Star Wars: Episode 9 - The Rise of Skywalker is possibly the most divisive film in the history of Star Wars. Following the many loose threads the sequel films dangled in front of fans over the course of five years, Rise of Skywalker ended the trilogy by giving some fans more questions than they had before the film released. Many fans haven't clung to the film since it left theaters, and fewer have wished for it to reach the world of video games. Regardless of the film's status, LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga will be bringing fans back to Rise of Skywalker in a whole new way.
LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is shaping up to be both one of the most ambitious Star Wars games and LEGO games that have come out in a long time. Part of that ambition comes from the fact that Traveller's Tales plans to give players a galaxy full of new gameplay opportunities, but it's become apparent that The Skywalker Saga will also have the daunting task of making one of the most criticized films in the franchise into an enjoyable experience. It may not be easy to coax players into enjoying Rise of Skywalker as a film, but there are a number of ways that The Skywalker Saga could make its biggest moments into an enjoyable LEGO experience.
Rey and Kylo Ren's Duel In LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
Although the many delays of LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga have concerned fans, there have been a handful of trailers that have shown off gameplay and cinematics. Given the expansive nature of the game, each trailer has done its best to show how every single Star Wars film will look. Rise of Skywalker has made up a decent amount of these trailers, and one of the more detailed moments from the films has been Rey and Kylo Ren's duel in the second Death Star's wreckage.
Judging from one of the gameplay trailers, it appears that The Skywalker Saga will really give players control over this duel. Traveller's Tales has said it will be overhauling the LEGO franchise's combat mechanics, and it appears that will apply to boss battles in some way. Fans will likely be able to expect some legitimate parry systems in order to get an edge in combat, and this should help make Rey and Kylo Ren's duel a more immersive experience for those who may not have fully connected with it when viewing Rise of Skywalker.
The Final Rise of Skywalker Battle In LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
Rise of Skywalker's final battle was one of the bigger spectacles that the Star Wars franchise has ever seen. Frustrations over another Palpatine confrontation aside, the aerial battle and Star Destroyer hopping with Finn, Poe, and the rest of the Resistance was visually stunning. Fans have had a chance to see how this will look in some capacity, with one trailer showing Finn atop a Star Destroyer's wing, but there's an incredible amount of potential to translate the battle over Exegol into LEGO blocks.
LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is truly making itself into a Star Wars encyclopedia, with the various explorable planets and moons in The Skywalker Saga proving to be one of its most anticipated features. This level of detail is likely to be extended to the game's starships, and the battle over Exegol featured just about every major ship that's ever been in Star Wars. From the Millenium Falcon to the Ghost from Star Wars: Rebels, the final battle had enough familiar faces to make almost any Star Wars fan happy. This gives The Skywalker Saga a great opportunity to put players in control of at least a few of these ships, and make the final battle even more engaging than it was in the film.
How LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga Is Giving Rise of Skywalker A Sense Of Humor
One of the biggest critiques of Rise of Skywalker is that it took itself way too seriously at times. Its tone would shift dramatically between some scenes, and not every joke landed with fans. LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga has an excellent chance to remedy this shortcoming, and there arguably couldn't be a better format. The LEGO franchise is known for its humor, even as the series has shifted from grunting and gesturing characters to fully voiced ensemble casts. It might not be able to fix all of the shortcomings of the film, but the comedic expertise of Traveller's Tales might just make the film more palatable.
Between bits of gameplay for Rise of Skywalker, fans have also been able to see how Traveller's Tales is injecting some humor into the film with its Skywalker Saga cinematics. Little things, like porgs taking over the cockpit of the Millenium Falcon and Finn having to shove them aside, are just a taste of how LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is adding more levity to the film. Trailers have shown how Traveller's Tales is adding comedic twists on other sequel films as well, so it's possible that The Skywalker Saga will try to mask some of Rise of Skywalker's faults with some much needed humor.
Fans have been clamoring for just about any news on LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga since it was indefinitely delayed in the spring. There has been some hope that The Skywalker Saga could show up at Gamescom this year, and it would appear that those rumors are true. The game has certainly built itself up on its ambitions, and a big part of sticking the landing will be how it handles its sequel-era content. Although Rise of Skywalker may be a divisive film, its LEGO interpretation could be a hit with skeptical fans.
LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is currently in development for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.