Many fans ofLEGOgames were eager to get news aboutLEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Sagaat Gamescom 2021. Traveller’s Tales' gameplay trailer provided some insight into the way thatLEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Sagaplays, which is important because it seemingly aims to change everything.LEGOgame fans have known that Travellers' Tales planned to revamp the franchise’s combat system inThe Skywalker Saga, and its Gamescom trailer gave fans a glimpse of the new fighting techniques available to Jedi and in-depth gunplay available to non-Force users.
However, the trailer revealed more than the way players fight inThe Skywalker Saga.It also provided a bit of insight on what makes the new fighting styles worth using. The trailer suggests the game is stepping up the variety of enemies that players will encounter, as it seems like Travellers' Tales wants to offer a new level of challenge toLEGO Star Warsplayers and make them think more about how specific enemy types behave, and how they can useThe Skywalker Saga’s combat enhancementsto take down foes.
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LEGO Star Wars' Combat History
Forall of theLEGOgame franchise’s strengths, there’s a case to be made that combat is one of its weaknesses. Many earlyLEGOgames, particularlyLEGO Star Wars,chose to keep combat simple. Most enemies function almost identically, for instance there’s tons of different skins for Stormtroopers in earlyLEGO Star Warsgames, but most of them behave the same way. Rather than challenging players with unique behavior or fighting styles, they focus on overwhelming the player to provide a challenge. There’s exceptions to the rule, like LEGODroidekas, but the majority of enemies are the same.
In manyLEGOgames, it’s simply a matter of mashing the attack button and staying out of the way of enemy attacks. On one hand, it’s understandable thatLEGOcombat is so straightforward; it’s a franchise that’s meant to be inviting for younger audiences. On the other hand, it does meanLEGOcombat sometimes struggles to feel as meaningful as the game’s building mechanics and puzzles.
Traveller’s Tales has tried to address combat a few different times. For example,LEGO Indiana Jones 2: The Adventure Continuesfeatured some enemies with specialized weapons that offered unique threats. TheLEGOHarry Potterseries was light on combat, sometimes featuringmagical creatures fromHarry Potterin the right circumstances, but only enhancing wizard duels in the secondLEGO Harry Pottergame. By comparison,LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Sagahas some big ideas for changes. Not only will playable characters of all kind fight differently, but a wide range of enemies will diversify combat.
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The Skywalker Saga Has Some Great Ideas
The Skywalker Saga’s gameplay trailer shows off a couple different enemies that give a clear sense of the game’s variety. For instance, there’s a shot of Finn fighting First Order troopers of Exegol in which one trooper flies around on a jetpack while the others crouch behind cover. Standard enemies with jetpacks introduce a lot more moving parts forLEGO Star Warsplayers to think about. There’s also a scene with Rey fightingSupreme Leader Snoke’s red-clad Elite Praetorian Guard, suggesting there will be a variety of melee-focused fighters thatThe Skywalker Sagaplayers will encounter.
Traveller’s Tales was already on the right track when it decided to add more fighting techniques to the toolkits ofLEGO Star Warsplayers. IfThe Skywalker Sagahas so many new enemy types, it’s vastly enhancing the value of its own combat system. It’s one thing for Traveller’s Tales to giveThe Skywalker Sagaplayers new ways to shoot a blaster or swing a lightsaber, but it’s something else to encourage them to master that system by means of encountering diverse enemies. A wide enemy pool pushes players to try new things and find clever ways of fighting.
There’s a couple segments of the Gamescom trailer that suggest Jedi can use LEGO pieces and objects as projectiles, smashing them against enemies. A Stormtrooper on a jetpack may be out of a Jedi’s reach with a lightsaber, but a well-aimed LEGO brick could definitely ground the trooper. While there’sa lot thatLEGOfans still don’t knowaboutThe Skywalker Saga’s combat, this example shows how the game’s new systems could make the franchise’s combat more compelling by involving the environment for new approaches to fighting.
The Skywalker Saga Shoots for the Moon
There’s also some glimpses of boss battles inLEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga’s newest trailer. Fans could have guessed that classicStar Warsbattles withDarth Sidious, Darth Vader, and more villainswould be in the game, offering climactic finales for each movie.LEGOboss battles have always been solid, but the gameplay trailer impliesThe Skywalker Saga’s new combat will be integrated with bosses, pushing players to develop some finesse when they try to take down Sith Lords across theStar Warstimeline.
After months without much news,the Gamescom 2021 trailerforLEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Sagawas a relief for many. Not only does it tease some fantastic things about the game, but it gives fans an idea when the game will release. The newSkywalker Sagarelease window is vague, but now that fans know what the developer is working on, it makes more sense Traveller’s Tales needs so much time. It’s easier to be patient forThe Skywalker Saganow that fans have a better sense of what they’re actually waiting for, and with major changes like an overhauled combat system on the way, thisLEGOgame might be worth the wait.
LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Sagareleases in spring 2022 for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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