LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga may be one of the best LEGO games in recent years, but its boss battles are rather messy and unbalanced at points, especially when played with a friend in local co-op. Iconic lightsaber duels are a deep part of Star Wars' DNA, and LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga doesn't leave a single one on the cutting room floor. Players bringing friends along in co-op mode, however, may find themselves or their friends left out and experiencing the fun second-hand.
TT Games' most recent title is by no means perfect, and co-0p gameplay is one of the biggest problems LEGO Star Wars: Skywalker Saga must fix. Climbing mechanics are a hassle to navigate, and some of Star Wars' most iconic characters are missing their more unique abilities, to name but a few problems. Despite drastic improvements, like a more dynamic camera system and character controls, the game's HUD is still too crowded, with more information making its way onto the screen than in any of the previous LEGO titles.
The co-op mode in LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga exacerbates this issue by dividing the players through split-screen gameplay. Previous LEGO games have used fixed camera angles that leave the players to explore the game environment more freely. LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga's HUD is already messy in single-player, but add co-op into the mix, and it's even more frustrating to deal with. This leads to some chaos and confusion in the co-op experience in general, and can be distracting during more classic, cinematic boss encounters.
LEGO Star Wars' Co-Op Boss Battles Can Sideline Players
Another key issue in the boss battles of LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is that, in some of the most iconic, important duels of the Star Wars movies, bosses tend to focus on the experience for one player, leaving the other on the sidelines and out of the action. Revenge of the Sith's Mustafar duel between Anakin and Obi-Wan, for example, lets one player battle as Obi-Wan, while the other plays as C3PO aimlessly floating on a platform above. The new LEGO Star Wars has a new, fun combat system, and relegating co-op players to the stands sucks the life out of a cute, fun video game.
Despite the less-than-stellar co-op experience, LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is still a blast to play. Spanning all nine major Star Wars movies, from Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace to Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker, and featuring nearly 300 playable characters throughout the Star Wars canon, the game is jam-packed with memorable moments, exciting action, all preciously rendered in adorable LEGO pieces. LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is a must-play for Star Wars aficionados across the galaxy, solo or cooperatively, even if boss battles aren't always an equitable experience.