LEGO: Star Wars III: The Clone Wars – Essentials (PlayStation 3)

LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars is based on the animated TV series Star Wars: The Clone Wars. As usual the game re-tells scenes from the original while replacing everything and everyone with LEGO bricks. It also brings humour into play; mostly slapstick and often based on the fact that LEGO constructions are fragile.

Just like the predecessors this game is built around the three co-op campaigns. The players choose one of many Star Warscharacters to go through the levels. Those consist of many action-based fights, platforming and some puzzles, which require cooperation of the two characters. The game be played alone; then the AI takes over the second character.

Additionally to the on-foot missions there are vehicle sequences, in which players take control over walkers or tanks. But the game also introduces a new mission type which utilizes real-time strategy elements. In those missions players find themselves on a map and have to conquer all enemy bases – but unfortunately many of them are protected. To destroy those defenses, players need access to special weapons or units, which have to be produced first. Of course there are production buildings needed to accomplish this; those can be built on already conquered bases. The arcade multiplayer mode is based on this mission type.