LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga Review

LEGO is a brand that needs no introduction. This line of construction toys has sparked the imagination and creativity of millions the world over, ending up representing popular IPs like Batman, Harry Potter, and of course, Star Wars.

Not limited to toys, LEGO has also managed to find its way into other platforms like movies and video games, focusing on a more casual feel in terms of challenge and geared towards a more general audience with some comedic and lighthearted elements.

This latest release, entitled LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, is as long and hearty as its name suggests. It contains all 9 mainline films from the Prequel, Classic, and Sequel Trilogies all in one game. Spin-offs like Rogue One and other Star Wars-related releases like The Mandalorian are not initially included here but will come in as DLC later.

With such a jam-packed release, it would make sense to assume that LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is an automatic must-buy if we consider the amount of content included alone. That’s not quite a good way to go about it though, so we’ll go deeper in this review of the game to let you know if it is worth your time and money.

Thankfully, the Force is strong with this one.

Fun From A Galaxy Far Away

At its core, LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is a 3rd person platformer for the most part. But that’s not all, and if you’re looking forward to doing some Podracing and X-Wing runs, the game has that too! You’re also constantly switching between characters as you are replaying different events from the massive Star Wars Trilogies over the years. One minute you’re controlling Obi-Wan and Qui Gon Jinn, and the next thing you know you’re playing the iconic duo of R2-D2 and C-3PO in various platforming elements.

As a Jedi, you have your trusty lightsaber to block beams with and boomerang at enemy droids. Combat is one of the highlights of LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, which is easy enough to button mash your way to victory but also technical enough to allow for combos and counterattacks. This system alone makes the action fast, satisfying, and can be enjoyed by everyone playing the game.

There are characters at your disposal like Han Solo and Padme who use blasters, which then transitions the action to that of a cover-based shooter, adding more variety to the mix. These shifts work well in the grand scheme of things, and most importantly, they feel fluid and well implemented, making the experience enjoyable no matter the character.

Apart from plot advancing missions, the amount of side-content here in LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is outrageously vast. Back are the numerous collectibles that have been hallmarks of LEGO games but more than that, there are also numerous side-quests to undertake. Some of these will be rather straightforward, but some will require a bit more thought.

Players are rewarded for their willingness to participate, obtaining precious Kyber Bricks that are needed to upgrade their abilities. LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga has multiple skill trees that players can choose to engage with, offering a substantial amount of depth for players to choose how they want to build their characters.

All of these elements are wrapped in a beautifully condensed package that trims down each episode to short but fulfilling outings filled with impressive mission variety. LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga makes sure to insert most, if not all, of the most important parts of each movie in a comedic retelling that brings in more than a few laughs here and there. It’s a rather impressive feat and makes this really worth the wait.

While parts of the game can feel rather easy and simple due to it being aimed at a more casual and younger audience, this does not take away from the fact that LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is a fun romp in a galaxy far far away.

The LEGO Game You’re Looking For

In case there was any doubt, LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga scores big points in presentation and faithfulness to the source material. The various locations, characters, and wildlife that Star Wars fans know and love are accurately represented here, albeit in LEGO form.

There is a temptation to dismiss the visuals in LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga for looking to kiddie but while that is true, it would also be accurate to say that the game looks fantastic, with all of these LEGO bricks coming to life as the iconic personalities and events in the Star Wars universe. The different locations you travel to feel lived in, bustling with NPC’s and various moving parts.

Star Wars isn’t Star Wars without its iconic score, and a big boost to the game experience is its use of iconic Star Wars music like the opening crawl down to the Duel of the Fates. LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga doesn’t stop there, as the details trickle down to the familiar sounds of TIE Fighters and X-Wings blasting their way across the galaxy.

If that’s not enough to make hardcore Star Wars fans smile, familiar voices can also be heard like Billy Dee Williams and Anthony Daniels reprising their original roles as Lando Calrissian and C-3PO respectively. James Arnold Taylor, who played Obi-Wan in The Clone Wars, makes a return as well as the iconic Jedi.

Some players, or hardcore Star Wars fans rather, may feel a bit conflicted about how all of this plays out. LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is a comedic retelling of the franchise, which may clash with some players expecting a more faithful retelling. This should be a minor issue in the grand scheme of things, and being a LEGO game already sets expectations about its themes and tones.

What we liked:

• Star Wars universe faithfully recreated in Lego form
• Simple yet fun gameplay that’s accessible to all
• A TON of unlockable content from the Star Wars lore
• Entertaining performances and fantastic audio

What we didn’t like:

• The amount of side content might feel a bit too much for some
• Repeated boss mechanics

Verdict: Buy it!

Despite its rather straightforward platforming mechanics and forgiving gameplay, LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga succeeds in recreating the mainline films in a package that is enjoyable for even the general audience that isn’t a fan of LEGO or Star Wars.

Fans, on the other hand, will get a kick out of the game, taking them on a wild ride across the galaxy in a comedic retelling that’s oftentimes funny and mostly entertaining. Iconic characters and locations make an appearance here and most, if not all, of the classic scenes from the movies are faithfully recreated brick by brick.

The Force is certainly strong with this one, and LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is quite possibly the best LEGO game out there that deserves your time and galactic credits.

*Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga Review was reviewed on a PlayStation 4 and 5 with a review code provided by the publisher.