Comments on: Games I Don't Get

By: Tim F

Tim F — Sat, 10 Dec 2005 22:46:09 +0000

I watched (WATCHED) my son play this game for double digits of hours. I think my capacity to suspend disbilief is greater than most folks, my line is somewhere just this side of the film “Broken Arrow”. This brings up a couple of metrics seldom if ever used in game reviews – suspension of disbelief required and watchability by 3rd party, in hours or something.

By: Tice with a J

Tice with a J — Sat, 10 Dec 2005 06:37:52 +0000

Alas, I am incapable of finding fault with this game, because:
1) It’s Star Wars
2) It’s Lego
3) It’s easy to get into

This game had me hooked in the first 30 seconds, and now whatever faults this game has, I truly cannot acknoweldge them, because to do so would shatter my worldview.

By: psu

psu — Fri, 09 Dec 2005 14:22:04 +0000

I guess I try not to worry about this sort of thing. The game tells me to collect shiny bolts, so I do it.

This is like the creates in Half-Life or the shops that can follow you to the end of a space-time warp in your average J-RPG.

Conventions are hard to break out of. But with luck things improve slowly.

By: peterb

peterb — Fri, 09 Dec 2005 13:25:56 +0000

Andy,

I’ve been thinking about that issue for a while, and have an article about it sketched out in the back of my mind. You can see this in KOTOR and Jade Empire, where it’s almost a pro-forma activity — walk into an area, loot a few chests (or a corpse) for 3 pieces of gold or a worthless trinket, go on to the activities that are actually, y’know, fun.

It really is a game mechanic that feels like it is dialed in from home: no one anywhere thinks it’s a good idea, but everyone is too lazy to think of a better way to get you familiarized with the area.

By: Andy P

Andy P — Fri, 09 Dec 2005 11:54:16 +0000

It’s the same as corpse-looting, burglary, and aggravated assault in ANY heroic RPG you care to mention, really. I grew tired of it some while ago; rewarding you for non-heroic actions seems kind of silly.

The weirder one would be something like Condemned, in which you get framed for a murder you did not commit, and have to prove your innocence. The fact that, by the time you get framed, you’ve ALREADY butchered your way through tens if not hundreds of criminal suspects is apparently not a big deal.

By: Paul Herzberg

Paul Herzberg — Fri, 09 Dec 2005 10:11:04 +0000

For me, it wasn’t until I played Amidala on the Naboo level when I realised just how much stuff you blew up. On that level she seems almost gleefully distructive.

Like a child with a hammer…

By: Chris

Chris — Fri, 09 Dec 2005 07:32:09 +0000

This is a game designed for small children to play with their parents (most likely, small boy with father). As such, I believe it’s unique. Don’t be too harsh on its lack of sophistication – they’re not courting a sophisticated audience! I have much more bile for the butchering of the Star Wars license in more adult titles than the playful anarchy of this game.

By: Luke Lagwalker

Luke Lagwalker — Fri, 09 Dec 2005 07:08:12 +0000

You have to admit though, for a game that is ridiculously simplistic, it really does remain quite entertaining…

By: CorvusE

CorvusE — Fri, 09 Dec 2005 02:59:25 +0000

That’s why I always switched to LEGO Darth Maul in the diner. After all, you expect dark Jedi to trash the place.

By: psu

psu — Fri, 09 Dec 2005 02:42:29 +0000

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