The LEGO franchise has routinely pushed the boundaries of what it can do with just a licensed property and some toy bricks. Instead of simply adapting beloved films through a cookie-cutter formula, developer Traveller's Tales has evolved the series in some way with almost every new release. Whether it's expanding the franchise into pseudo-open-world territory or improving how gamers play co-op with one another, there have been a lot of additions to the LEGO games over the years. Now with LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga in development, Traveller's Tales seems to be getting the most ambitious it's been in years.
It's no secret at this point that the development of LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga hasn't gone as planned for Traveller's Tales. The game has been hit with numerous delays, mostly due to the ongoing pandemic, but one other thing that has likely made The Skywalker Saga's development so much longer than other LEGO games is how many new features have been promised. Some of these new features have been highlighted more than others, like the revamped combat system or massive open design, but there's one new feature in particular that's flown under the radar that could prove to be a hit.
The LEGO Formula
If one thing has remained consistent throughout the history of the LEGO games, it's that they have been structured in a linear style. Because the vast majority of licensed LEGO games deal with film franchises, the story of each game tells the chronological story of its respective film. LEGO Indiana Jones games start with Raiders of the Lost Ark, LEGO Star Wars games start with the prequels, and so on and so forth. With The Skywalker Saga however, Traveller's Tales has decided to shake things up and deliver the story in a way that is completely non-linear.
LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is going to be the fifth LEGO game that focuses on the galaxy far, far away, and the fourth to adapt the core films in the franchise. This is likely the main motivation for presenting The Skywalker Saga in a way that is different from other LEGO Star Wars games. For longtime fans, playing this game the same as all the others could seem repetitive, even if the missions are changed up. In order to remedy this, The Skywalker Saga is allowing players to play the films in absolutely any order they want.
Flipping the Script
This level of freedom would be impressive in just about any other game, but it has the potential to be especially exciting for Star Wars fans. One of the biggest points of discussion for the Star Wars films, ever since the prequel series finished up, is what order the films should be viewed in. Some Star Wars purists insist that the films need to be watched in order of release, while others believe that they should be watched in chronological order. It all comes down to a matter of preference, especially now with the contentious Star Wars sequel films thrown in the mix, but it's important to fans nonetheless.
The ability to play LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga in order of whichever film fans want will cater directly to this conversation around how the Star Wars films should be watched. With how strict some developers are about the order in which a game is supposed to be experienced, giving players the option of a completely open-ended structure is kind of unprecedented. Sure, a lot of games will give players free rein to explore side missions and other objectives in the world around them, but rarely will a game ever let players experience the core story however they'd like.
Unlimited Power
The possibilities that come with this kind of set up are practically limitless for players. For those that think the Star Wars films should be enjoyed in order of release, they'll be able to do just that, starting with the nostalgia of the original trilogy and then eventually transitioning into the newer eras of the franchise. Or, if players want to throw it back to how the original LEGO Star Wars games released, they could go in chronological order. Not only could this be a nice nostalgia trip for longtime fans of the LEGO Star Wars series, but it would highlight the tumultuous history of the Skywalker family from Anakin's origins on Tatooine to Rey taking up the mantle of Skywalker at the end of Episode 9.
Speaking of Episode 9 and the sequel trilogy as a whole, this open-ended structure would cater to those that either loved or hated the films. The Skywalker Saga will be the first time that The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker are being adapted in a LEGO game, so it might be worth checking out the levels for each film even if players didn't exactly enjoy them. If the contempt of some players is stronger than their need to see what Traveller's Tales has done with the films, then the option is there to completely ignore them. By the same note, if some players really enjoyed the sequels and the risks that they took, they could focus solely on those levels.
One of the biggest parts of being a Star Wars fan is how a person experiences the films for the first time. For diehard fans, whether the series is watched chronologically, in order of release, or completely backwards can provide unique narrative experiences. LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is going in a bold new direction by giving players the freedom to play however they want, and it should prove to be a welcome new feature whenever the game finally releases. The most recent LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga delay may be concerning for some, but it's likely that Traveller's Tales will deliver the same quality LEGO Star Wars experience that it's known for.
LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is currently in development for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.