Author: Rich Meister
The original Lego Star Wars was something special. It packaged the robust story that billions love in a cute and hilarious format and spawned what was basically a genre all its own for developer Traveller’s Tales. The format of Lego games hasn’t changed much over the years, but with Star Wars being the very first entry in the now long-running series, it was the most deserving of a fresh coat of paint.
The latest entry in Traveller’s Tales Lego games attempts to cram all of those Star Wars you love into a single game and mostly succeeds even if it has to resort to cutting a few corners.
Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga(PS4, PS5, [reviwed] Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PC)
Developer: Traveller’s Tales
Publisher: WB
Released: April 5, 2022
MSRP: $69.99
Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, which I’ll simply call LSWSS from here on out, is a massive step forward for Lego games on the whole. It encompasses all nine Star Wars films, includes over three hundred playable characters, has a vast open sandbox spanning multiple planets from the Star Wars universe, and even contains light space combat. On top of the nine core films, you can also unlock characters from other Star Wars content like Solo and The Mandalorian.
While LSWSS retains the same basic formula as past Lego games, solving puzzles and using the unique abilities of your characters. Blaster-wielding characters now sport an over-the-shoulder view with a reticle and can take cover behind objects. Lightsaber wielding Jedi and Sith have a combo system that makes guarding and striking when an opening is rewarding.
This isn’t exactly Devil May Cry levels of complexity, but it's still nice to have combat feel more fleshed out than simply slamming the X button until all the stormtroopers are dead. Don’t get me wrong, though; you can easily button mash your way through this, but where is the fun in that?
Everyone is split into a handful of unique distinctions beyond the simple distinction of gun character versus lightsaber character. Protocol Droids can translate languages and work specific consoles, while scavengers like Rey and Wicket can use special tools to traverse the environment. You won’t have access to every path on your first time through a level as these abilities serve as a means to gate you off. You can beat the main story of all nine games in a few short hours, but there’s a lot to collect, and if you want it all, you’re looking at a significant time sink.
Each film is comprised of five levels meaning some events fans might consider important get glossed over in cut scenes, but when you’re looking to cram this much story into one game, concessions have to be made. In order to pad each chapter out, you do a lot of exploring outside proper levels in the small sandboxes that make up the planets you travel to. On these hub worlds, you can find puzzles and missions that reward you with bricks you’ll use to upgrade your characters. You can upgrade base stats like health and sprint speed as well as class-specific ones like damage dealt by a Jedi’s lightsaber. With over 2000 of these bricks to find, you’ll have to do considerable searching to upgrade everything.
LSWSS retains the Lego series’ classic humor. You’ll stumble across Stormtrooper pool parties holiday themes versions of Gonk Droids, but one of my favorite bits is a running gag where Chewie has repeated meltdowns about the medal he never received in A New Hope.
Visually the environments are a sight to behold; some impeccable lighting effects make settings like Excegol and the Forest Moon of Endor jump out at you. This is the closest Lego Bricks have ever looked to the real thing that I can remember. You can even see the build-up of sand and dirt around your character's feet.
If LSWSS is worthy of one criticism, it's the same I’d give to any of the branded Lego games. There isn’t much that makes this feel uniquely tied to Lego. It’s a fun but straightforward action platformer, but building doesn’t feel like a significant part of the gameplay, and when it is present you simply hold down a button to accomplish predetermined builds.
Verdict: Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is the defacto version of the game that started it all for TT. It’s simple but fun and funny, and while it falls short in some areas, it does a lot to move the Lego game formula into the future. It’s also the only video game that contains the full nine Star Wars film story in one place.
Buy it
[This review is based on a retail build of the game purchased by the reviewer]