A short time ago in a galaxy very, very near… the debacle that was the new Star Wars movies (Revenge of the Sith excepted...just) shattered the faith of a generation of fans and made George Lucas an unpopular (if ludicrously rich) man. But don’t even get us started on the lacklustre licensed games that accompanied said movies. In short, they all stank worse than Jabba’s slimy thong. All except for one: Lego Star Wars (ok, two including the Star Wars: Battlefront games).
Based on the original Star Wars trilogy -otherwise known as THE HOLY TRILOGY- the Lego Star Wars sequel is a real coup for gamers and Star Wars fans alike, a great Star Wars game based on the best loved movies of the saga. As with the previous Lego Star Wars, you play through the key sequences from the movies taking control of virtually any character from the trilogy. Obviously this involves unlocking them all first, but you’ll want to since all the classic characters are here: Luke Skywalker, Boba Fett, Han Solo, Chewbacca and the baddest Sith of all Lord Darth Vader.
Developer Traveller’s Tales have meticulously rebuilt the entire Star Wars universe using millions of lovingly rendered little colourful Lego bricks and those iconic smiley-faced Lego people and for this we should be immensely grateful. Never has something so apparently removed from the all-enveloping darkness of the Star Wars films been so faithful to the look and feel of the saga.
Key to Lego Star Wars II’s appeal is it’s innate sensibility of undiluted fun and simplicity. The controls are so simple that a child can master them, yet the game is challenging enough to test even seasoned gamers. Be warned, this is still a bigger, tougher, game than the previous instalment and there’s a lot more stuff to collect and unlock in this one too. It’s still a bit undemanding for the hardened gamer who’s finished all of Devil May Cry’s difficulty modes, but then to make a game like this an insurmountable challenge is like making a Disney game harder than R-Type.
Casual back seat gamers can still drop in and out for bite size bursts of co-operative play or join in and play through the whole game if they so wish. It’s the perfect game to brighten up a dull day too, packed to the gills with funny little sight gags and slapstick jokes.
If you’ve ever wanted to roll in Luke’s landspeeder or stomp Ewoks in an AT-ST walker then you can .New features include the ability to assume control of vehicles and customise your own bizarre Frankenstein’s monster type freaks from a variety of Lego body parts. Ever fancied playing as Yoda in Princess Leia’s gold bikini with Chewie’s furry limbs? Then you’re a deeply disturbed individual.
More enjoyable than bullseyeing Wamp rats in your T-14, if you don’t end up loving Lego Star Wars II's quirky take on a galaxy far, far away…then you’re probably dead inside. Or you’re a droid, or something. The force is strong in this one etc. Just buy it if you haven't already.
Verdict: 9/10
Born William Gareth Jacob Busey Sr. in Goose Creek, Texas on 29th June 1944, the talented rough-hewn, blonde actor was a gifted musician who had aspirations for a life in show business. With a visage sculpted by God for the purpose of playing screen villains and characters with indistinct moral agendas it didn’t take long for Busey to hit the big time.
Few actors manage to make an impression as enduring villains in movies. For every truly imposing, nefarious baddie there’s one that doesn’t quite make the grade. Comparing Bond villains Eliot Carver with Ernst Stavros Blofeld for instance is simply no comparison whatsoever. Gary Busey falls into the former category, each one of his movie evildoers a fully fleshed out, note perfect performance. It’s impossible not to recall Busey’s star turns as bad guys in films like Lethal Weapon (1987), Under Siege (1992) and Drop Zone (1994), each one a lesson in screen villainy that will be etched into your brain forever once you’ve been fortunate enough to witness them. That shark-toothed grin, a subtle, ambiguous glint in the eye suggesting higher, more complex Machiavellian machinations: Busey brings extra dimensions to potentially 2-dimensional characters. His characters are 5D. Mr. Joshua, Commander Krill and Ty Moncrief rank among the greatest movie bad guys of all-time, deserving a place alongside Hans Gruber (Die Hard), John Doe (Se7en), The Joker (Batman) and Ursula (The Little Mermaid) as the best ever to grace the silver screen.
To pigeonhole Busey in bad guy roles however is to see only one of his five sides, for Gary Busey is an acting pentagon where most other actors only manage to be triangles (De Niro) or at best squares (Pacino). Some only manage parallel lines (Brando), unable to form complete shapes. Boasting a stunning career that began with his portrayal of a biker in Angels Hard As They Come (1971), Gary Busey has continued to work consistently over the years garnering numerous supporting roles and bit parts in more than a hundred movies. Wowing critics as Buddy Holly in the imaginatively The Buddy Holly Story (1978) Busey won plaudits and an Oscar nomination for his performance. His subsequent career glossed over this minor achievement as he went on to achieve mega stardom in a plethora of fantastic, popular movies such as Steel Sharks (1996), Hot Boyz (1999) and G-Men From Hell (2000). Criminally, few of these roles have been leads as shortsighted studio execs fail to see talent when it’s right up in their faces. Gary Busey is Hollywood’s greatest nearly man, deserving of so much more. Hearing his trademark gravel-voice is to hear the voice of a god, a sure vocal assertion, like the sound of gargled razor blades belying the mixed intentions of his character. In contrast, Busey’s good guys radiate confidence, reliability, toughness and an underlying vain of selfless heroism: men who will put their lives on the line to save the day. On the flipside, Busey’s bad guys exude playful menace, a steely, determined drive to achieve malicious goals in addition to an all too chilling suggestion of other psychotic, sadistic traits.
A salute then, to not only a great actor, but also a great man and above all an under appreciated hero of modern cinema. An unstable nitro-glycerine-plutonium smart bomb of unpredictable brilliance, Gary Busey, now in his twilight years remains an enigma. A man who may still be destined for far greater things, Busey is set to wow again in a number of films now in post-production. For now, check out his voice in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories as he reprises the role of one-armed Phil Cassidy on PSP. Then watch this space and listen out for more of those gravelly tones in the near future. You won’t want to miss out: trust us. He'll be back smoking on a fat stogie, ready to eat Steven Seagal's face.
School days, eh? Weren’t they great? No? School for most is a socially awkward time, pupils divided into cliques, having to watch your back for phlegm-laden projectiles. No? Just us then.
Canis Canem Edit (formerly Bully, before ignorant Daily Mail-reading controversy-mongers got their way - don't get us started) manages to encapsulate the school experience perfectly, having to adhere to a strict routine, encountering morally dubious teachers: all the elements are present and correct. What’s most beautiful about the game is the hazy, nostalgic Breakfast Club-era vibe that it exudes. Don’t expect to bump into knife wielding scholarly pariahs on Bullworth Academy’s grounds, this is school like it used to be, or how we remember it at least. Comments that the game is ' a Columbine simulator' are way off the mark and the refusal of some stores to stock the game are ludicrous.
Starting out, you’re railroaded through the opening missions and lessons in order to progress. It’s only when the front gates swing open that you discover the town of Bullworth and the wealth of new challenges and possibilities on offer. Paper rounds, BMX races, boxing, even a carnival complete with sideshows and rides can be visited for the very reasonable admission fee of just $1. Bullworth is a fully realised community, taking in abandoned warehouses, docks, railways, beaches, slums, posh housing estates and trailer parks.
Scrap! Scrap! Scrap! Scrap!
Playing as Jimmy Hopkins - a troubled kid, abandoned by his gold-digging mother – you decide to take the school back from the jocks and bullies ruling the playground preying on the weak and helpless. At your disposal is a fluid and accessible combat system where you can effortlessly take on multiple assailants and come out looking tough...sorry, I meant well 'ard. It’s a vast improvement on the brawling system adopted by the Grand Theft Auto series and even surpasses the combat in The Warriors. Jimmy can pick up any weapons lying around too, such as baseball bats, planks and dustbin lids. Your inventory also gives you access to a slingshot (obviously), eggs, stink bombs, firecrackers and some quirky, cool surprises that we’ll not ruin for you here. As Jimmy you can wreak havoc all over the school and surrounding town. However, vandalism, bullying and harassment come with severe penalties if you happen to get caught by an authority figure. Canis Canem Edit is undoubtedly the most enjoyable game the Shed has played this year by far, the sheer variety of missions and side quests on offer mean that you’re never short of things to do. Bullworth’s world is one that conveys a firm feeling of involvement, your actions affecting the relationships between the school hierarchy and social strata. Ultimately, the objective is to acquire 100% popularity among all of your peers, but to achieve this often involves putting a rival group’s nose out of joint. Factor in serial meddler and nemesis Gary Smith and things get very complicated, very quickly. Despite this you’ll always manage to effortlessly overcome your rivals and any offending obstacles because Canis Canem Edit is a bit on the easy side. Thankfully there’s plenty of game to play through meaning that you won’t be finishing it in a hurry. Once again, Rockstar have passed with flying colours, delivering a game that is both fun and involving, harking back to those rose-tinted, bygone school days of yore. So, a big tick and a smiley face then. Well done.
Verdict: 9/10
Post-script: A rant. Once again myopic morons have been up in arms again over the latest controversial scapegoat: the game formerly known as Bully. Have they even played it? If they had they'd know that it's not nearly as violent as normal, everyday school life. There's no knife crime, no shooting fellow pupils (One narrow-minded dumbass has been quoted saying the game is a 'Columbine simulator'). So, this rant goes out to all the foamy mouthed, buttoned down, always morally outraged Daily Mail sect who would ban anything even remotely shocking if they could. The Shed doesn't like you.
A short time ago in a galaxy very, very near… the debacle that was the new Star Wars movies (Revenge of the Sith excepted...just) shattered the faith of a generation of fans and made George Lucas an unpopular (if ludicrously rich) man. But don’t even get us started on the lacklustre licensed games that accompanied said movies. In short, they all stank worse than Jabba’s slimy thong. All except for one: Lego Star Wars (ok, two including the Star Wars: Battlefront games).
