Sunday 16 August 2009

The "Complete" List

Resistance 2
Mirror's Edge - 360
Quantum of Solace - 360
House of the Dead: Overkill - Story & Directors Cut
Fable 2 - Story Mode
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriot - (Liquid Easy)
Wario Ware: Smooth Moves
Saints Row
Race Pro - Career Mode
50 Cent: Blood on the Sand (Easy) - 360
Conan (Easy) - PS3
GTA IV - 360
Ratchet & Clank: Tools of Destruction
Uncharted: Drake's Fortune
Manhunt 2
Prince of Persia
No More Heroes - Real Ending
GTA: Chinatown Wars
Silent Hill 2 - (4 star rating, Leave ending)
Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga - DS

The Force is strong in this one.

I was trying to decide, whilst playing it all day yesterday, why it was better than Lego Indiana Jones. Was it just because it was the original concept? Was the source material more suitable? Did it simply suit the DS better than the 360?

I've come to the conclusion that it's all those things. The iconic Star Wars universe has been captured perfectly. The sound is fantastic. Obviously the theme musics are a given but hearing a Wookie wail or a startled droid never gets dull. Little things like Yoda moving slowly until he gets his lightsaber out when he tumbles and rolls about just like in the film.

Of course it's fairly simple, chunky graphics based on Lego weren't stressing the 360 but here on the DS it looks really good. There's not the kind of DS focused use of the hardware that Zelda and GTA: Chinatown Wars managed but what is there is good. The force push is very easy to use with a thumb while your using the conventional controls.

There's also some inspired vehicle levels. Pod racing is fun but taking down AT-ATs with your tether wire by frantically whizzing your thumb around it is inspired.

If just a pity other developers cant seem to capture this amount of magic without the Lego-ness.

I think it'll be a cartridge a keep with the DS so that I can have a dip into the Free Play mode and try and find all the secrets. (completing story mode apparently only counts towards 40% of total completion.)

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