the different planets or fly through space. When you’re not in the middle of a story mission, you can always deviate from the story path on the way from the previous one to the next and go exploring in places like Theed or Mos Espa. Or travel to another planet from any location if you’ve already unlocked it. And there’s tons of things to discover, including of course new characters, vehicles and stuff like that. New are the Kyber blocks, of which more than 1,000 are distributed in the game.
They aren’t just scattered there for fun, they come into play with the new upgrade system. With the Kyber blocks, you improve general skills that affect every character, such as movement speed or construction time. On the other hand, targeted improvements can be made for individual character groups. There are heroes, Jedi, bounty hunters or the dark side, among others. With the blocks you find, you gradually tickle the maximum potential out of the figures. Essentially, they’re a replacement for the earlier gold bricks, only now they serve a purpose and are more than just a mere but essentially useless collectible.
Overall, however, Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga remains a Lego game as you know it. Not too challenging, but great and easy to play and more than entertaining. The whole family can have fun with it, a split-screen co-op mode is also included in this mix of fighting, building, puzzles and collecting and ensures fun together.
Once again, TT Games’ loving adaptation of the source material stands out. There are so many gags, allusions, Easter eggs on the one hand, and detailed characters, spaceships and locations on the other. Add in the faithful sound effects and music and the result is a true feast for Star Wars fans who will want to explore every corner of the galaxy.
Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga Review – Conclusion
Yes, TT Games has been working on this game for a really long time. But you notice that from the first second. It takes you on an atmospheric journey through the Skywalker saga, with fan service oozing from the pores. And that’s good! The title impresses with its attention to detail, offers simple yet entertaining gameplay and simply tons of content for your money. It’s the ultimate Lego Star Wars yet and it’s going to be hard to top.
Which doesn’t mean that there shouldn’t or could never be another Lego Star Wars in the future. There’s enough material now for more besides the main movies – The Bad Batch, The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Rogue One and so on – and more to come. This will keep me busy for a while, but after that I’ll be ready for more Skywalker Saga quality!
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