LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens Video Game Review

The LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens game is a fun new way to explore the galaxy of Episode VII – with a few surprises along the way.

LEGO plus Star Wars is one of those combinations that would have obsessed me as a child. As an adult – and a parent – the synergy between these two brands is irresistible, and while we have plenty of Star Wars LEGO sets, we’re also fans of LEGO Star Wars games. The latest addition to the cinematic saga has also inspired the newest game – LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

The game surprises from the opening. We fired it up expecting it to start the same way as the movie, but instead it begins 30 years earlier – at the Battle of Endor. So in an action packed opening, we fight with the Ewoks, bring Vader back to the light side, take down the Emperor, and blow up the second Death Star.

The story then movies back to more familiar territory with the First Order’s assault on Jakku, Poe & Finn escaping the First Order, BB-8 finding Rey, and so on. But as I’ve already referenced, the story unfolds in a slightly different way than the movie, and this stops it being a simple re-tread of it.

LEGO Star Wars The Force Awakens Millennium Falcon
While the game faithfully recreates many iconic scenes from the movie – this is not simply a retread of the storyline

There are elements that will be familiar to fans of previous games – collecting coins, mini-builds, and knockabout humour. There is also a free play mode that is accessible as the game progresses.

One major difference is that this game uses actual dialogue from the movie. It also goes one step further – the main cast have all recorded additional dialogue. And when I refer to the main cast, I don’t just mean newcomers such as Daisy Ridley and John Boyega – the likes of Carrie Fisher and even Harrison Ford have also recorded new lines. Perhaps Harrison’s performance in this game will be the last time he ever plays Han Solo?

LEGO Star Wars The Force Awakens harrison ford
Harrison Ford recorded original dialogue for LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens – perhaps his last ever performance as Han Solo

While the voice cast adds great authenticity – and occasional gravitas – it does detract a bit from the knockabout humour associated with previous titles.

But it is as enormously fun as ever to take charge of these LEGO Star Wars characters, explore these environments, fight off  the opposition – and smash the s**t out of everything. Rey and her staff make an immensely satisfying fighting combo.

Like the movie, Rey is probably one of the best characters in the game – and Daisy Ridley appears to have recorded a lot of extra dialogue for this.

LEGO Star Wars The Force Awakens Rey
Daisy Ridley also recorded additional dialogue for the game – quite a lot by the sounds of it

There is added DLC available. We downloaded a set of playable droid minifigures, as well as a season pass which currently enabled us to access a set of playable Jedi characters (this was on the PS3 version). There will be further level and character packs released.

These LEGO games are a great way to play video games with my daughter. At 4, she’s still taking a fair bit of coaching – so I really appreciate the way the screen splits in 2-player mode so that I can continue completing a key task in my half of the screen while she’s mucking about on hers.

But the controls are easy to master, the gameplay is readily accessible, and the puzzles are a good challenge for her.

LEGO Star Wars The Force Awakens Rey BB8 Finn

It’s a real blast to see our already familiar LEGO Star Wars figures and sets in this game – from the minifigures to the vehicles and settings. If you love LEGO, The Force Awakens, and fun video games – then this is for you.

LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens is now available for PlayStation®4 and Xbox One (RRP £49.99); PlayStation®3 , Xbox 360 and Wii U (RRP £39.99); Windows PC (Steam) and Mac (RRP £24.99); and PlayStation®Vita and Nintendo 3DS (RRP £29.99)

Disclosure: We were provided with a free copy of the game and a season pass for the purposes of this review.

LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens © & ™The LEGO Group and Lucasfilm Ltd.

 

 

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