(Blade (Toledo, OH) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Nov. 28--Over the last several years Star Wars has re-emerged as a colossal force in the entertainment industry.

One of the reasons for the revival is a hit 3D animation show for kids on the Cartoon Network called Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Given all this momentum, it only makes sense that we should take a look at LucasArts newest video game Star Wars: The Clone Wars -- Republic Heroes.

The game is created for a younger audience. The early levels are tutorials to teach the young Padawan the skills needed to become a Jedi Master. They take about 10 minutes and then -- poof, you're a Jedi. You'll learn everything you need to complete the game well before you see any serious action.

The story line follows the show pretty close and as you progress through the game you will play as many of the characters. You will have to switch between playing as a Jedi and a clone commander utilizing the different weapons and force capabilities of each. For a fan this is where the fun is, but the average gamer will find little difference between characters because of the simplistic combat style, which doesn't change from one level to the next. The higher levels just increase the number of droids you have to defeat.

For those who can't seem to figure stuff out, Master Yoda will appear at certain points to guide you with tips and hints. While he was helpful at first, I quickly grew tired of his interruptions. The size of the characters was also annoying. Because of the need for space around the characters in case a friend wants to jump in, the avatars sometimes get lost in the fray, making it hard to tell where your character is on the screen. By the time you find him again you've taken some serious damage.

If you like the television show you'll love Republic Heroes. If you like the movies you might want to shop for Star Wars: The Force Unleashed.

-- Score: 3.5 stars (out of 5) Game: Lego Indiana Jones 2: The Adventure Continues System: Wii Genre: Action/Puzzle ESRB rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and older) Lego titles abound in the gaming world, going back well over a decade. We've seen Harry Potter, Indiana Jones, Batman, and Star Wars, all remade as Lego characters. The parody versions of the cinematic greats rarely satisfy the adult gamer, but that has been changing of late. The last several Lego titles have garnered nearly as much attention from adults as they have from children.

Indiana Jones 2: The Adventure Continues, from LucasArts, follows the same format as its predecessors: it's a puzzle game with a little action thrown in for fun. Most of the game centers around smashing everything in sight and collecting jewels as you make your way through a Lego version of the movie. But this isn't just a kid's game: it can be challenging even for adults.

For the first half, players will make their way through the first three Indiana Jones movies, similar to the first Lego Indy title, only a little more limited. The second half will take gamers through the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. All of this leaves the game seeming more like an extension of the original rather than a sequel.

Only Indy and his sidekick, Mac, are playable characters at the start, but many characters from the movies can be unlocked as you advance. While the game can be played in single-player mode it is designed for two-player co-op.

Lego Indy 2 isn't without its sore spots. One is the hub world that acts as Indy's home position. You can explore this Lego town looking for extras and secrets to open new worlds and find treasures, but you will do it with almost no direction -- not a compass, not a map, not an on-screen arrow pointing the way. Perhaps the best feature is the ability to build your own levels and even your own adventure and share it with friends. Drag bricks, models, and other characters into place and lay down traps and obstacles as your heart desires. When you're done you can test it to see how you did. This keeps it from getting old.

Lego fans and Indy fans alike will find a nice addition to the collection but don't expect to be blown away.

-- Score: 4 stars (out of 5) Game: Astroboy System: Wii Genre: Action/Adventure ESRB rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and older) Astroboy The Video Game, from D3 Publishers, was a pleasant surprise. Usually games based on animated movies are promotional tools to help market the film. They are not the best games but they help immerse the player in the tale of the film. It's not that they are poorly made, but they rarely stand as games in their own right. Astroboy breaks that mold.

The story starts with a brilliant scientist/genius who attempts to take pure energy from outer space and insert it into a robot that will protect mankind from evil. In the process the scientist accidentally kills his own son, Toby. He creates a robot that looks identical to Toby and infuses it with his son's memories as well as with the pure energy from the universe. In the end, however, he cannot accept his creation and wants it destroyed. Astroboy escapes and defends humanity.

Astroboy's powers are impressive. He can fly with his jet-powered boots, but he also has arm cannons that deliver a tremendously effective particle ray, destroying most things in their path. He also sports a finger laser which does very little damage but stuns enemies so he can go in for the kill.

Whether you like the movie or not, Astroboy: The Video Game will give you an old-school gaming experience that is sure to satisfy fans of the side-scrolling platform. It's classic, it works, and you don't even have to see the movie to be impressed.

Contact Tom Fisher at: tfisher@theblade.com or 419-724-6523.

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