LEGO games from Traveler’s Tales have become a permanent fixture in the minds of players. There is probably no one who does not have or at least has not played any part of the series. This time, the creators return to their roots, to Star Wars, and for Polish players it will be a completely new quality.
And it is with this quality that I would like to start, because in my opinion it is the greatest advantage of this production and a milestone on the Polish market. LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens is the first installment of the series to boast full Polish dubbing. Until now, we could only count on Polish subtitles, but now our Lego people speak in a language that is understandable to all compatriots. Some time ago I had the opportunity to watch the movie The Force Awakens with dubbing and I am glad that all the actors involved in this project have returned to record additional lines for the game (it was the same in the original). Dubbing is great and it is really good to listen to. The actors are not stiff, and their voices are selected according to the character and, if appropriate, in line with the original voice.
I realize that it is not equally important for everyone, but you need to look at it more broadly – games from the LEGO series are aimed at younger players and it is such productions that should be localized in the first place. I am glad that the distributor went one step ahead and did a great job. Cenega deserves all the congratulations and I praise her for this move. Unfortunately, they are also in a very uncomfortable situation, because if the next installment of the series does not appear in Polish, they may face a lot of criticism. I hope it won’t be a one-off.
To paraphrase a famous saying from Fallout – LEGO games never change. This is a very true statement and if you still don’t know what these games are all about, I have only one question for you – what cave have you been sitting in for the last few years? Well, but back to the point in LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens, we will continue to control our people, overcome the next stages, build structures from bricks and solve puzzles.
However, I would be lying if I wrote that the game is secondary. Despite the use of a proven formula, the creators added a few new elements. The first is the system of hiding behind covers. Gears of LEGO? Of course. The system is very well designed and does not differ from what we can find in TPP games. Of course, we cannot stick to every cover, but only to predetermined obstacles and in designated places, but it is an interesting variety. The only thing that can bother experienced players is the fact that when shooting from behind cover, we aim with the left analog stick, instead of the right one. The habit does its own thing, however, and I forgot about it very often, which made my shooting lopsided.
Another new feature is the build mode. We all know this sight – bouncing blocks symbolizing the possibility of building some new vehicle, passage or anything else. Now, very often, we will be able to build several different things from one set of bricks. This opens up completely new possibilities for solving puzzles. In one place, you will first need to build a cable transmitting energy to the crane, then destroy this item and build a lever to move it to another place. Sometimes additional buildings will also give us the opportunity to reach hidden treasures and secrets, which, as usual, is a lot to collect.
Before the game’s premiere, I was concerned about its content. It is the first installment in the series based on only one movie. Earlier editions always featured events from at least a few productions. Here, the developers had to sweat a little to extend the gameplay. The prologue of the game begins 30 years earlier during the fight for Endor from Return of the Jedi. Then there are 10 chapters available to follow the events of the movie The Force Awakens. From the initial assault on Jakku, through the later escape with the Millennium Falcon and ending with the fight at Starkiller Base. The story, as usual, is presented in a very humorous manner, which will surely appeal to younger players.
In addition to stages inspired by the movie, the creators added a few additional levels. These are such separate stories. In one, for example, we’ll find out how Han Solo caught Rathars. Traveler’s Tale has done everything to get a lot of content here, but evidently there is a little less of it than in any other production. Of course, the commitment to the original brand is present here at every step. Original music, sound effects and locations – everything is reproduced very faithfully, but we have already got used to it in productions from the LEGO series.
LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens is a worthy installment in the series. As with every game in the series, it plays great, especially on split screen. The game gets such a high rating from me because of dubbing, which in my opinion is perfect and should always be present in such games. New gameplay diversions, such as shooting from behind cover and dubbing, make the adventure in LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens an extremely fresh experience for Polish players. If you have little Star Wars fans at home, this is a must-have purchase. I would like this title to be a great success, to give Polish publishers another reason to dub even more games!
Portal Rating: 9.5
We thank Cenega for submitting the game for review.
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