Building Bricks...ASSEMBLE!!

LEGO games. Like LEGO itself, they’ve brought families closer together. They’ve created their own genre, captured the essence of co-op multiplayer and haven’t ever let us down. Why? Because “Everything is awesome”.

2015 was a slightly different story though, as we were introduced to a new type of LEGO game in LEGO Dimensions. The Danish empire’s debut into the toys-to-life arena was a new direction for the gaming series, constructing actual building bricks that beam into the video game. To enjoy the full experience, one is encouraged to purchase individual level packs adding extra cost and changing the games dynamic almost completely. It felt a bit like Die Hard 4; all the right components, but Bruce Willis now has a pipe and slippers.

We craved a complete game with all the original brickwork. Collecting LEGO studs. The side-splitting parodies. Exciting gameplay. And SO MUCH STUFF TO DO. A LEGO game should be jam-packed with puzzles, levels, characters and all the replay value you’d find in a VHS copy of Basic Instinct. With LEGO Marvel’s Avengers, the LEGO world has been saved!

Unless you’ve been living in a Nordic alternate dimension for the last few years, you’ll be mighty familiar with the Avengers Initiative. Iron Man, Captain America, Hawkeye, Thor, Black Widow and Hulk are The Avengers, led by S.H.I.E.L.D Operative, Nick Fury. Similar to its LEGO platforming predecessors such as Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures, Star Wars: The Complete Saga and Jurassic World, don’t go expecting a new storyline here. Instead you’ll closely follow the plots of Avengers Assemble and Age of Ultron, as well as blockbuster spin-offs Iron Man 3, Thor: The Dark World, Captain America: The First Avenger & The Winter Soldier.

For those of you who thought the 2013 Lego Marvel Super Heroes was special, wait until you see this new adventure into the marvellous Marvel Universe. There’s seven individual hub worlds to free roam including magnificently remodelled Manhattan. Battles with HYDRA bots over Sokovia, a trip to Malibu at Stark Mansion, moseying down to Barton Farm, across the rainbow bridge of Asgard, explore wild South Africa and visit the home of that other super power, Washington DC.

LEGO Marvel’s Avengers plays similar to other games in the brick-laden series but feels like its reached a new dimension. Characters can now perform outrageous combos together (a LEGO first) and cue ‘Avenger Initiative’ moves as you team up with specific core characters to solve quizzes and quests. 
With over 100 Marvel characters to find, you’ll have to play through the game multiple times to unlock all of its treasures and all of its heroes.

And there lies the real beauty of LEGO games. From the most hardcore achievement hunters to the most casual pick-up-and-players, these games transport you into a world which feels familiar and where you feel welcomed to relive your favourite movie moments at your own pace. Thanks to LEGO Marvel’s Avengers, consider our faith in the series re-assembled.

LEGO MARVEL'S AVENGERS is available now on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, Mac, WiiU, PS3, XBOX360 and PSVita.

6 Red Bulls, 12 Pro Plus and a Cattle Prod up the Jackanory. I AM THAT AWAKE FOR THIS.

What can I say that hasn't been said already about Star Wars: The Force Awakens? Does it ooze adventure? Yep. Capture the magic of A New Hope? Wonderfully. Are all your favourite characters on hand to massage your nostalgia receptors into a sweaty mess on the cinema floor? Well, I'm writing this stuck to a persons shoe. There are twists, turns, loop-the-loops and all the action-packed goodness you'd find in a barrel full of red bull soaked Carolina Reapers.

In my opinion, The Force Awakens (TFA) is utterly, utterly brilliant. What also made my experience of it so unique, is that I watched alongside my better half; someone who is completely new to a galaxy far, far away, compared to myself, a man who had one of his first sexual encounters at the hands of a Jedi's reasoning tool. The force was strong. 

Don't worry. I promise I won't include any spoilers or give anything away. I wasn't born a total gooseberry.

In essence, JJ Abrams has grabbed the world's most beloved space opera by the Jabba the Hutts and taken the story forwards in Episode VII. Set 20yrs or so after Return of the Jedi, Vader has long been torched courtesy of that Ewok barbeque, yet the Empire continue their proclamation to wipe out the Rebels(scum) who won't be radicalised into joining the First Order, led by one-man Emo with daddy issues, Kylo Ren, played by the super talented Adam Driver. We meet new protagonists 'Rae' (Daisy Ridley), and 'Finn' (John Boyega) who cross paths by coincidence/ the force thanks to the charming want-to-take-him-home-and-build-a-fortress-together droid, BB8. Oscar Isaccs is lead X-Wing pilot Poe Dameron and all your favourite space pirates, princesses-turned-Generals and walking rugs are on call, as the rebels race to find Luke Skywalker before the dark side do. 

So, what will super fans make of it? Well, I'm still beaming like a Cheshire Cat and will be for quite some time. It was magical.

Having watched the world premiere (because real fans stay up 'til 4am on a school night...), it wasn't just the hype or scale of the film which blew me away, but the worldwide celebration of the original sagas legacy returning to smite the Empire once again. I don't remember quite the same fanfare for The Phantom Menace et al. It really was surprising to see the blatant lack of recognition for the prequel trilogy, a trio of big budget movies which are very much a part of the Star Wars universe, but people simply don't care. In all fairness, it does deserve to be digested by the Sarlak 3 times over, but still. No Hayden Christensen, No Ewan McGregor and definitely no Gungans (despite the internets pleas...) were invited. Liam Neeson was probably off kicking some Albanian's ass for yoinking the family dog, so he's excused.

However; Hamill, Harrison, Fisher, Chewie; they ARE Star Wars and boy was it good to see them together again.  

JJ Abrams' made a brilliant decision to write them into Episode VII alongside acclaimed screenwriter, Larry Kasdan, despite everyone initially thinking it may a terrible idea. Indiana Jones: KOTCS still gives me cold sweats 8yrs later. 

Kasdan; penner of The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi and even personal favourite Raiders of the Lost Ark, has captured the magic of Episodes V & VI wonderfully, which is assumedly what Abrams convinced Disney he could do given the freedom. 

He's surrounded himself with the same crew and production team who began this epic galactic adventure 38yrs ago and it's due to his own personal experiences of Star Wars as a young lad that he agreed to nurture and recreate it. No doubt the 3.3% of worldwide box office takings in his deal, playing a small part too. 

However, we've all seen the stupendous job he's done rebooting Star Trek. We had faith.

The new characters have been cast excellently. Mostly newbies; they bring vibrancy, wonder, fun and a a very satisfying fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants-ness which unleashes your inner youngling. 

Abrams has also been sure to hold back on the CGI after the smorgasbord of generated-tosh Lucas stuck on screen in the last trilogies outing. Instead, we have real explosions, the creation of bizarre and imaginative creatures particularly in Maz Kanata's Cantina courtesy of the genius, Neal Scanlan, and speaking of legends, superstar DOP, Dan Mindel, who has outdone himself with some of the most thrilling action sequences I've ever seen! Pyew-pyew laser gun fights, lightsaber battles, the Millennium Falcon returning to tear a new bigger, better, faster, stronger hole in the First Order's fleet. Simply breathtaking the lot of it.

The humour on board is also first rate. One of the opening exchanges between Issacs and Driver really set the tone for me, with Boyega adding tons of London-swagger to proceedings which hugely benefited the big scenes. His one-on-one with the TR-8R reminded me of the Raiders scene between Indy and the saracen sword-slinging vegetable seller. Although, this time no-one had the squits so they actually had to go through with it.

If I had any gripes, its that some of the story is a little random such as Rae suddenly hearing a lightsaber calling to her without a solid reason why, or how a measly storm trooper can be evenly matched in a duel with a Sith. Maul would've kicked his ass and probably eaten him after. We also didn't learn that much about 7ft silver-surfing trooper, Captain Phasma(Gwendoline Christie)either. What's her deal? Some scenes can also run a little long too. Shout out to Abrams though because although the cantina was one of those said long-uns for me, Maz looks just like my grandma which me chuckle and made the time go quicker.  

All in all, Star Wars: The Force Awakens is probably my movie of the year. It ticked every box, game me goose bumps at every turn, made me laugh, cry and there it brought back so many good memories. It's an institution and a club which I'm so proud to be a member of. 

Oh, and if you're wondering what the Mrs thought of the movie, she's now "actually quite looking forward to the next one".

Mission accomplished. 

Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens receives 5/5 Macho Man Randy Savages because it's Star Wars. End of.