Developer: Avalanche Software
Publisher: Disney Interactive Studios
Platform: PS3, PS4, PC, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Android, iOS
Tested on: Wii U
Disney Infinity 3.0 – Review
Nearly a year ago Disney Infinity 2.0 hit the shelves, riding on the wave of success that The Avengers were bringing to Disney. This time we trade in the comically looking superheroes for Star Wars figurines, in the base set of Disney Infinity 3.0. We reckon this has to do with the soon-to-be-released seventh movie of the Star Wars saga. That being said, don’t fret, there are other sets as well, albeit for a price. We were looking forward to see what Disney had done with the Infinity franchise and while it solved a few issues of the previous installment, it didn’t really provide anything ‘new’ or groundbreaking to move that much ahead.
Story
Just like the previous installment, the story value of the play sets is rather slim, albeit enjoyable to a certain degree. This time the base set of Disney Infinity 3.0 takes us to the Star Wars universe, where Anakin Skywalker and the rest of the Jedis find out that there is still an active droid factory. This means evil armies can still be produced and will prove to be a risk for many innocent civilians. It’s your job to track it down and make sure that things will not get out of hand.
The story situates itself after the second movie of Star Wars, meaning Anakin is still good. That being said, the flow is rather fast, as you’ll be going from one mission to another. Just like the other installments of the Disney Infinity franchise, there are more play sets to purchase and play through.
Graphics
It’s clear that the series is still being released on the previous generation of consoles, as the graphical prowess isn’t truly on par with the capabilities of our current generation of consoles. That being said, the game itself looked reasonably smooth on the Wii U version we were lucky enough to try. The characters are nicely detailed, as well as the many enemies you’ll encounter in the campaign and Toy Box modes. Other than that, the buildings and environments are rather simply done and are lacking in detail, compared to the rest. Nonetheless, the game provides a colorful and likeable whole, albeit at times a bit empty.
That being said, the developers did a great effort in making different franchises look as if they were made for each other, by fine tuning the different styles of the original franchises, making one more suitable style for this collective. Especially in the Toy Boy, where you’ll be able to use all of your different characters, nothing feels truly out of place.
Sound
As expected of something with the Disney name scribbled all over it, the voice acting in the game is simply superb. You’ll be treated to many authentic voices, as well as a new great cast. The dialogues might sometimes be a bit slow or repetitive, there is nothing that can be said about a lack in quality.
The music itself stays on the background most of the time, except in the middle of battle scenes it tends to kick in, to get your blood pumping a bit more. Nonetheless, most of the music is decent, just not that noticeable most of the time.
Gameplay
Just like Disney Infinity 2.0, 3.0 is mainly a sanbox game, whereas the play sets themselves are adventure platforming games. Nonetheless, the Toy Box mode, in which you can create your own adventures, as well as the community content, will probably seize most of your time.
When you’re actually playing, and not in construction mode, the game plays like pretty much all action platformers. You’ll be able to run around in the enclosed area you find yourself in, attack your enemies, jump and climb on things and of course solve several simple puzzles. Of course all characters play differently, as each character has its own set of skills, which allows you to build each of your characters in a different way. Each level up, you’ll have to consider which play style suits you the best and thus invest in the skills that match your preferences. Sadly, just like in the previous games, when you’re playing a specific play set, you will only be able to use characters of that set and thus no characters from another universe. What’s even worse is that in the Star Wars set that comes with the game, you will not even be able to use all of your Star Wars characters (if you buy extra figurines) from the beginning of the campaign. A fairly big annoyance if you’re not truly a fan of the starting characters.
If you’re finished with the campaign that comes with the game, or if you want to create your own content right from the start, you’ll be able to access the Toy Box, in which you can create your very own adventures. Whilst many may want to dig right in, it is advised to stroll through the different tutorials in the hub first, as they will prove to be helpful in your creationist frenzy. Compared to the previous installment, these tutorials have been slightly updated but you’ll have to try out many things for yourself, to see how it all works. You’ll also be able to share your own content online, if you feel like it. Of course, this means you’ll be able to try out a lot of other players’ manmade levels as well.
Seeing the game offers different play sets, as well as many different figurines, these items will also serve in unlocking more and more content for the Toy Box. In a way it’s a sort of payable, yet physical DLC for your collection. If you’re a frequent user of the Toy Box, you will find a lot of fun in trying out different characters to unlock more items. If you’re more of an adventurer, you might just want to stick with those characters you really like. If you’re a collector, go nuts.
Control wise it will take some time getting used to the Toy Box construction mode, whilst the character controls are very straightforward. Nonetheless, the camera controls are simply horrible. You’ll often be forced in angles you don’t want, as well as struggle to get the camera in the right position.
Conclusion
Disney Infinity 3.0 plays it rather safe and feels a bit like a copy paste of the previous installment, albeit with the removal of some of the rough edges 2.0 had. Nonetheless, creationists will certainly be able to have fun for many hours to come, adventurers not so much. The game proves to be decent, whilst at the same time it will not blow you away.
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[…] It has already been a few months since Disney Infinity 3.0 has hit the stores, with the first Star Wars set, set in the middle of the Clone Wars. While this portion of the Star Wars saga is certainly an enjoyable one, most hardcore fans were waiting for the new ‘The Force Awakens’ set, which revolves around the movie, which is currently still playing in theatres all over the world. Today we have the chance to present you with our opinion of this new set, albeit only the set, as the main mechanics of Disney Infinity 3.0 and the Toy Box still remain the same. Our original review can be read by clicking here. […]