If you've been waiting and waiting for the LEGO-ised video game Star Wars: The Force Awakens to come out, you have probably been hanging on for this book to come out too. And thanks to Prima Games, who have supplied us with a copy, we can help to spread the word about this strategy guide.

First off it's much thicker than I expected. I've got the Prima Guides for all the previous LEGO Star Wars video games in my collection, and this book is at least 50% - of not 100% - thicker than any of the rest. Does that make it good value? In my world quality trumps quantity any day. So what's inside the glorious cover (I don't think I'll ever get sick of LEGO-ised Star Wars movie posters!) that makes for all the width?

• Easy-to-follow Walkthrough: a step-by-step guide that can lead you through the entire game - both Story Mode and Free Play so you don't miss a single stud, gold brick or character along the way.
• Detailed Maps: never get lost in the myriad of corners and corridors with highly detailed, full colour maps which mark objectives and bonus locations.
• Collectible Finder: you won't have to spend hours and hours looking for every minikit, red and gold brick, unlockable character if you use this guide.

And if that's not enough to get you scrolling to the bottom of this review and clicking on the Amazon link then you'll want to know that there are also:

• Quick-reference checklists
• Information on every character & vehicle
• Coverage of the new Multi-Builds system & Blaster Battles

I've noticed that since the first couple of LEGO Star Wars strategy guides, the more recent books have been simplified. Is this because games are getting bigger? I can remember when I played the beta version of the first video game through I had finished around 30% of the game in about 8 hours. Completing the Story Mode in LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens only got my beta player team to around 20%, in +10 hours, so there is 80% more game to discover and it takes longer.


Or could it be that the book is dumbed down to make it more appealing? Economics says that with the cost of paper, printing and postage going up there is no reason to increase the cost of the book unless you are making it a better product. Is it a better guide than the other LEGO Star Wars guides that are available? It's a hard thing to compare because this is the print version available. But there are plenty of game guides and walkthrough on the internet, so why would you need a hard copy wen there are plenty of digital guides to chose from?

Well for starters it's a nice addition to any LEGO Star Wars collection, but that's just an excuse to have to dust slightly less bookshelf. So stop being lazy and get the book down and use it as it's meant to be - an in-your-hand walkthrough and guide to a great game. You won't have to wait for half a day while your favourite Youtuber uploads the latest video walkthrough - it'll right there with you. Nor will you have to trawl through thousands of search results for tips and trick - they'll be at your side the next time you need some help. And forget about researching all the extra missions, collectibles and unlockable characters and compiling tables to keep track of them - this book has got checklists!


If you are still hell bent on living in a digital world you'll be pleased to learn that the purchase of the paperback also grants you free and immediate access to the mobile-friendly e-guide (also available separately for RRP $9.99). BONUS NEWS: If you haven't already got the other eguides, they are currently FREE for LEGO Star Wars The Complete Saga and The Clone Wars!

So, to summarise - even if you are a confident video gamer this book is definitely a must-have title. With a game of this size it's next to impossible to be able to get the much-sought after 100% without a smidgen of help, and by having a printed copy you'll have instant access to all the info you need, when you need it. This is the kind of upsell that "Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought" is made for.

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		Price : $19.99
		Pages : 288
		Pub Date : 28 June, 2016
		Age Range : N/A
		Grade Level : N/A
		Format : Paperback
		ISBN : 9780744017298/0744017297