My love affair with Lego Star Wars 3

Who would have thought that the Lego games would be some of the most fun, yet still challenging, games to come out onto the market? From the first Lego Star Wars, the appeal of the genre (yes, I would say it is it�s own genre) has captivated players both hardcore and casual, young and old. To take a simple formula, repackage it into something that is fun and safe for the entire family alone is a feat. But add in a depth of gameplay and humour that one would not normally expect from a �family� video game, and you have something truly special.

Lego Star Wars 3: The Clone Wars follows the series of events that are cannon in the Star Wars Clone Wars saga. All of your favorite characters are here, as well as all the staples from past games. Plus they decide to throw a few tricks at you along the way.

We�ll start off where the Lego series has it right: The Humour. In all of their games, they take the basic story of the property and spice it up with their own brand of humour, especially since the plastic figurines don�t �talk�. The cut scenes follow our adventurers in hilarious faction, and are always a treat to watch. My favorite was right at the beginning, during the Genoshan Arena. From the lovey-dovey eyes that Anakin and Padme share to the Ice Cream the baddies have, it�s all exaggerated fun while still telling the story. And it makes it G-rated,so even those who feel that the Star Wars movies and show were too risque should have no problem with it. (Although� Watching Bobba put on Jango�s �helmet� after Mace Windu took care of him� a bit creepy, and I�m surprised they went there.)

The story is fairly simple, easy to follow, and the gameplay combines with it to create an easy to master system that does get somewhat repetitive. If not for the high re-playability value (especially since you can only do certain things in free-play), the gameplay would wear thin. And, truthfully, if all you want to do is play through the story and be done, you may be a little jaded by the end. But as with all Lego games, this title shines in it�s re-playability factor. With over 70 characters to unlock, 100 achievements, and other hidden bonuses and features, you could be playing this game for a long time just to fulfill the 100% mark that you crave.

One of the surprising things that this game provided me was the differing types of game it showcased. Sure, you have your simple brawler, mowing down waves of enemies. But you also have your vehicle combat, including the spaceships. Ground vehicular combat in tanks, ATAT�s and such are always fun. But my favorite missions were those involving strategy, building up areas to face off against your opponent. Not something you would often see in a family friendly game, these levels provided an opportunity for strategy to pop out, and made me wish for a game (especially Lego and multiplayer!) devoted to solely this style. Collecting resources, building up your forces, all while defeating your enemies zones is a fantastic twist for this game.

In truth, with over 10 hours of gameplay under my belt (and way too many achievements left to get), my only concern with the game was the difficulty of some of the levels. Whether by poor design or intentionally build this way, I am not sure. But some of the boss battles were poorly explained and required some thought into what you were supposed to do. The same with the aforementioned strategy levels. For a game that anyone in your family is supposed to be able to pick up and play, there was a few things that made you scratch your head and wonder if some of the younger (and older) players would get it.

This review and more can be found on our website, www.noworriesgaming.com