Previews// LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy (PS2)

The Force is strong with this one.

Posted 12 Aug 2006 09:00 by
LEGO Star Wars II plays in much the same way as the first game, your band of characters moves through the locations of the films, following the stories and collecting studs that can be traded for characters, cheats and other extras back at the cantina. The game also retains the easy opt-in/out game play for two players that enables a parent to help their child through tricky sections without being present at all times.
This may seem a strange comment to make, but this is one of the cleverest features that Traveller's Tales put into the first game, so it's good that the option remains. Incidently, the game is obviously aimed at a younger audience and is easily playable by young children, but it is also accessible to adults without being too easy or hard for either group.

However, the two player aspect is where this preview code seems to come slightly unstuck. There are sections where you need to have two human-controlled characters in order to progress, especially in Episode V - this is a shame because the first game had no such roadblocks to single-player progress.
Also the computer-controlled characters of your team seem pretty ineffectual in dealing with the bad guys, hardly even keeping them off your back at times. Hopefully these areas can be smoothed out before the final game goes on sale.

In addition to the play mechanics inherited from the original game, LSW2 introduces vehicles, LEGO building and helmets to the on-foot chapters. Vehicles are self-explanatory, you can now climb into land speeders, AT-STs and even onto animals such as Banthas or Tauntauns to better get around the levels or gain access to devastating weaponry. LEGO building is an intriguing addition. The human characters under your control can take specific piles of bricks and use them to construct useful items such as platforms, door access panels or even a whole AT-ST!
Helmets allow you to pose as different characters, the most famous example being when Han and Luke dress up as Stormtroopers to gain access to the detention block where Leia is being held on the Death Star. A single blow to your character causes the helmet to come off and your cover is blown, so you have to be careful. Helpfully there are helmet dispensing machines in areas that require you to impersonate the bad guys in order to progress through the level.

LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy looks to be as good as the first game, if not better, and that's quite a compliment given the success of LEGO Star Wars. If Traveler's Tales can just tweak the single-player game slightly to prevent dual-joypad juggling they will have a game that deserves to go straight to the top of the charts when it is released.

At the time of writing LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy is slated for a September 11th release. And yes, Artoo can fly in this game. Damn you Lucas and your rampant revisionism!
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