LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy

Sep 7, 2006

If you've somehow missed out on the original LEGO Star Wars, then here is your chance to make up for past mistakes. Now, I'm guessing that if you did pass on playing the first game that it was because you thought it was "a dumb kid's game" or because "the game's based on the Star Wars prequels, and those suck." Well, that second excuse won't fly anymore because this sequel is based on the original trilogy. You know, the one that everyone likes.

As for that first excuse, the LEGO Star Wars games are more family games than pure kids' games (and they're hardly "dumb"). Sure, they're simple enough for a kid to pick up and enjoy, and a skilled player can plow through the main story mode in a few hours, but there's a lot more depth below the surface. Of course, you may have just missed out on the first game since it was never released on PSP and that's the only system you have. In that case, LEGO Star Wars II has you kind of covered there.

For the benefit of those who may not have noticed the multiple recent previews of the game, here's what LEGO Star Wars II is all about. It's based on the popular line of LEGO sets that are based on the popular movies. The game's story mode is split up into three parts, each one focusing on one of the original Star Wars films. Within each of these film-based sections, there are six stages.

The first time you play through each stage, the characters that you can control are dependent on the movie's storyline. When on the swamp world of Dagobah, for instance, you can only play as Luke, R2-D2 and Yoda since they were the only characters on that planet in The Empire Strikes Back. After completing each stage, you typically unlock new playable characters, including most of the enemies that you face in the game. Completed stages can then be revisited in Free Mode, which allows you to select whatever character you want to play as, and a party of other characters is automatically chosen to accompany you in the level.

They're Full of Surprises

Having a wide variety of characters in Free Mode is important since there are lots of secrets to discover and many characters have unique skills. Jedi characters like Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi use their lightsabers to deflect incoming laser fire, and the Force allows them to manipulate certain LEGO elements within each stage. Some LEGO bricks can only be controlled by evil Sith Lords. Here's where Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine come into play. "Blaster" characters are those armed with laser guns, including Han Solo and Princess Leia. They can not only attack enemies from afar with their lasers, but they're also armed with grappling hooks that allow them to reach high places. Locked doors need droids to open, so keep R2-D2 and C-3PO around. R2 can even use his leg-mounted rockets (which are only used in the prequel trilogy) to cross large pits. Bounty hunters like Boba Fett can toss explosive thermal detonators that are required to destroy certain objects and obstacles. Making proper use of each of the characters' abilities is necessary in order to track down all the hidden goodies in each level.

Your exploration efforts will be rewarded with new gameplay modes, all of which have you competing against the clock (and another player, if you choose). The Character Bonus places you within a maze-like arena inspired by different levels and times you on how quickly you can collect a million LEGO studs (this may sound like a daunting task, but it can typically be done in less than five minutes). If you've played the original LEGO Star Wars, you will remember collecting Minikit Canisters which were used to build model vehicles. In that game, the vehicles could just be admired, but now, they have a purpose. Any vehicle that you construct can be used in the Minikit Bonus levels. They play just like the Character Bonus stages, except you can pilot several different ships. If you ever wanted a game that let you fly around in one of Jabba's skiffs or a Star Destroyer, then look no further.

The ultimate timed challenge is Super Story mode, which demands that you complete an entire episode (that's six full levels) in under an hour. There's no time to look for secrets here -- you just have to bolt straight for the end. By performing well throughout all the game's main stages as well as these bonus levels, you earn Gold Bricks. These unlock even more extra stages.

Phantom Menaces

Remember back when I mentioned how LEGO Star Wars II has you covered if you've never played the first game? That comes in the form of the PSP exclusive The Story So Far mode. Not only do you get to view three different movies that give you LEGO-ized summaries of the events of the first game, but you can also play the last level of each of the first game's three chapters. These are the boss fights against Darth Maul, Count Dooku and the freshly-turned-evil Anakin Skywalker (Darth Vader if you're nasty). As a bonus, when you clear these stages, all the characters in each become available to play as in Free Mode.

In the console versions of LEGO Star Wars II, if you have a memory card with a save file from the first game, any characters that you've unlocked in the original become available to play as in the sequel. To make up for the fact that the original wasn't on the PSP, LucasArts has added another PSP exclusive, Challenge Mode. Here, you race through each stage under a strict time limit (usually just a couple of minutes) to find ten hidden canisters. Collect them all, and prequel characters are unlocked. When it's all said and done, you'll be able to choose from over 100 citizens of the Star Wars universe. Not too shabby, eh?

So yeah, there's a lot to do here. It might not take you long to get through the story mode, but there's still a ton to do before you truly finish the game. Some of the secrets are deviously hidden away, too, so there's a bit of a challenge to be had for someone dedicated to getting everything.

Search Your Feelings

To fully explore the game, you'll end up playing through each of the stages several times, but it will rarely feel like a chore thanks to the fantastic level design. There are a lot more LEGO elements scattered throughout each stage than there were in the first game. By blowing up LEGO objects, you'll often be able to rebuild the scattered bricks into new items that can be used to reach otherwise hidden areas. It really gives the feeling that you're playing within a living LEGO world. The stages are also perfectly designed around the characters' different abilities, and it's a lot of fun checking every last nook and cranny for a wayward minikit piece or a few extra LEGO studs.

The studs act as the game's currency and can be used in between levels to purchase more characters and power-ups. These power-ups range from enhancements to your weapons to invincibility, so it's certainly worth it to track down as much LEGO cash as you can.

One of the main elements that sets this title apart from every other Star Wars game is its sense of humor. Seeing the well-known stories of the films pantomimed by animated LEGO minifigures would be funny enough, but when they're allowed to goof on the story a little, there are some great comedy moments (Vader revealing the truth about Luke's parentage is particularly humorous). The ha-ha even extends to some of the level design, particularly in hidden areas. Can you, for instance, find the car wash in Mos Eisley or the go-kart track on Dagobah?

For a little do-it-yourself comedy, be sure to take advantage of the Character Customizer, which allows you to mix and match parts in order to create your own Star Wars heroes. For a surefire laugh getter, just place anyone's head on Princess Leia's metal bikini clad body from Return of the Jedi. Of course, you can also play it straight and create some pretty accurate Expanded Universe characters. Nerd that I am, I was able to create a darn good Roron Corobb, the Ithorian Jedi from the awesome Clone Wars animated series.

Always Two There Are

One of the big draws of the first game was that you could play through it with two players. Thankfully, that feature has been retained in this portable version. I was a bit disappointed that you can only hook up with a friend over Ad Hoc and not long distance via Infrastructure mode, but at least the multiplayer aspect hasn't been removed.

One thing that has been removed from the PSP version is any control over the camera. The original game featured a locked camera, and the console versions of the sequel allow the player to slightly pan the view around. Without a second analog nub, that feature has been axed on the PSP. Given that the game is designed around a stationary camera, though, this isn't a huge deal. What's more annoying are the fairly long load times that you'll have to wait through. Occasionally, the game pauses to load a new section in the middle of a level, which disrupts the flow. You'll also get distracted by the semi-frequent dips that the frame rate takes, especially when multiple enemies appear on the screen at once. Aside from those few issues, though, the PSP version is remarkably close to its PS2 big brother in appearance.

Sure, LEGO Star Wars II may not seem as cool as a "real" Star Wars game, but the fact remains that it's easily one of the best titles in the franchise in recent years. Its kiddy facade hides some terrifically fun gameplay with a lot of meat on its bones. When you're at your local videogame store, feel free to claim that the game is for your child or a younger sibling, and by all means (assuming you actually have one of them), be sure to play it with them. Just don't be surprised if you continue playing long after they trot off to bed.