LEGO Star Wars II, put simply, is a lot of fun. I downloaded the demo this morning and found myself playing it until lunch. If you've got room for a simple, lighthearted game, it's definitely worth checking out. Read on for a breakdown of the demo and my impressions.
The demo sets you in the middle of the infamous Mos Eisley segment of Episode IV, just prior to entering the cantina. Right off the bat you're given control of Obi-Wan (Old Ben) Kenobi, Luke Skywalker, C3P0 and R2D2. The droids are pretty much useless in combat, but are essential for opening certain doors -- a mechanic that will pop up for many of the characters. Of course, what immediately stands out it the comedic and child-like nature of the game. Please keep in mind that child-like is a good thing here. There are plenty of chuckles to be had throughout, whether you're laughing at the cut scenes, or just smiling when you build your own AT-ST (chicken walker). The combat is mindless, but fun. I'm a little underwhelmed by the light saber combat. It's not quite as cool considering that the blasters are much more effective. If force powers weren't essential to complete certain sections -- or if Jedi weren't so inherently cool -- you might avoid Obi-Wan altogether.
What surprised me most about the demo is the sheer amount of stuff to collect and do. You can literally spend hours digging up all the secrets to be found. For instance, can you find all three carrots in the first section? Why are there carrots, you ask. I have no bloody idea, but it made me titter like a school girl every time I found one. Of course, there are other more impressive secrets to be had, such as unlocking characters for use in the demo. Even more impressive, you can discover codes to unlock characters in the full game as well. Once you're done playing through the demo proper, you can even get a taste of the free play mode, which lets you mix and match parts from each character to create your own. Want to make a bounty hunter with Leia's bikini and Chewbacca's head? No problem.
This demo is great. That's about all that can be said. It's got lots to collect, plenty to find, and a good sense of humor. If it doesn't at least intrigue you about the full game, we submit to you that your soul is cold and unfeeling, and that you might be better served by downloading the trailer for The Darkness.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
9-26-2006 @ 6:41PM
[email protected] said...
Is it my internet connection, or has Xbox Live Marketplace download ground to a halt...? well almost...anyone else experiencing very slow downloads??
As for the demo, i found it a lot of fun also, and am very tempted to purchase the full game, i too gave it a run through many times, i liked the free play option where you could swtich between characters, bad or good, with the hit of a bumber button. Good stuff.
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9-26-2006 @ 6:43PM
Doug Kriz said...
I want to drop myself in frozen suspension for about 3 weeks when all the new games start coming out. I rented this game and I found it interesting for about 1 hour and then it became so unbelievably repetitive and mindless I couldn’t muster the energy to finish it. There is no depth, the cutscenes make me want to fast forward... but you can't! Why must Lucas keep whoring the relics of my childhood to pay for his fabulous lifestyle!
Then I got a taste of the F.E.A.R. demo last night and I wept mingled tears of joy and frustration. Joy for the sweetness I had played, frustration for the weeks I would be forced to play Geometry Wars, Texas Hold’em and Halo 2 until I get binging on some Splinter Cell sweetness. Then it is just a few short weeks until Gears of War and F.E.A.R drop. I hate this pre-Christmas wasteland. What are we supposed to do with ourselves!
Note to reader: I have a life and the above contains some hyperbole… but my comments stand… bring on some new games worth playing!
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9-26-2006 @ 7:11PM
Malik said...
I am very impressed with the demo. Only thing is I don't want it for my 360..I will be purchasing it for my DS Lite.
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9-26-2006 @ 7:13PM
aragorn said...
doug kriz: while I've had enough on the 360 to keep me occupied (test drive, doa, geometry wars), it's been kinda a dry. not horribly, but more than I'd like.
piece of advice: I find that times like these are great for fishing through the bargain bin, looking for all those games that caught your eye, but the risks didn't warrent a purchase.
recently, I got into KUF, Beyond good and evil (first hour is horrific, but it actually becomes pretty fun after that), & Forza Motorsport.
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9-26-2006 @ 10:26PM
foehammer88 said...
I downloaded this demo in under 10 minutes(with fiber optic connectiong) so the servers are deffinately not running slow, at least not today. This demo is one of the best I've played so far, much to do. I spent a few hours playing it myself. This might actually make me go out and at the very least, rent the game.
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9-27-2006 @ 1:04AM
Matt T. said...
Is it the same as the PC demo?
I personall will just pick up the PC version I think, I can run this game at ultra high res, maxed out at like `100fps
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9-27-2006 @ 4:41AM
Dave 360 said...
Malik, I wouldn't get it for the DS if I were you. The DS version was apparently shipped unfinished and is absolutely chock full of bugs and glitches.
Check out IGN DS for more info.
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9-27-2006 @ 12:35PM
tahlyn said...
I already own the game. Me and my 8-year old son have already finished the storyline part and now are in the freeplay part of the game. This is a really great game and would definitely recommend it.
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