It’s been a looooong time since I reviewed something from Disney Infinity. Ever since the absolute madness that was Infinity Corner over at EZ-Mode Unlocked – where I reviewed every single figure and playset that was out for 1.0 – I decided to take a break from it. It was a hard labor of love, but it was and still is glorious to look at. But here we are now! Disney Infinity 3.0! And I’m reviewing a play set that will hit shelves on September 29th.
The Rise Against the Empire play set came bundled in the Saga Bundle that I purchased when the game launched August 30th. And ever since then I’ve been slowly but steadily chipping away at the whole game. But since this play set in particular was a timed exclusive, I figured I should try and focus on it and review it for those who look to purchase when it hits shelves.
I wasn’t going to spend too much time on these, but to me, half the fun of Disney Infinity are the figures! I feel like I went into pretty good detail as to why I loved these figures in my Rise Against the Empire Play Set Unboxing post. My main appreciation for the figures is how they both perfectly captured the spirit of the their movie characters. The poses each of them have are a great representation of who they are. And even though they’re simple, if you’re a fan of the characters, you’ll love how they’re designed.
Luke and Leia are packaged with the play set. Other figures that call Rise Against the Empire home are Han Solo, Chewbacca, Boba Fett, and Darth Vader. Six iconic figures altogether! All the figures will be available on shelves on 9/29, except for Boba Fett who is a timed exclusive to the Saga Bundle and won’t be released until January 2016. If you want to check him out though, there’s a sweet unboxing post featuring Boba Fett right here! Trust me, he’s my favorite so far, so check that out. Such an amazing figure and a blast to play as.
So as long as you unlock them in game by simply finding their Champion Coin in the play set, you can use figures like Yoda and Obi-Wan, or any of the Rebels figures in Rise Against the Empire.
And what’s great is all Star Wars figures can be used in all Star Wars play sets. So as long as you unlock them in game by simply finding their hidden Champion Coin in the world, you can use figures like Yoda and Obi-Wan, or any of the Rebels figures in Rise Against the Empire. It’s a very welcomed change, being able to share figures among play sets. You get to put them all to use and you don’t feel sad for not being able to play with a favorite.
Overall, I’m exceedingly pleased with the figures so far. I cannot wait to pick up the other 3 that belong in this play set, but I’m so happy I don’t have to wait for them to have different experiences in the game. It’s the type of fun Disney Infinity as a whole is based on. Being able to take your favorite figure and just have a blast with no limits (in the toy box). With that way of playing slowly creeping out of the toy box where you’re absolutely free to do so, and making its way into play sets gives me great joy and hope for where the series is going.
The Play Set
Now if you know me, you know I don’t spoil anything when I review. So if you’re afraid of me listing off the different awesome things you encounter in all the different worlds, worry not. I’m here to mainly tell you about my experiences and what stood out to make it fun. And this play set has plenty of fun!
I know if you’re reading this, odds are you’re a fan of Star Wars. And if you’re not automatically purchasing this on day one, you’re probably looking for a thumbs up. Approval. Validation that your $35 for the play set or $65 for the starter pack is going to be worth it, or if it’s going to be just another cash in on the Star Wars money machine.
If you’re a fan of the original trilogy – which Rise Against the Empire is based on – then you’re in for a Death Star sized treat.
There’s a few exceptions, e.g. the Inside Out play set is platform driven while the Star Wars play sets are action based. But for the most part, you’re looking at the same concept and the same types of side missions and quests in every play set. The different themes and franchises are enough to mask repetitiveness, but there’s only so many times you have to bring X over to Y before you realize the similarities.
With that said, Rise Against the Empire shares the same types of side quests and missions as other play sets, but they don’t feel repetitive. They don’t feel like a chore that makes you want to hurry up and progress so you can carry on with the story. Maybe it’s thanks to the wonderful world of Star Wars? You’re in this setting that you know and love and you want to savor every Wompa kill, every Tie Fighter explosion, and every Storm Trooper popped open with your lightsaber. I don’t know what it is exactly, but I do know I was disappointed whenever I ran out of missions to do and had to continue on the main story. None of them felt like I was doing the same thing over and over which is a curse Disney Infinity play sets as a whole have dealt with since 1.0. Not to mention the laundry list of characters that you’re going to recognize as you’re playing, which I’m sure will help you love the play set even more than what you already were.
Even though everything is based off the original trilogy, it’s not a direct telling of the events that happened. I haven’t seen the original trilogy for a few years (waiting for closer to Episode VII to rewatch), but as I was playing, I noticed very easily there were certain things out of place or that simply didn’t happen. So no, you’re not getting the authentic story, so if you’re looking for that, you might be slightly disappointed. But seriously, at the end of the day, this is a game that is geared towards kids. We as the adult fanboys and girls that we are, should be counting our lucky stars that a game like this even exists for us. So what Luke, Han, and Chewy are helping Princess Leia get the droids onto an escape pod away from Darth Vader’s grasp? It’s the Disney Infinity way. The flow of the gameplay has to work with the figures that are playable. What really truly matters is we’re there to relive it, play it, and experience it either on our own or with the next generation of Star Wars geeks right beside us.
…I knew my kids were going to grow up with their own Star Wars films, experiences, and memories. A whole new generation is being exposed to this space magic for the first time, and that makes me so amazingly happy, I cannot begin to describe it.
And that’s my main draw to it. I can’t properly put into words the pure joy I feel when I boot up this game with my 5 year old next to me. And he’s as into it as I am! Ever since it was announce that Disney purchased Star Wars, I jumped for joy because I knew they were going to do right by it. I knew we were going to be seeing new movies and shows and games and Han Solo branded Pop Tarts, and Boba Fett branded coffee creamer. And most importantly, I knew my kids were going to grow up with their own Star Wars films, experiences, and memories. A whole new generation is being exposed to this space magic for the first time, and that makes me so amazingly happy, I cannot begin to describe it. Disney Infinity 3.0 was pretty much the first wave of Star Wars goodness to be launched in anticipation for The Force Awakens, and I honestly think if you’re a fan of Star Wars, or are looking to become one, then this entire game needs to be on your radar.
If you really want more substance as to why I’m so happy with this play set, then I’ll make it easy for you: The story is classic. The way it feels when you’re playing is impressive. Controls are responsive and great and most importantly, fun! You actually feel the power of the lightsaber every time you swing it, the force of the blasters every time they’re shot. And all the awesomeness goes for the space battles as well, which you get to partake in a few times throughout the play set.
For years I was hoping to get an updated Star Wars game I could enjoy with my kid because the old Lego games get stale after 100+ hours. Disney Infinity 3.0 not only gives us this great toy box to have all sorts of fun in, but it also gives us experiences like the Rise Against the Empire play set where we can relive moments and characters from these classic films. I can’ wait for The Force Awakens play set when it’s released with the film. I have no doubt it’ll be a great way to celebrate and experience the movie when it comes out. You could tell a lot of love and passion went into the making of this game and this play set. It’s up to you to pick it up and experience it.
