LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga

LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga - Even Darth Vader Would Love This Game

An epic adventure through nine Star Wars films!

Two Beloved Worlds Collide

Star Wars is one of the most popular franchises on the planet. In addition to the many films, television shows, and memorabilia items, it has also spawned quite a few fantastic video games. Most of the games bring a lot to the table, but you'd be hard-pressed to find one as unique or enjoyable as LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga.

Developed by TT Games and published by Warner Bros., LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga combines two things that almost everybody loves: LEGO and Star Wars. The action-adventure game is available for Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S and offers a level of fun and irreverence that you're unlikely to encounter in other Star Wars-themed games.

The Same Sci-Fi World You Know and Love, But With Legos

LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga takes the player through all nine films of the Skywalker Saga, separated into three trilogies. Each movie is treated as a playable adventure, featuring its own storyline, settings, and characters. There are 380 playable characters to choose from and a massive selection of unique planets to explore in a vast open world.

If you're a big Star Wars buff, you'll constantly be seeing familiar characters, ships, creatures, and planets. On your journey through the different films, you'll visit Naboo, Tatooine, Coruscant, and Hoth, to name a few. You'll play as your favorite characters from the Skywalker movies and relive the most memorable moments.

LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga features a very cinematic style, as you'd probably expect based on its source material. The perspective is third-person, and the game features many open, explorable areas and plenty of compelling cutscenes. You can play through the different trilogies in any order you like, so in essence, you'll be forging your adventure through the Star Wars cinematic universe.

Concept Rating: 5/5

Beautifully Detailed Animation

While the main appeal of LEGO video games doesn't typically come from their graphics, LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga consistently looks clean. The many unique settings are gorgeous and precisely detailed, and since you get to control the camera during gameplay, you have the opportunity to soak it all in.

Even though the characters are LEGO, the animation is far from blocky. Everything runs very smoothly, and the LEGO characters interact seamlessly with the environment. Whether you're in an outer-space starship battle, exploring an ice planet, or trudging through a desert, everything looks far more realistic than many would expect.

It's a testament to the impressive attention to detail that you can even see the little LEGO logos stamped on the character's bodies and various other in-game items. Plus, when a character moves through a dirty or rugged landscape, you'll even start to see the stains and scratches appear on them. The developers didn't necessarily need to be so thorough, but it's awesome that they chose to be.

The game's cinematic feel also carries over to the soundtrack. Of course, the most dramatic and epic moments are accompanied by the iconic Star Wars music that has become so recognizable. Plus, the sound effects, namely the ones produced by the blasters and lightsabers, are loud, powerful, and exactly as you remember them from the movies.

Graphics & Audio Rating: 5/5

Experiencing the Movies Like Never Before

Perhaps the best gameplay feature of LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is the freedom you have as a player. Although each trilogy and each film feature their storylines, there's no need to play through them in a linear order. There are nine total episodes, and each episode features five separate story missions to complete.

The game will immerse players in the expansive saga with the freedom to control hundreds of characters, ships, and vehicles to create their unique journey through the galaxy.

Each of the missions you'll complete is based on events from one of the films. For example, in one mission, you'll be going on a thrilling hunt for the famed bounty hunter Jango Fett. In another, you'll get to try your hand at the thrilling sport of podracing. One of the things that keep the gameplay so fresh is that it features a variety of different elements, depending on the specific mission you're playing.

Exploring Unique Planets

Anyone who has seen the Star Wars films can tell you that the stories take place in several different worlds, and this game represents that well. Including more than 20 unique planets, each with a unique setting, new missions, and memorable characters.

If you choose, you can focus on the primary missions and knock them out super-efficiently. However, you certainly don't have to do it that way. Alternatively, you can spend some time exploring the many cool locations and completing side missions to unlock new characters and upgrades. If you have the mindset of a completionist, you'll find that you have many, many hours of engaging gameplay ahead of you.

Engaging, Straightforward Combat

With the game's third-person, over-the-shoulder viewpoint, players now have far more control of their attacks than in previous LEGO games. After a bit of practice to get the hang of it, you'll be pulling off impressive lightsaber combos with ease and using The Force to push your enemies with extreme precision.

New blaster controls and mechanics allow players to aim with precision and take cover to plot their next move.

At first, the combat may be challenging for many players, but it gets easier as you get more and more chances to use your weapons and abilities. Once you've got it figured out, you'll quickly realize that you've become unstoppable. Equipped with your trusty lightsaber, powerful blaster, and The Force, who can stand in your way?

Classic Lego Humor

If you've played any of the previous LEGO video games, you're fully aware of how hilarious they can be. While Star Wars isn't typically thought of in a comedic light, LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga throws in its classic silly humor every chance it gets.

You might notice a row of stormtroopers tumbling over each other in the background of a dramatic scene. You might also see a group of clone troopers disco-dancing. In one scene, aliens use a giant laser pointer to entice a cat-like monster into attacking you. No matter how somber the storyline becomes, the game is always willing to sprinkle on some irreverence and humor.

Gameplay Rating: 4/5

Pay to Become a Jedi

LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga launched on April 5th, 2022. Currently, the price in most stores is $59.99, regardless of the platform. Considering the sheer scope of the game and the attention to detail that went into creating it, there's no question that the price is a fair one.

A Must-Play for Star Wars Fans

LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is by far one of the best Star Wars games to date. While The Skywalker Saga is absolutely a must-play for fans of the film franchise, it's also a should-play for anyone who enjoys action-adventure gaming. The gameplay experience is immersive, the production value is through the roof, and the various settings are beautiful and diverse.

This game manages to do justice to the epic action and drama associated with Star Wars while also injecting plenty of humor and lighthearted fun. Between the lightsaber battles, starship chases, podracing, open-world exploration, and engaging storylines, it's difficult to see how anyone could be bored by LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga.

Replay Value Rating: 4/5

The Light Side

• Numerous unique worlds to explore
• Freedom to forge your own adventure
• Plenty of humor to go with the drama
• Hundreds of playable characters

The Dark Side

• Occasional little glitches
• Combat could be a bit more challenging
• AI behavior could be more consistent

TL;DR

LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is an action-packed space adventure filled with nostalgia for fans of the franchise.