There has been an awakening in the Force, and there has also been an awakening in Star Wars merchandise. (Star Wars jewelry? Really, Disney?) Of course, there is a tie-in game, too, and the one the Mouse King has bestowed upon us comes in the form of Disney’s own video game series Infinity. The Infinity series itself is a required taste, and that, unfortunately, carries over into its version of The Force Awakens.
For those who may be unaware of how the Infinity concept works, here is a quick rundown. First, you need the Infinity base to play the game. The base is a separate piece of hardware you purchase in a starter pack that connects to your game console and lights up like a Christmas tree. You then need Infinity figurines and a playset, which are essentially tangible add-ons. The playset is placed on top of the base – opening up the playable world onscreen – and then the figurines themselves are placed on their designated spots on the base, allowing you to play as them. In the case of The Force Awakens playset, the kit comes with the playable figures of the film’s two newest stars, Rey and Finn.
The Infinity retelling of The Force Awakens is not a completely genuine depiction of the film. Presented in its cartoony fashion, it skips the opening sequence entirely and cuts right to Finn and Poe Dameron’s escape from The First Order. This becomes commonplace throughout the game; many scenes from the film are left out, and what is left is basically a very broad and paraphrased retelling of the story. But the basic structure is still there, so the story still makes sense.
The liberties taken with the storytelling approach is both The Force Awakens’ strength and sometimes weakness. By not restricting itself to simply rehashing, beat for beat, the script from the film, the Infinity version of The Force Awakens gives itself plenty of leeway, so it has the opportunity to add in new and original missions that fall within the framework of the narrative. New challenges – like having to fight off incoming TIE fighters while armed with only a blaster atop a landing pad or being tasked with finding a certain item in the open world of the game – creates new adventures and insight into the galaxy of Star Wars. However, some of these new missions are way out in left field and are extremely tedious and will test your patience. Having to set up ramps for jumps is something you’d expect to be doing in a Tony Hawk game, not Star Wars.
But most fans of the film will want to check this out. The attention to detail is impressive, and there is always something to do. Disney’s Infinity adaptation of The Force Awakens is a game for all ages. At times, it can become a challenge to sit through, but if you want to be a Jedi, you have to have some discipline.
For more information, visit infinity.disney.com/play-sets/star-wars-the-force-awakens-play-set.
By Jason Savio