So I finally finished LEGO SW TFA. Be forewarned, this is IMO the worst LEGO game I've ever played. For the most part it has nothing to do with my hatred of TFA, it was just poorly done.
Normally, after you've unlocked enough characters, a "team" is put together for Free Play so that all puzzles can be solved. Not this time. This time you pick a character, and the computer picks a character. THAT'S IT. You have to go into the character menu and select from
205 characters. WTF? I don't think they even use 205 extras in the damn movie. And almost every frelling one of them has a name. Seriously? You named ten dozen pieces of set dressing that were on screen for half a second? I couldn't tell you who half of them are. (Of course, before playing the game I also couldn't tell you who Lor San Tekka was
) The only plus side to this is that each character's abilities are spelled out next to their icon. But it still sucks because unless you're playing on an IMAX screen, the icons are pretty much indiscernible because they are so small in order to fit 205 characters on the menu. The only other consolation to this idiocy is that they put everyone in alphabetical order, and then split droids off as a separate category.
The Free Play glitches were not to be believed. I can't tell you how many times I had to reboot the game in order to correct a glitch. The most note worthy offense was in the level Starkill Sabotage. There is a sequence, that really isn't a puzzle, just you have to do A, B & C in order to proceed. I do A. I do B which is to lower a force field covering a blast door. C is using a detonator to blow the door. The field never completely goes down, making it impossible to stick a 'nade and proceed.
There are too many single pass "trench run" scenes in ships where you get 1...only 1 chance per play to grab mini-kits. You miss and you have to quit and reload the hub, then reload the level. Tedious doesn't quite cover it. It wouldn't be so bad if a) the bulk of the ship choices weren't exceptionally touchy in the controls, and b) they didn't place these very small items in the busiest areas of the run. The other down side to flight missions was that you always came across enemy ships that would dog you to no end. You can't outrun. You can't outmaneuver. The only option is to pull up and do a 180. This continues to suck in the "trench" sequences as there is nowhere to maneuver, and you can't pull out of the predetermined course. Leaving the only "option".........get shot down.
The deplorably long interplanetary travel/load sequences were another grand shortcoming. TBH I'd rather simply stare at an inanimate screen and read factoids about the universe I'm playing in.
They also put in a new multi-build system, where you can build multiple things with the same pile of bricks. Once the job is done, shoot/hit the object to reclaim the parts to build something else. Too many times if you couldn't remember what to build first, you didn't get to build the other thing. Highly frustrating.
And then to top everything off, I actually didn't complete the game as they have the gall to charge to get the DLC.
On the limited plus sides, I did like the goofy side missions. I also liked that the mini-kits assembled micro-fighters. Some of them pissed me off, but only because LEGO didn't actually market them, and they looked pretty cool. Finally the new shoot-out sequences were kinda neat.
That said, I'm going to play LEGO Batman.
