Some games are compelling as far as weapons and creative shooting goes. Some games have a rich story, but repetitive game play or below-par backgrounds. For the most part, Okami, has every base covered—down to the most minute detail. More importantly, Okami is a real triumph of art in gaming.
Courtesy: Moondance
"Anybody seen a ceramic goat?"
Details
IG: Independent Games, Vol. 2
Publisher: Moondance
Platform: PC
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Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy
Publisher: LucasArts
Developer: Traveller's Tales
As a nerdy college kid, I always enjoyed Crisis On Infinite Earths, the Marv Wolfman-penned comic book series that had DC superheroes team with Marvel superheroes. It was one of those rare crossovers that actually worked. What else other pop culture classics would would work? How about Lost meets The X Files or All In The Family meets Friends? Or how about Lego meets Star Wars? Think that wouldn't work? Think again.
While the real buzz and hype of the Star Wars phenomenon has abated somewhat (there are no more movies, after all), there will always be Star Wars fans. To satiate those who will never get enough of Skywalker and Darth Vader, are you ready for . . . some Lego? You better be because the terribly cute, story-rich LEGO STAR WARS II: THE ORIGINAL TRILOGY hit stores earlier this week.
Hot on the heels of the mammoth success of Lego Star Wars which dealt with George Lucas's prequel films, The Original Trilogy doesn't stray from the formula which made the first offering so charming. That formula includes non-speaking, blocky characters which fight their way through the Star Wars universe like real warriors. Why does it work? You just don't expect sweet, little Lego dolls to have the bravery, the courage, the unflinching focus that comes with having "The Force" within you.
Yet the characters put on faces of grim determination and fight for the frontiers of outer space in fine sci-fi style. And for little blocky figures, they sure do have a lot of moves, weapons and ways to fight. Here's the deal. You've got three stories, one for each of the first three Star Wars movies. Each story has six stages which faithfully follow and sometimes enhance the films' stories. Follow these stages through to conclusion once and you'll unlock new characters which will allow you to replay the game in Free Mode (playing the stage with any character you choose). There are a wide variety of Star Wars ships to pilot, too, making you the captain of your space-filled domain. But there's more, too. You can create your own Lego Star Wars character using, say, the head of Yoda and the body of Vader. The delight and humor you'll find in simply trading body parts in and out is one of the prime reasons to play the game.
There are a few caveats, however. Going through the game the first time is pretty quick. Also, it's fairly easy: your Lego never really dies. Also, if you're thinking of buying the Xbox 360 version for an extra $10, think twice. While you'll be able to get marginally better graphics and download some cool stuff via broadband, there is no online play.
However, the console games, including the 360 version, are all tons of fun. And the handheld games offer their own particular cachet as well. The PSP version lets you play the hardest levels from Lego Star Wars I and does sport the PSP's wireless coop mode. Even the Gameboy Advance version lets you play as 36 different characters with graphics that are pretty darn excellent.
So what do the game developers do now that they've finished the Stars Wars stories? Reportedly, they're going to do a Lego Batman video game. The story of Batman and Bruce Wayne is a dark and mysterious one, darker than Star Wars. So that's a true challenge. But I can't wait to see what they do with those crazy, seminal comic book villains, The Penguin and The Joker.
