LEGO Star Wars: Blow you to pieces

I haven't posted about a video game in a long time. Probably because I haven't been an avid gamer until a few months ago playing games like Fallout 3, Halo Wars, Star Wars the Force Unleashed, and one of my all time favorites, LEGO Star Wars. That's right. LEGO Star Wars.

This game has been out for a good while, but I hadn't picked it up until a couple of weeks ago when my friend and I were looking for a good co-op game to play. I had seen LEGO Indianna Jones being played once, and I figured that the gameplay would be similar, minus being chased by giant boulders and adding a more PEW PEW PEW. I will go on record right now and say that LEGO StarWars (and judging by the game play, all the games in the LEGO series) is the best co-op game I have ever played. Seriously. It's a game that is fun and it draws you in, yet not in the cinematic over-theatrical games like those in the HALO series (even though I love games with huge long dramatic cut-scenes). LEGO Star Wars is very clever and tasteful and it's flaws are outnumbered greatly by it's selling points.

First of all, the game has tons to do. You don't just play through the stages and then throw it in the pile of junk to take to Disc Replay (you know, like all your games from the Crash Bandicoot series). No no no. There are multiple different things to accomplish in each level that you most likely won't get the first, second, or even third time through. You can achieve 'True Jedi' for each stage (which is obtained by getting a score of at least 100,000), you can find minikits (10 are well-hidden in each level), find the Red brick (which unlocks bonus features) and more! Everything in this game is fun, so even if you're stuck and can't figure out where to go, exploring the area to find out where to go is fun, as opposed to frustrating. So if you're looking for a game that is fun and engaging, yet not overly serious and dramatic, pick up a copy of LEGO Star Wars. Even better yet, play it with a friend because whether you have second player or not, there will be a second character that follows you around regardless.

Here is a Trailer from before its release. The narrator sounds like he's going to announce the new episode of That 70's show, but it's a good trailer.

A Letter to the Developer: Updates and sweet releases from Bioware

Dear Bioware,

First, I would like to let you know that you never cease to amaze me. Why it doesn't seem that long ago that I picked up a copy of Star Wars: Knights of The Old Republic and fell in love with you and your style of game development. Then not long after, my brother got a copy of Jade Empire and he too, became a loyal fan. You've blessed us with so many great and wonderful things, and yet, you're not through.

It wasn't long ago that I first saw your E3 trailer for Star Wars: The Old Republic and then your other E3 trailer for the latest developments for Mass Effect 2. I must say, well done my friend, well done. As usual, I was blown away at the quality of the graphics, intrigued at the complexity of the plot lines, and bedazzled at the promise of the gameplay. Bioware, if you were a person, and a female person, I would ask you to marry me. But since you're not a person, and a corporation of many many men, I most likely won't.

A few issues though. Why are you only releasing the Old Republic only on PC? Don't you realize half (or even more) of your followers are young adults who have realized that PCs are pieces of garbage and have made the conversion to Mac?

Also, as a personal preference, I would have much rather seen another RPG as opposed to an MMORPG.

Good work on Mass Effect 2. It looks like it's going to be one hell of a sequel.

And Mass Effect 2

Wait, who was the guy that played luke again?

I found this funny and thought I would share it with you all

Game-gasm: Star Wars Battlefront 3

In case none of you already knew, today is Nerd day. Actually, every day is nerd day here at BIOTM. B.I.O.T.M. Bio-Tem. BOM. Bomma your Momma.

Moving right along, I was given a tip yesterday from a very good friend of mine who is knowledgeable in the field of movies, technology, and general media. He told me about this new leaked demo of Star Wars Battlefront 3. Now I myself have not played any of the Star Wars Battlefront series, but after watching this leak (if it turns out to be real) makes me very excited for it's release.

The current status of the Game is unknown. There is a lot going on as far as the development is concerned, and no one can seem to get a straight answer from the creators as to how far they are into the project, completion dates, publisher, etc. The only conclusions we can draw come from this video that was leaked into the treacherous and hostile network of rumors and misnomers know as the interweb by a laid-off employee. The video is low-quality (because it is a video of a video) but still gives us a look at the potential for Battlefront 3.

After watching, I hope you too will be as excited for the release of this epic looking game as I am. Make sure you watch at least the first minute, because there is a sequence in which the player if flying a ship from the surface of a planet and lands in a star destroyer in one seamless motion with no loading. It's all in real time. Pretty impressive.

Star Wars: Battlefront 3 'Leaked Off-Screen' gameplay

Also, there is rumor that a dark-side Obi-Wan will be making an appearance as well.

Star Wars, the official condensed summary.

थिस इस अ विडियो ऑफ़ अ गर्ल व्हो As I was saying, there was this girl who was asked by her (Boyfriend? Father? Brother? Mailman?) to give a summary of the three original Star Wars films from the 'bits and pieces she had seen from the same room that the movies were playing. She did a terrible job, of course, but managed to provide the foundation for a very entertaining video




Star Wars: Retold (by someone who hasn't seen it) from Joe Nicolosi on Vimeo.

Force Unleashed: It hangs in the balance

I know this game is already considered old news by most die-hard Star Wars fans, but I thought it was worth writing about. I picked up my copy for the x-box 360 the day of it's released and went home and played it that night after work. Even after all the hype, I wasn't really sure what to expect, but here is what I found after about two hours of playing.

Upon starting the game, you realize that graphics are pretty stunning. That's apparent when you start to move around the brilliant (yet often small) 3d environments. Colors are bright and vibrant, shading and shadows are almost dead on, and of course, lighting. The physics engine was also impressive, as you got to watch Wookies, stormtroopers, and other enemies get hurdled in different directions. One of my favorite things to do was smash a window and watch all the helpless soldiers get dragged out into an unforgiving void. All of these elements were above average, and lived up to the hype.

Gameplay is fun, yet gets pretty repetitive pretty fast. While throwing around enemies, frying them with lightning, and beating them to an alien pulp with a lightsaber is fun, it doesn't offer a variety of different things to do. There is hardly any dialogue between characters (except for cut scenes that help progress the story) and as far as puzzle solving goes, there is none. The only puzzle for me was "How the hell am I supposed to get past all those guys WITH GUNS when i'm stuck with this glow-stick?" I think a third installment of Knights of the Old Republic would've been a better choice.

Overall, beating the crap out of the bad guys using nothing but the force is a good way to unwind from a long day at the office, but isn't for those looking to get into a real in-depth RPG or Puzzle game. Those of you who were expecting those sort of elements will be disappointed in this game. If you take it for what it is, it's fun. 7.5 out of ten.