The Force is strong with this one.
With the new LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens game for Wii U, everyone ages 10 and up can relive the epic action from the franchises’ latest big-screen installment.
The game begins with Star Wars’ signature opening crawl, which came as no surprise, but it was still satisfying because Star Wars ain’t Star Wars without it, amirite? Told through the always-creative LEGO lens, the game blends storytelling with gameplay, and is set in the time leading up to The Force Awakens. It even includes some additional insight about the new movie and its characters. Players can fight alongside the fresh faces of Finn, Rey, and Poe, or team up with well-known classics such as Han Solo, Princess Leia, and Chewbacca as they take on Kylo Ren.
The start of my intergalactic adventure pitted me against an onslaught of Stormtroopers. I ran around with Han Solo, Princess Leia, and Chewbacca, and enjoyed toggling between characters whenever my heart desired. Blasting soldiers was fun too, as I watched them burst into tiny piles of LEGO bricks. The graphics are fairly smooth, the colors are bright, and the sound effects (which includes original dialogue from the theatrical cast) help bring the game to life. Pew pew.
As players continue battling through enemy lines, cut scenes make interruptions. They’re comical at times, but don’t detract from the storytelling or the gameplay. When the cut scenes depart, players are forced to solve puzzles in order to march forward and conquer new ground. Utilizing each character’s special skills, they’ll have to look for ways to unlock blocked passages, or access unreachable areas. It requires a decent amount of problem solving, all while battling a relentless enemy.
The newest feature in the game is the Multi-Build system. This new system allows players to choose from multiple building options to solve a puzzle and advance through the game in a new way. In other words, players can build and rebuild different tools using the same pile of bricks. For example, players might use an assortment of bricks to build a trampoline that gets them over a high wall, or a ladder that extends to a rooftop. It’s a neat feature that let’s players take their own unique path through the game.
And with all new Blaster Battles, players can fight like never before. For the first time, users can take cover behind nearby objects and structures, popping out from safety to blast a Stormtrooper when the moment’s right. This feature makes room for slower-paced play, and it’s a nice contrast to the chaos that’s present otherwise.
LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens is fast-paced play that immerses users into the action from the latest film. With more than 200 collectible and customizable characters, 80 playable vehicles and characters, and five different free play environments to explore, players will have a blast whether they’re flying through the galaxy or marching on the ground.
LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens is available in North America for PLaystation 4, Playstation 3, Playstation Vita, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Wii U, Nintendo 3DS, Windows PC (Steam), Mac, iPhone, iPad, and iPad touch.