Several
things happened with the release of each Star Wars film. They upped the ante
on effects, surprised audiences with new revelations, and redefined what it
means to make a battle sequence. Star Wars also gave birth to the most
incredible spacecrafts and ground vehicles the universe has ever seen. Who
cares if they were made a long time ago in a factory far, far away – they blow
the generic tanks and non-combative spacecrafts that Earthlings use out of the
water.
Nothing
would be cooler than being able to visit Kashyyyk, Felucia, Coruscant,
Tattooine or Naboo to test out these vehicles firsthand. Nothing could match
the sensation of getting behind a 40,000-ton AT-TE. Nothing could top the
thrill of controlling Anakin’s starfighter during a massive space battle.
Jedi have
all the fun.
Now that
Star Wars: Battlefront II is released, you too get to have all the fun.
Whether on
land or in space, virtually every vehicle is accessible. Control two-legged
walkers, futuristic tanks, Republic Gunships, droid ships, etc.! The X-Wing’s
predecessor, the Arc 170 Starfighter, is one of the first spacecrafts you’ll
get to test drive, along with Anakin’s Starfighter and the Tie Fighter-type
ship introduced in Episode III. As far as vehicles and spacecraft go, if it
was shown in Episode III chances are you can control it in this game.
The AT-TE is
a colossal, droid-abolishing super tank on four legs. It looks like a giant
beetle and moves very slowly, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. All of the
vehicles move appropriately for their shape and size. In space everything is
light and easy to maneuver, but you can’t escape gravity during ground
battles. Pushing through Felucia in the AT-TE gave me a special feeling – one
of impenetrable strength. No one could touch it. I wasn’t able to stomp on
droids as I had hoped. As fun as that would’ve been, stomping was made
unnecessary by the vehicle’s heavy, unlimited arsenal – lasers and a cannon
that kills most enemies in less than three blasts.
Troopers
(Clone, Engineer, Sharpshooter, etc.) make up the bulk of Battlefront II’s
ensemble cast. Special appearances by Jedi Masters lets you continue the fight
from their perspective. The idea is that, since these soldiers got to command
so many different vehicles, you should be able to as well. They also fought a
lot of battles on foot. You will too if you want to win.
Each Trooper
has an advantage that makes him an integral part of each mission. Clones have
a laser machinegun, Heavy Troopers carry rocket launchers, and Jet Troopers
have an air pack that let’s them fly for a short time. Perform well and
additional types of Troopers will become available.
Battles can
get pretty tough, if not a little cheap, which is why you should heed the
lessons taught by Grand Theft Auto: take the vehicle now, ask questions later.
No one’s going to arrest you for taking their vehicle, though you won’t be
able to take it if an enemy is already inside. Should you come across a
vehicle being controlled by one of your own men, get inside and he’ll be
kicked out unless it’s a multi-Trooper vehicle like the space variation of the
Republic Gunship. In that case the other Troopers will stick around, but
you’ll get to be the one in control.
Jedi are
also able to command vehicles, but the point of controlling a Jedi is to have
that experience. Jedi are much better fighters than Clone Troopers, which made
me foolishly rush into battle as if I were invincible. Jedi are not. They can
be killed just like anyone else. They are perhaps more vulnerable to gunfire
because they have no armor. They can block though, and have the ability to
perform half a dozen deadly moves with just a few taps on the square button.
Jedi can use their Force powers to execute a triple jump, which is more fun
than functional since landing the jump tends to slow you down. They can also
use their powers to damage droids and push them back a bit.
Don’t be too
hard on yourself should you lose while controlling a Jedi Master. Remember:
they’re keepers of the peace, not soldiers.
Galactic
Conquest is a new mode that plays like a turn-based strategy game. Battles
occur all over the galaxy, in space and on our favorite planets. Buy units,
move toward or away from enemies, and defeat them to take control of the
galaxy. Both of the Star Wars trilogies clash for a war that takes you through
major scenarios from each movie. These battles are considerably more difficult
than the main quest, but you’ll find that you have additional options to
alleviate some of the pain. Bonus items can be purchased that will enhance
your fleet before battle, or cripple your enemies’ defenses just before you
attack.
Star Wars:
Battlefront II doesn’t break new ground for gaming, but the vehicle-oriented
gameplay is a big step forward for Star Wars games. Watching a chapter in the
Saga never fails to make me want to play a Star Wars game, and you won’t find
another available that represents Episode III as well as this one.
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Gameplay: 8.4
Polished
third-person shooting, enjoyable space battles, and incredibly powerful ground
vehicles have pushed Star Wars to a new level of exhilaration. The marker on
my radar might be telling me to go north, but if I see a vehicle four hundred
feet away, I’m going to get that first. It makes the battles more even, though
that’s not the reason why I’ve got to have one. The reason I fight to so hard
to acquire vehicles is because they’re the most fun you can have with a Star
Wars game next to Republic Commando. One test drive with the AT-TE or Anakin’s
Starfighter and you’ll be hooked like a ship being pulled in by the Death
Star.
Graphics: 8.0
Beautiful and
disappointing. The ground battles are a cornucopia of gorgeous eye candy –
fully rendered ground vehicles, detailed Clone Troopers, impressive
explosions, exquisite backgrounds (Felucia rules!), and a whole lot more.
Everything you see on the ground is beautiful. The water is debatable, but
that’s true of most games.
The space
battles are not nearly as impressive. They’re fun, but not as fun – or as good
looking – as the Rogue Squadron series. That makes sense considering that
Rogue Squadron is a dedicated space shooter while Battlefront II combines
multiple gameplay elements into one title. Still, if Resident Evil 4 can make
the trip from GameCube to PS2 without losing its essence, why couldn’t these
space battles be as exciting and look as spectacular as the battles from a
GameCube launch title?
Sound: 9.0
John Williams’s
most unforgettable compositions since the original trilogy. They’re straight
from the movie and are not perfectly edited, but make no mistake – John’s work
is perfection. The sound effects are top-notch Star Wars assets, which is old
news if you’ve played any of the recent Star Wars games (even the bad games
had good sound). I’m not thrilled with the voice-overs and I do not expect
that to change until the day comes when LucasArts hires the same talent as
LucasFilm.
Difficulty: Medium
A good mixture of
battles that are hard, easy, and some that are in between.
Concept: 7.8
Nothing new or
innovative that will change gaming. However, Battlefront II moves Star Wars
games forward by being the first to let you control almost every vehicle you
come in contact with. It’s also the first to give you a detailed look at
Episode III’s most exciting planets, Felucia and Utapu.
Multiplayer: 8.4
Never die (I mean
fight) alone again. Offline you can team up with one friend for split-screen
cooperative play, or turn to the Dark Side and see if you’ve become the
most powerful Jedi ever. Go online (broadband only) for a much bigger
multiplayer experience that allows 24 troopers to fight each other. An attack
of the clones, if you will.
Overall: 8.4
Star Wars:
Battlefront II has so much going for that it’s almost possible to forget its
flaws. Most are negligible, but one stands out. The battles, no matter how
entertaining they are, have been presented to us many times before. They’ve
been presented in Star Wars games, in war games, and in other action titles
over the past five years. Protect your troops, defend your base, find an
important item, etc. That’s everyday gameplay. I’m not saying that we should
forget the past, but Battlefront II is another serving of a meal we’ve already
had. It tastes a little better and looks a little fresher. I have no regrets
playing through it and urge every Star Wars fan to check it out. Just beware
that what you’re getting is not innovation – it’s just more fun.
