Lego Star Was: The Force Awakens - Review

There has been an awakening, have you felt it?

TT Fusion (Travellers’ Tales) and Warner Bros. Interactive have teamed up once again to bring a new LEGO game to their catalogue of movie tie in titles. The latest instalment takes us back to that beloved galaxy far far away, where there is always a constant battle between good and evil. LEGO Star Wars – The Force Awakens follows the events and plot of Episode 8 in the Star Wars movie universe and follows the adventures of Poe, Rey and Fin in their struggle against the newest threat to peace throughout the galaxy, The First Order. Along the journey there are a few familiar characters that join the fight and this game has all the fun and familiar style that Lego games have given us in the past, and unexpectedly blends the new Star Wars universe with the old.

The game begins with a prologue mission, to which one would presume would be the battle of Jakku or another event leading into The Force Awakens, but instead the famous Battle of Endor and the end events and big battle moments from Return of the Jedi sees you take control of the original characters as they fight on the forest moon of Endor, battle Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader, as well as flying the millennium falcon through the Death Star in order to take out the reactor core. It’s immediately a million thrills a minute and if you are a fan of the Star Wars movies this game will be an enjoyable experience.

Like the previous LEGO games that TT Fusion have developed, the main campaign is split into chapters which usually last around 30 minutes to complete, and contains all the previous fun and enjoyment of destroying things and collecting LEGO. The game is simple and easy to pick up and thanks to the couch co-op multiplayer, friends and family regardless of age and gaming ability can enjoy the experience.  Whilst the length and content of the main campaign are shorter than previous LEGO titles, this is more than made up by the side quests, races and the long list of collectibles and characters to unlock. Some of which bring together all the different gameplay styles into a solid 30 minute mission or the opportunity to take control of an X-Wing to take out a squadron of Tie Fighters, which provides the opportunity to take a break from the main story brick bashing grind.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens loosely follows the main events of the Force Awakens, with some levels thrown in to expand on the story and fill in content and as with previous LEGO titles, traditional LEGO humour, brick bashing, with a few surprises along the way, sees TT Fusion stick with the same routine and gameplay style.

Whilst at times the usual LEGO style gameplay of blasting and slashing your way through a level with the occasional puzzle thrown in can be become repetitive and boring at times, The Force Awakens has included a new cover based shooter section that changes the gameplay mid-level, whereby you take up a cover position and fire on Storm Troopers and enemies in a Gears of War for kids kind of way. Whilst it doesn’t totally revolutionise the game in any way it does provide a welcome change and breath of fresh air from constant brick bashing. The other twist to the gameplay is the addition of multi-builds. With these multi-builds you are given a choice to build two or even three different objects in order to proceed. Sometimes you are required to build all of them and in a specific order to proceed to the next area in the level. It also opens up multiple paths to travel which at times you have to stop and think if you spot a collectible.

Other styles of play during the game involves taking control of the Millennium Falcon, or other spaceships from Star Wars, which takes you through a train track style in which you have to shoot enemy fighters, and avoid obstacles in your way. This is all good fun which adds to the game but during these scenes the speed is relatively fast and if you’re not alert, it’s easy to miss a ring of bricks or let an enemy fighter slip through your radar.

The visual graphics of the Force Awakens look sharp and stunning. The cut scenes are identical in quality to the LEGO TV mini episodes that tie in with the film, and the detail of the characters is not lost when transferring into gameplay. The background environments in each level from the sands of the Jakku desert, to the internal maze of a star destroyer, all look great and at times there is as much detail in the non-LEGO background as one would find other triple AAA title Star Wars games.

The soundtrack from John Williams brings the Star Wars universe to life and the in-game sound effects of blasters, lightsabers and the screech of Tie Fighters, all combine to give the game a real Star Wars feel. The majority of the cast from the movie feature throughout the game and lend their voices to the story, as the game uses both audio from the film as well as voice acting from a number of the original cast. Hearing Harrison Ford (Han Solo) say “Wookie Cookies” is just one of the many gags and tweaks to the movie script which makes this one of the funniest LEGO games you’ll probably play. Although you can tell the difference between lines direct from the movie and ones that have been recorded for the game itself, however it doesn’t really have any negative impact on the quality of the game.

Over all, TT Fusion and Warner Bros Interactive have produced a polished Star Wars game (with a campaign-mode included) that ties in nicely with the first film of the new trilogy. It’s a typical LEGO game that brings Star Wars to LEGO life in a fun, easy going way that will appeal to all ages and Nerf Herders alike. Whilst the repetitive structure of levels and gameplay (brick bashing and collecting) with a few new additions, it’s the Star Wars theme that keeps you going back for more.  Although the game may have been better enjoyed even more if it was released at the same time as the movie, it is never a bad time to go back A Long Long Time Ago to a Galaxy Far, Far Away.

• It's Star Wars...
• Great Graphics
• Fun for all ages

• Repetitive gameplay
• Easy puzzles

Platforms: Playstation 4, PC, Xbox 1