The Force is strong with this one.
The toys-to-life genre is becoming more and more crowded each year. I have an abundance of plastic action figures that work in various games across several platforms, both on shelves and in storage. It is becoming a problem. However, only one game has ever enthralled me enough to actually play the games with any sense of excitement, and that is Skylanders. Above it all I still want a great-playing game, and while Disney Infinity has always had the best toys and characters, the games were never really at that level. Disney Infinity 3.0 changes everything. It is finally on par with the best in the business, and it has the properties I care about to boot. Now if only I had more shelf space for these rad toys to show how grown up I am.
Each iteration of the series comes with a theme, it is no shock that this year’s game focuses on Star Wars. There is that new movie coming that a couple people are excited for. The base pack comes with Twilight of the Republic, unless you get the PS4 bundle that comes with the legacy set featuring the original Star Wars movies. It will be available for everyone at the end of September. This six hour adventure takes place in the Clone Wars era and features recognizable characters such as Anakin Skywalker and his padawan Ahsoka.
MSRP: $64.99 (starter kit), $39.99 (play sets), $14.99 (per figure)
Platforms: XB1, PS4, PS3, 360, Wii U
Price I’d Pay: $64.99
What makes this pack so much more enjoyable than the last iteration is that it finally plays fabulous, thanks in part to the top tier developers brought on board to design the game. Ninja Theory handled the lightsaber combat here, which explains why it is so much fun. The mission design is also much more interesting than last year’s Marvel outing. The environments are varied and the mission design stays just fresh enough throughout the somewhat lengthy campaign.
We also got access to the Inside Out playset, which is completely different from the Star Wars one. This is more of a platformer, with each of the characters possessing different abilities. The playset comes with two out of the gate, which is fine to complete the playset. There are 25 levels, with various themes. Some include moving characters in time with music, while others had me traversing environments in different ways. It is a really fresh take on the platforming genre, and much different than the included Star Wars bundle. This is what I love about Disney Infinity, just the different types of game play new playsets can bring.
Of course the playset is only half of the experience with Disney Infinity. Toy Box mode returns, and this time is more fleshed out and enjoyable than it has ever been. Toy Box now hosts one big hub, which serves as a tutorial playground that teaches the basics of everything that can be found. There is a lot to see and do here, almost too much. With each base tutorial a new area opens up, and inside each of those are more explanations of how everything works. It is impressive to say the least.
The newest addition to 3.0 is sidekicks. These miniature helpers are really cool. They can be set to farm (literally) crops in the world, thus producing food which can be fed to increase their stats. These characters can fight alongside players and help in a number of ways, such as restoring their health. They also have hats, and who doesn’t love hats for customization? Of course, everything is themed in Toy Box mode, so expect plenty of familiar head pieces.
Once again there is a lot to unlock as far as pieces go in Toy Box mode. For creators this can take time (or money) depending on which sets they already own. Unlocking them comes quick, but considering the amount of items, it also takes time. I cannot wait to see what creators come up with over the next six months, especially with all the themes and pieces packed in. I still am not a creator; I can dabble and understand how it works, but my designs are awful. I like to just enjoy what others have created, and the new tools make for some really interesting possibilities.
I have always been super critical of the Infinity series, mostly because I want to love it. The characters are among the best in the genre, and it fills my childhood dreams of playing with my favorite toys. 3.0 finally hits all the right notes, and fixes most of my complaints with the previous entries. I am now on board, and ready for the next Star Wars expansion to arrive. My wallet just got a lot lighter, but the fun I will have makes it all worthwhile.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
