Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga: PS5 Review

Developed by TT Games, Warner Bros Interactive

Published by Warner Bros

Platform: PS5

To say the weight of expectation lies heavily on The Skywalker Saga's shoulders is as much an understatement as saying the weight of expectation lay heavily on Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

This latest aims to be the definitive entry into the LEGO Star Wars series, collecting as it does all 9 of the films, and by tearing up some of the action from the previous games lest you feel this is a quick cash-in aimed at the next gen consoles.

The game starts with each of the opening chapters of the respective sagas being there to play - from Episode IV's infamous escape to the tedious trade shenanigans of Episode I, the game wastes no time in throwing you back into that world.

Using the usual LEGO games' MO of smashing bricks, collecting studs and powering through levels, it's fair to say that the Skywalker Saga doesn't really deviate too much from the gameplay formula that's worked so well before.

However, it's in the finer details that the Skywalker Saga has switched things up.

There are now skill trees that can be filled out during the game, replacing some of the red bricks ideology in previous games; and each class of character can be tinkered with as well. It's an interesting addition to what's gone before, and with some 1166 bricks to collect to unlock it all, it's a collectors' dream, but also an OCD nightmare for the casual gamer.

Also the actual visuals of the gameplay have changed with characters now bigger and chunkier and the camera closer to them, as opposed to the prior games, which had a set back camera angle.

But while there are cosmetic and gameplay changes through to make the best of the next gen consoles, at its heart, Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga has retained its heart for quirky silliness while recreating key scenes from the franchise. Some may feel the cut scenes are a bit brief and some of the key moments of the franchise are rushed through to get to the next stage, but there are moments that shine within.

With around 380 playable characters, and over 2 dozen worlds to explore, and plenty of puzzles to crack in the open worlds and hubs, there's more than enough to keep any fan - and any casual gamer - more than ensconced in the world of the Force. There's no denying at times the gameplay is a little simplistic, and the game's insistence on guiding you all the way makes things feel like you're being handheld from beginning to end, but the game's charm and the love of the LEGO game series helps overcome this.

It's the biggest Lego game ever created, and while reports of the possible crunch needed to get it to such a stage removes some of the shine, there's no denying the love in this game is evident from the opening moments. It's the LEGO Star Wars game you've been looking for - and one last welcome spin into a galaxy far, far away.

A review code was provided by the publisher for the purposes of this review.