LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is by far the most comprehensive LEGO Star Wars game to date, and manages to make one of Star Wars' weirdest, worst duels actually cool and fun to play. Captivating lightsaber duels are an integral part of any great Star Wars movie, and the same is true of any good LEGO Star Wars video game. LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga manages to recreate the final duel in Star Wars: Attack of the Clones, an oddly paced and staged clash between Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Master Yoda, and Count Dooku, with new flair, stages, and dialogue.
For all that it does get right, LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is by no means a perfect Star Wars adaptation. Despite improving on the final duel in Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones, the game mishandles Star Wars' most iconic scene by including other characters for co-op gameplay. Co-op mode also tends to focus on a single player at a time, leaving the second player to blast from afar or wait on floating platforms during boss battles. When it comes to Attack of the Clones' duel with Count Dooku, however, Count Dooku presents enough of a challenge for both players to enjoy.
The original duel in Attack of the Clones was (and is) the series' worst. After Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace presented the series-high duel with Darth Maul, the battle with Count Dooku felt underwhelming and slow. Even with Yoda surprising fans by leaping and bounding throughout the duel, the encounter didn't leave much of an impression on the greater Star Wars canon.
Count Dooku's Episode II Duel Is Better In LEGO's Skywalker Saga
The game's adjustments to the battle with Count Dooku is just one of many reasons LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is the best LEGO Star Wars game. Instead of forcing Anakin to fight him alone, both Obi-Wan and Anakin take Dooku on, dodging deadly dashes and AOE ground slams. Between phases, enemy NPCs batter players as they solve mini puzzles. In a callback to the original duel, where Anakin damages the lights and plunges them both into darkness, Dooku kills the light generators, revealing himself in the devilish glow of a red lightsaber. The new duel is dramatic and fun, even before Yoda joins in to finish Dooku off.
TT Games has succeeded once again in bringing its signature LEGO charm to the world of LEGO Star Wars, and even improving on some of the series' iconic moments. As the game grows, there will be even more opportunities to improve LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga with more Star Wars character packs, and possibly DLC. As the new quintessential LEGO Star Wars game, LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga has set a high bar for the next Star Wars video game, with or without the bricks and studs.