pikarceus (2012-03-05 16:50:45)

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Yeah, I know I reviewed this before becoming a newsposter, but I've learned a lot since then.



Too close to the dark side.

I mean it when I say it that Lego Star Wars is one of the best video game franchises of all time.
I especially enjoyed The Complete Saga, with it's faced paced action and puzzling. The console versions of Clone Wars were also stellar, with tons of new concepts that kept the series fresh. Lego Star Wars III, however, is none of those things. You'll slog through the game and it's repetitive puzzles and then scratch your head wondering what else you can do.
The 3DS version of Lego Star Wars III is the definition of mediocre, and with a series which such high standards, that is not a good thing.



I'll start with everything about the game that I thought was fantastic. The visual presentation was top notch, especially considering this was a launch game. Level design was varied, character models were smooth, and the 3D was excellent. At times the depth is subtle, making characters and enemies more prominent, but at other times the depth is increased, giving you a much different perspective. There is tons of flashy pop out 3D, whether it be a lightsaber sticking through the screen, or the blaster fire of a Vulture-droid, that I enjoyed. The fully animated, 3D cut-scenes are the icing on the graphical cake.

The sound track isn't as good as the graphics, but still enjoyable. Droids are more talkative then they ever have been before, hurling insults at you and then screaming as you cut them to pieces. The strange grunts in the cut-scenes are present here as well. You'll also recognize a lot of the sound if you follow the Clone Wars TV show.

The controls are decent as well, with Y being used to attack, A to use the force, etc. The touch screen can be used to swap characters with a tap, play mini games found in various panels, and also serves as a radar map during the flying missions. Both the circle pad and the D-pad can be used to move. Almost everything on the touch screen can also be accomplished using the standard controls.



Sounds good so far, right?
But do you know what makes or breaks a game? The gameplay.
And Lego Star Wars III's gameplay is a boring, repetitive mess for the most part. The puzzles are agonizingly drawn out, but ridiculously simple, and you'll encounter the same ones over and over again. Despite the hardware of the 3DS, you'll only encounter five enemies on screen at once, that require nothing more than mashing Y. To my great despair, LucasArts removed the force attacks from previous games, making combat even more bland. Boss battles are pathetic, for reasons beyond me, Grevious has a puny four hearts on the Malevolence. The Flying missions are also horrible, you just fly aimlessly around doing menial tasks such as killing blank number of droids.
With the 3D on, the framerate is iffy, but not too much of a problem. Some moments of the game are exciting, such as the last level where you have to battle the undead, but for the most part this is a game you'll be bored to death with and left with a sour taste in your mouth.



Content wise, Lego Star Wars III is...okay. There are only 14 of them, but the levels are quite long, being divided into three acts. All the replayable content is there: minikits, red bricks, etc.
But there is really nothing else to the game. No multiplayer to speak of, which is a huge disappointment. Mini games with no one to play them with. A tacked on streetpass that will earn you some studs. Some characters in which you need playcoins to purchase them, which also feels tacked on.
By normal game standards, the content is fairly good. But not by Lego Star Wars standards.

In conclusion, Lego Star Wars III isn't a bad game, you'll enjoy the excellent graphics, and solid sound track. But the game is just a mess to play though, and a lot has been left out content wise.
If you are a Star Wars fan, I would recommend this, but if you aren't, this is a game that more or less deserves to be remembered just as a mediocre launch game with neat 3D.

Overall: 6/10

This post has been edited one or more times, the last time was:
2012-03-05 18:44:36

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pikarceus (2012-03-06 01:57:29)

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Yeah....
I remember how fun it used to be force pushing droids into each other.

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Ron1212 (2012-03-06 04:13:31)

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To think I was considering to get this game at launch...

Still, it doesn't look THAT bad.

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pikarceus (2012-03-25 17:44:51)

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You can use the force to move objects, but you can't attack enemies with it.

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pikarceus (2012-03-31 17:27:08)

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6 out of 10 isn't bad.

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Ron1212 (2012-03-31 23:23:17)

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Hopefully a Force Unleashed one rolls out soon...

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ultraguy4 (2012-07-16 23:44:02)

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Quit complaining. At least you were lucky not to have had Lego Indy DS. Same problems, but imagine second rate graphics and pathetic sound. At least the cut scenes were good.

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Fastcar800 (2012-07-30 20:45:22)

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I love that game! Best review ever!

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Fastcar800 (2012-07-31 17:15:23)

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It is the best LEGO game ever!

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Fastcar800 (2012-08-21 19:40:20)

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The XBox one RULES!!!

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