Lego Star Wars 2 demo

[Duncan]

Is out. You can get it from the usual places I think. I got it from 3D gamers.

Anyway. On the one hand the demo reminded me how much I loved Lego Star Wars. On the other it reminded me how much I loved playing it on Xbox and with another person. Despite that, though, man, this was great. Really happy about the considerably deeper level of interaction. There's a lot more to do. Turrets, pedestrians, constructable lego shit, custom characters, wider attacks and force powers, vehicles you can ride throughout the level. The AI didn't really seem that much better although when I punched a guy out a riot erupted on the street. That was kind of cool. Also I parked a landspeeder on top of a guy. And there's one really great moment which I actually find myself not wanting to spoil.

It's really kind of the same thing as the last game I guess. Only it apparently corrects everything that needed correcting.

In summation:

[Wrestlevania]

Missed the first one, so I'll definitely check this demo out--thanks for the notice and the summary!

[Erik]

Aye-aye, good summary (loved your insightful review of the first too), despite an unexplained crash to desktop and the tiny fact it doesn't support 1280*1024, it's plain fun so far. It makes me even sadder not to be able to share it with anybody.

I was fearing but also expecting, as a fan of the first, just an average amount of "more of the same" content.

Yet I played this "original trilogy" demo with a big smile a few giggles. Character animation (Han Solo is hilarious), sets graphics, cutscene gags, constructable bricks, easier stud-collecting... Everything's here and better, just as it should be.

Even going back to the completed parts of a level is useful, to accomplish more and more actions you missed....

Few sequels can stand proud surpassing their predecessors, and it appears to me "the original trilogy" does that to "Lego SW". Which was a prequel actually. Erm wait...

Do I sense the obvious superior quality of episodes IV-V-VI over the prequel has some credit in the quality of this demo ?

[Kolzig]

Lego Star Wars was good, but this second one is even better.

For me the original trilogy of course makes it much more interesting, but as has been said, everything is done so much better in this sequel.

[adfegg]

The sense of humour is all present and correct too. There's a mischevious pleasure in using the force to turn a stormtroopers helmet around. It's also good that the effects of the force seem to be unique to each force user. Granted, we only see it in Kenobi and the Emperor, but I wouldn't be surprised if we'd get to see Vader's choke-hold.

[Aussie Ben]

I actually bought the Anakin/Vader torture/transformation chair (in LEGO form!) as a Christmas present for my brother last year. And It's All Thanks To Idle Thumbs!

[adfegg]

I made a 2nd attempt at the Free Play last night. I managed to obtain all but one of the canisters. So near and yet so far.

[Duncan]

Do I sense the obvious superior quality of episodes IV-V-VI over the prequel has some credit in the quality of this demo ?

I doubt it. I think this is a textbook case of a sequel genuinely improving on its predecessor by realising what does and doesn't work. If the prequel trilogy had been the second game it would have been a lot better. Fortunately the better movies got the better game.

But oh man is it awkward on PC. Clumsy vehicle controls. I played it co-op today and while there are still some camera issues it was a blast. It's so explicitly designed for co-op it's nowhere near as fun doing it solo, cause there are so many moments, even in the demo, where you notice you could do something cool if there were two people there... but there aren't. The turrets and the AT-STs to name but two.

Does it feel to anyone else like they're cheating the "no dialogue" rule? It's unintelligible Sims-like mumbling now and I don't think I like it. It worked great in the first one because none of the cutscenes really needed dialogue. With this game they seem to follow the movie so closely (while, conversely, they take some big liberties within the actual game) that they need dialogue or dialogue substitute. Like what is the point of the "Obi-Wan mindtricks stormtrooper" scene if not to recreate a classic moment. I mean the stormtroopers will start shooting you as soon as the level starts anyway.

Also, it says on the Hints screen that you can find someone to buy your landspeeder, does anyone know how to do that?

[Roderick]

I actually bought the Anakin/Vader torture/transformation chair (in LEGO form!) as a Christmas present for my brother last year. And It's All Thanks To Idle Thumbs!

I want that one too, but it's sadly out of the shops. I'll have to make do with the little unmasked Vader with the grey head that's been standing beside my monitor since day one.

[miffy495]

Does it feel to anyone else like they're cheating the "no dialogue" rule? It's unintelligible Sims-like mumbling now and I don't think I like it.

Yeah, that bothers me a bit as well. I was really impressed with the way they handled cutscenes in the first one and now it just seems a bit cheapened by the fact that one of the best features of the first has been compromised. Still, as long as they don't go any further than grunts I will probably get used to it quite quickly.

Control doesn't bother me so much. Do you have a decent USB gamepad? I use a logitech ripoff of the dual-shock, and given that I played the original on PS2 it was just like hopping back into the game I'd played months ago.

Also, it says on the Hints screen that you can find someone to buy your landspeeder, does anyone know how to do that?

Not sure, but off to the side in that area where you build the chicken walker is something that looks like a car wash for landspeeders. I didn't clue into it myself, but maybe you should try driving the thing into it or around that area. If you can sell it, that's my best guess for where it would happen.

[Erik]

Fortunately the better movies got the better game.

You're right.

the stormtroopers will start shooting you as soon as the level starts anyway.

I was able to walk down the whole street with the stormtroopers just standing as a police force. They'll start to shoot you if you trouble public order like destroying stuff. The ones guarding the door near the ramp will shoot you on sight once they're in position though.

Also, it says on the Hints screen that you can find someone to buy your landspeeder, does anyone know how to do that?

As miffy said, you have to travel with your landspeeder into this "double score" area immediately after the beginning of the second level.

However, as you have to crush the obstacles with the AT-ST to unlock it, it's better to be careful to collect everything there, and therefore proceed on foot because you're very likely to kill the customer (he's a jawa) waiting at the speeder emporium while shooting all the bins with your big gun.

In which case, selling your speeder will only give you one blue stud. Now spare him and try to make the most of its value.

[elusivespoon]

I found the gameplay to be a little tedious. It's mostly just blowing up stuff to collect studs, which quickly gets painful, and mashing the attack button when in a battle. And then you have to play the level twice if you want to collect everything. Though to be fair I did play through the demo way too many times so I could find everything. The humor is a nice touch, but it's a lot of drudgery for a few visual jokes. Though making the dewbacks poop is pretty great.

In which case, selling your speeder will only give you one blue stud. Now spare him and try to make the most of its value.

Only one blue stud? Maybe washing the speeder first did make a difference.

I made a 2nd attempt at the Free Play last night. I managed to obtain all but one of the canisters. So near and yet so far.

Canister locations:

Mos Eisley Stage 1

1. Stormtrooper bath house (behind start location).

2. High between broken bridge (find 3 plants, and use Greedo to get a

propeller platform).

3. Under sparkling grid with 4 red nozzles (use the force as

the Emperor).

Mos Eisley Stage 2 (section with AT-ST's)

4. Womprat shooting gallery.

5. Plain sight (stack boxes to reach).

6. On crashed spaceship (use Greedo to blow up the nearest moisture

vaporator, then build and use crank. Grapple platform will fall).

Cantina

7. Behind force field (use Jawa to enter grate).

Mos Eisley Stage 3

8. High along edge near the door you blow up (find 3 plants).

9. In section behind big black and red doors (use Emperor to rip doors

apart, or use C-3PO or Greedo's door). It's behind the two little

gates with the womprats. Use the force to open them.

10. Behind movie screen (use R2-D2 to enter theater, then arrange the

screen, and blow it up).

For your troubles you get a code that you can't use till you buy the full version.

[Wrestlevania]

I found the gameplay to be a little tedious. It's mostly just blowing up stuff to collect studs, which quickly gets painful, and mashing the attack button when in a battle. And then you have to play the level twice if you want to collect everything.

Sounds heavenly to me...

[Erik]

Watch this great gameplay video about ESB.

Although sound is mute, the part with Luke and Yoda shows some more "mumbling-dialogue".