Use the toys, Luke
It’s only been two years since the release of the first Disney Infinity, which managed to become a massive hit before venturing into Marvel territory in the second game. Now, Disney has tapped the Star Wars market, and its monolithic influence is set to destroy the wallets of parents everywhere.
This would be a bigger problem if the games weren’t all that great, but thankfully, Disney Infinity 3.0 maintains the same level of quality as the last entry, with a few minor iterations. Did I mention it has Star Wars in it?
Disney Infinity 3.0 (PC, PS3, PS4 [reviewed], Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One)
Developer: Avalance Software / Ninja Theory / Studio Gobo / Sumo Digital / United Front Games
Publisher: Disney Interactive Studios / LucasArts
Release: August 30, 2015
MSRP: $64.99 (Starter Pack) / $34.99 (Play Set) / $13.99 (Characters)
As is tradition in my toy-to-life reviews, let me break down how everything works. For $64.99, you’ll get the Starter Pack, which includes the Twilight of the Republic campaign Play Set, the game, Anakin Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano figures, and a USB base. You’re basically getting the 10- to 15-hour Republic story on top of the creation-centric Toy Box feature that the series is now known for. Rise Against the Empire and Force Awakens Play Sets are going to arrive at a later date, and Inside Out’s Play Set will be available at launch. This review is only assessing the Starter Pack, but look out for coverage of other Play Sets in the future.
Phew! With that out of the way, let’s move onto the content actually included with the base game.
At this point, it’s safe to say that the collective of developers involved with the project has figured out how to craft a meaningful combat system. To prevent people from mashing buttons, delayed combo attacks have been implemented, as well as mechanics like juggling, and a launcher that’s initiated by holding down the attack button. You can also launch an enemy with a lightsaber and juggle them with a blaster, then when they land, use a combo.
In other words, it’s easy for kids and parents alike to both enjoy themselves — the more skilled party will be able to dig deep enough into the ability system and customization elements, and the other party can mostly just wing it. It’s a much better balance than the LEGO games, which tend to be just family-friendly. In Disney Infinity 3.0, “hard” mode is akin to a normal setting in most action games, and “Extreme” can be rather tough at points, though artificially so with gigantic life pools for regular enemies.
The characters themselves feel fresh, especially the force-wielding ones like Yoda and Anakin, who have access to force push and pull maneuvers on top of their unique super abilities and powers. For instance, Yoda can knock an enemy up in the air, use his super to instantly dash to someone across the room, combo them, and then dash back to catch the other foe. It’s not as advanced as other top-notch action games, but it does feel like a marked improvement.
As for the story pack, Twilight of the Republic takes a more traditional turn, compared to the one-map sandboxes of past Play Sets. Here, you’ll fly between different hubs with your ships, consisting of individual planets like Naboo, Tatooine, Geonisis, and Coruscant, as well as the vast expanse of space in Star Fox-esque sequences, complete with barrel rolls and quick turns. I really dig the variety on offer here, because while the current Star Wars characters can’t move about as freely as say, Iron Man or Spider-Man, the hubs all feel unique in their own way.
Additionally, Disney is boasting that all Star Wars characters are compatible with all Star Wars Play Sets, which helps (albeit partially) solve the issue of having a bunch of toys that don’t work, similar to how the Marvel worlds functioned. You still have to earn tokens to unlock the use of other characters, but they’re more easily accessible, and you only need to find one rather than a series of them. Having said that, it’s a bummer that the base game didn’t come with more than just Star Wars. It would have been great to see a fully fledged Disney property (like Mickey’s Toontown) since 1.0 was heavily Pixar-infused, and 2.0 was a Marvel joint.
If you’re keen on playing with every toy though, the Toy Box is still available. Not only can you create levels on your own with various setups like racing, adventure, and arena action, but you can also easily find stages online to play with one of the best hubs in the business. What makes Disney Infinity so great is that Disney curates content for you in addition to all of the usual fixins, and provides easy access to top-rated creations — so it takes very little effort to find the “good stuff.” I had access to a limited amount of levels pre-launch, which includes a Gravity Falls level with a log ride and roller coaster, as well as a rhythm memorization minigame, a seek-and-find puzzle, a stealth sequence, and of course, classic platforming levels.
If you pre-order the game, you’ll also net the Toy Box Takeover Play Set, which really should have been included in the base package for everyone. It’s essentially Diablo, Infinity style, and you can use every character in the game. It’s far more fun than “Escape from the Kyln” in 2.0 as it contains a procedurally generated dungeon in it as well as a host of fixed story levels, and will last you roughly three hours. Some purists are probably seething at the idea of fighting Darth Maul to the tune of Gitchee Gitchee Goo, but I’m completely okay with it, and I assume your kids will be too.
Just like its predecessor, Disney Infinity 3.0 feels a bit limited by the lack of variety in the Starter Pack, but the good news is that the studio is still on track with its core mission to create an action game for all ages. Twilight of the Republic is still a fun way to spend your time, and the Toy Box Mode should keep you busy even if you don’t intend on buying any more pricey add-ons.
[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher. All current Star Wars figures were provided as well for testing.]
