Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Summary

Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens is a 2016 Lego-themed action-adventure game developed by TT Fusion. It is the fifth entry in TT Games' Lego Star Wars series of video games and adapts the events of the 2015 film Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Under license from Lucasfilm, the game was released by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment for Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Wii U, Windows, Xbox 360, and Xbox One, on 28 June 2016, and for Android, and iOS, on 28 July 2016. The game was ported and released by Feral Interactive for OS X on 30 June 2016.

Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Developer(s)TT Fusion[1][2]
Publisher(s)
Director(s)Jamie Eden
Pete Gomer
Rob Hewson
Designer(s)Tommy Turner
Rory Shafto
Mike Northeast
Ed Marsland
Rich Greer
Programmer(s)Tom Matthews
Rian Walters
Artist(s)Josh Pickering Pick
Pascal Serra
David Woodman
Writer(s)Graham Goring
Composer(s)Original music composed by John Williams
SeriesLego Star Wars
Platform(s)
Release28 June 2016
OS X
30 June 2016
Android & iOS
28 July 2016
Genre(s)Action-adventure
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

In addition to adapting The Force Awakens, the game includes content which covers the period between Return of the Jedi, serving as the game's prologue, and the film. Additional levels and characters, some of them based on other Star Wars films and television series, were released as downloadable content.

Gameplay edit

The gameplay of Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens is similar to previous Lego video games. New systems were introduced including Multi-Builds which grant players access to various building options. These options can be destroyed and rebuilt in certain brick-building sections of the game, allowing for new path to be opened within the game's world.[3][4] Players can also hide behind cover and engage in "Blaster Battles" with enemies throughout the game.[5] The game features over 200 playable characters, including Rey, Finn, Captain Phasma, Poe Dameron, Han Solo, Kylo Ren and droids, such as C-3PO and BB-8, as well as ships, both regular-sized (which can only be used in certain missions), and miniaturized. Players may freely explore Jakku, Takodana, D'Qar, and Starkiller Base, which all act as mini-open worlds.[6] In addition to adapting the film, the game also bridged the gap between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens, with Lucasfilm allowing for creative freedom in the additional content that will explore the characters' backstories.[7][8]

Plot edit

The plot closely follows that of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, though with numerous humorous deviations or minor changes to adapt to the two player co-op gameplay. There is also a prologue that depicts the Battle of Endor, the defeat of Emperor Palpatine, and the destruction of the Death Star II at the end of Return of the Jedi.

Development edit

In early February 2016, publisher Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment teased that the company is working on a new title that involved "two of the world's most popular entertainment brands". The game was later leaked by several retailers, before its official announcement on 2 February 2016. Players who purchase the game's Deluxe Edition will receive a season pass to the game and a Lego minifigure of Finn, while players of the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 versions received additional downloadable content, including a character pack and a bonus level, titled the "Droid Character Pack" and the "Phantom Limb Level Pack" respectively.[9] The game was released for Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Wii U, Windows, Xbox 360, and Xbox One, on 28 June 2016,[10] with versions for OS X and Android and iOS releasing on 30 June 2016 and 28 July 2016, respectively.[11][12]

Audio edit

The game features the voice acting of Daisy Ridley, Oscar Isaac, John Boyega, Adam Driver, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford, Anthony Daniels, Domhnall Gleeson, Gwendoline Christie and Max von Sydow reprising their roles from The Force Awakens, as well as Bill Kipsang Rotich as Nien Nunb, Christian Simpson as C'Ai Threnalli[13] and Tom Kane reprising his role as Admiral Ackbar from various Star Wars video games.[14] Archival recordings from the film also serve as the game's dialogue.

Downloadable content edit

A total of 12 downloadable content (DLC) packs were released from the game. The first one, titled "The Phantom Limb", which was initially a timed exclusive on Sony systems, adds a level that explains how C-3PO obtained the red arm he is depicted with in the film, in addition to eight characters and a miniature vehicle based on the level. There were three more level packs released for the game, namely "Escape from Starkiller Base", which follows a pair of Resistance pilots as they make their escape from the besieged Starkiller Base; "First Order Siege of Takodana", which depicts the Battle of Takodana from the First Order's perspective; and "Jakku: Poe's Quest for Survival", which depicts Poe Dameron's escape from Jakku after he is separated from Finn and presumed dead during the events of the film. The other eight packs were character packs, each adding eight characters and a miniature ship: the "Droid Character Pack", "The Clone Wars Character Pack", "Rebels Character Pack", "The Empire Strikes Back Character Pack", "Jabba's Palace Character Pack", "The Freemaker Adventures Character Pack", "Prequel Trilogy Character Pack", and "Jedi Character Pack".

Reception edit

The game received mostly positive reviews. GameSpot awarded of 7.0 out of 10, saying "Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens doesn't really take you to a new galaxy far, far away, but it's still a pleasant journey."[21] Game Informer awarded it 8.5 out of 10, saying "A blast for Star Wars and Lego fans alike."[20] IGN awarded it 9.0 out of 10, saying "Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens is the most gaming fun I’ve had with either series in years."[22]

The game was the best-selling retail video game in the UK in its week of release and the fourth biggest launch for a Star Wars game in the UK,[26] and became the fourth fastest-selling game based on the Star Wars universe, and the fourth fastest-selling Lego game.[27] It stayed in the top position for five consecutive weeks, and was the second Lego game to do so, following Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes.[28]

Awards edit

List of awards and nominations
Award Category Result Ref.
British Academy Children's Awards Game Nominated [29]
Annie Awards Best Animated Television/Broadcast Commercial Nominated [30]
D.I.C.E. Awards Family Game of the Year Nominated [31]

References edit

  1. ^ Cork, Jeff (2 February 2016). "March Cover Revealed – Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens". Game Informer.
  2. ^ Phillips, Tom (1 July 2016). "Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens review". Eurogamer.
  3. ^ Phillips, Tom (2 February 2016). "Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens reveal leaked, due in June". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on 3 February 2016. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
  4. ^ Hussain, Tamoor (2 February 2016). "Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens Leaks, First Screenshots Are Adorable [UpdateE]". Game Informer. Archived from the original on 3 February 2016. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
  5. ^ Cork, Jeff (2 February 2016). "March Cover Revealed – Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens". Game Informer. Archived from the original on 4 February 2016. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  6. ^ Plunkett, Luke (2 January 2016). "Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens Is Coming Soon". Kotaku. Archived from the original on 2 February 2016. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
  7. ^ Muncy, Jake (2 February 2016). "The Force Awakens Is Getting The Lego Videogame Treatment". Wired.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2 February 2016. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
  8. ^ Carpenter, Nichole (8 February 2016). "Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens Will Expand Movie's Lore". IGN. Archived from the original on 9 February 2016. Retrieved 10 February 2016.
  9. ^ Eden, Jamie (2 February 2016). "Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens Launching June 28th on PS4, PS3, PS Vita". PlayStation Blog. Archived from the original on 2 February 2016. Retrieved 3 February 2016.)
  10. ^ G. Macy, Seth (2 February 2016). "Lego Star Wars Ep.7 Confirmed, Details And Deluxe Editions Announced". IGN. Archived from the original on 2 February 2016. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
  11. ^ "Blast off into a fun-filled journey on the Mac with LEGO Star Wars™: The Force Awakens! | Feral News". www.feralinteractive.com. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
  12. ^ Sowden, Emily (28 July 2016). "Lego Star Wars: The Force Awaken love surprises as it suddenly drops on Android". www.pocketgamer.com. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
  13. ^ "Film Magazine". 20 July 2017. Archived from the original on 2 July 2018. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
  14. ^ McMillan, Graeme (4 May 2016). "'Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens' Writer Talks New Mythology and Celebrity Voices". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 16 November 2018. Retrieved 22 May 2016.
  15. ^ "LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens for PC Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 24 November 2019. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
  16. ^ "LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens for PlayStation 4 Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 24 November 2019. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
  17. ^ "LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens for Wii U Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 24 November 2019. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
  18. ^ "LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens for Xbox One Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 12 June 2020. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
  19. ^ Carter, Chris (29 June 2016). "Review: LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens". Destructoid. Archived from the original on 8 November 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  20. ^ a b Reiner, Andrew (27 June 2016). "Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens. A Fun Expansion Of Star Wars' Canon". Game Informer. Archived from the original on 29 June 2016. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
  21. ^ a b "Ramsay, Randolph (27 June 2016). "Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens Review". GameSpot. CBS Interactive Inc. Archived from the original on 29 June 2016. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
  22. ^ a b Sliva, Marty (28 June 2016). "Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens Review". IGN. Ziff Davis, LLC. Archived from the original on 11 July 2016. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
  23. ^ Musgrave, Shaun (12 July 2016). "'LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens' Review – Chewie, We're Home". TouchArcade. Archived from the original on 3 January 2020. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
  24. ^ Whitehead, Thomas (18 September 2016). "LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens Review (Wii U)". Nintendo Life. Retrieved 18 June 2022.
  25. ^ Kelly, Andy (4 July 2016). "Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens review". PC Gamer. Retrieved 18 June 2022.
  26. ^ "The sales are strong with Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens | Eurogamer". Eurogamer.net. 4 July 2016. Archived from the original on 22 July 2020. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  27. ^ Orry, James (4 July 2016). "UK Video Game Chart: Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens is Lego's ninth No.1 in UK". VideoGamer.com. Archived from the original on 5 July 2016. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  28. ^ Orry, James (1 August 2016). "UK Video Game Chart: Lego Star Wars makes most of new release slumber". VideoGamer.com. Archived from the original on 4 August 2016. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
  29. ^ Foster, Elizabeth (19 October 2016). "Horrible Histories, TrueTube lead BAFTA Children's noms". Kidscreen. Brunico Communications Ltd. Archived from the original on 24 October 2016. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
  30. ^ "44th Annual Annie Awards Nominees & Winners". Annie Awards. 2017. Archived from the original on 16 June 2017. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
  31. ^ "2017 Awards Category Details Family Game of the Year". interactive.org. Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Retrieved 30 November 2023.

External links edit

  • Official website [dead link]