As of lately,
the games that are centered around a galaxy far, far away have been mainly about
Jedis and the timelines that sees the beginning of the first galactic Empire
formed by a Sith Lord that now calls himself Emperor Palpatine. Of course, these
games were inspired by the last chapter in the new trilogy that sees the fall of
Anakin Skywalker and his turn to the Dark Side as Darth Vader. While it’s fun to
swing a lightsaber, it’s great to finally wrap your fingers around a blaster and
take down some of the galaxy’s worst scum. Luckily for us, we get to do exactly
that in Star Wars: Lethal Alliance for the PSP.
In Lethal
Alliance, gamers slip into the role of Rianna Saren, a tough-as-nails
Twi’Lek who had been orphaned and sold into slavery by traders protected by the
Empire. With a deep-rooted hatred for the Emperor, Rianna has taken to smuggling
and a life of crime until one day she meets a shady figure who calls himself
Kyle Katarn (who you may remember from games like Dark Forces or Jedi
Knight: Dark Forces II) who invites you to meet a certain teenaged Princess
who just so happens to be a major force behind the Rebel Alliance. Offering
Riana a lucrative-yet-dangerous assignment, Rianna accepts and during a
smuggling run she rescues a little robot she nicknames Zeeo who will join her on
an adventure that will have this feisty female Twi’Lek and her little hovering
droid fight for the good of the entire galaxy.
As I mentioned
above, this one is all about blasters and blasting is exactly what you’ll do as
Rianna. She’s certainly no Jedi Knight (if she were this girl would definitely
be a Sith Lord in the making) and you’ll know it since she’s not shy when it
comes to pulling the trigger. Anyone who gets in her way will certainly meet
their fate before her blaster or her melee weapon of choice … the Thorn of
Ryloth that acts like a sort of short lightsaber blade. Add the fact that
Twi’Leks are known for their acrobatic skills and you have a recipe for good
action game.
Rianna might be
a talented acrobat and shooter but it’s Zeeo who plays a big role in her
survival. In the beginning of the game, you use Zeeo to tap into computers to
open sealed doors as well as stun enemies in order for you to finish them off.
Later, however, Zeeo can be used as a shield, be used to perform slow-mo
acrobatic moves and you can even ride on top of the little droid. The more the
pair work together, the more they can pull off better moves during the game.
There are even times where you can control Zeeo and navigate the little robot
through narrow passages to activate a sensor.
As far as PSP
exclusives are concerned, Lethal Alliance has a nice number of missions
and many of them are appropriate bite-sized and perfect when you’re playing the
game on the go. The mission variety is actually excellent and there are very few
moments where you’re doing the same thing whether you’re fighting against hired
thugs or (since the game takes place before the events seen in Episode IV)
Imperial Stormtroopers. At one point, you’re taking control of a mounted gun as
you use Zeeo to keep the gun from overheating and another point you’re hoping
down a shaft using Zeeo to keep you from falling to your death. There’s even a
cool moment where you’re hanging on to Zeeo as he zooms past flying traffic
throughout Courasant much like Kenobi does during the chase scene in Episode II.
While the levels
are great fun and Star Wars fans will certainly get a kick out of interacting
with core elements from the George Lucas-created world, it’s the controls that
cripple the game. The targeting function is the primary problem, often targeting
the farthest enemy on the screen rather than the enemy right in front of you who
is shooting his blaster right at your face. At least the Rianna’s acrobatic
skills are decent, slowing things down in slow motion to allow you to target
your enemies a bit better. Another aspect of the game that just doesn’t work is
the two-player multiplayer mode that doesn’t offer much at all.
The graphics in
the game are actually not bad but then again they’re not great either. As far as
the environments are concerned, the game is great at bringing to life all the
usual Star Wars visual elements that make up the universe. The character models
are actually pretty good as well, although Rianna doesn’t look so good during
the game’s action. Some characters sometimes have that stiff PSOne look and the
clipping problems are plentiful. When it comes to music, the always-wonder John
Williams score never gets tiresome and while it plays in loops in this game it’s
never annoying. Even the sound effects come straight out of the movies. Just
about the only weak aspect of the sound is the voice acting that just isn’t that
good.
Star Wars fans
and third-person shooter enthusiasts will find a lot to like about this action
game that offers plenty of variety and fun despite the flawed shooting
mechanics. Lethal Alliance plays in the Star Wars universe in the most
enjoyable ways and the fact that it’s made specifically for the PSP is a major
plus but in the end, the controls and multiplayer mode will make you feel that
this could have been a lot better. Still, this game isn’t one you should miss
either way.
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Gameplay: 7.0
Rianna and
Zeeo make a pretty good team and many of their moves are just plain hot but the
targeting controls will get you killed and the camera isn’t as responsive as it
should have been in this game. You’ll get blaster upgrades and learn new moves
but the real star here are the cool levels.
Graphics: 7.5
The
environments are pure Star Wars and going up against the recognizable Imperial
Stormtroopers is a delight for any fan of the George Lucas-created universe.
While the character models can look a bit on the blocky side, it’s not entirely
bad.
Sound: 6.5
The familiar
and always welcome Williams score that punctuates most Star Wars-themed games is
present and the usual assortment of sound effects is here as well. There’s some
voice acting as well but it isn’t very good.
Difficulty:
Medium
The battles
can get a bit hot in places and there are times when you’ll find yourself
repeating a level and thanking the Gaming Gods for checkpoint saves. There are
some platform bits that are a bit tricky at times but there’s nothing here that
will frustrate.
Concept: 7.5
While Jedi
Knights are absent from this game, Rianna is a great character and she certainly
knows how to use a blaster. Zeeo is a great friend and you use him throughout
the game in a number of creative ways. The story is fun and has a cool cameo
character. There’s a multiplayer mode that would have been killer but, sadly, it
isn’t so good.
Multiplayer:
4.0
Two players
can blast away at each another in a deathmatch-styled multiplayer game in
cramped maps like the Death Star or even down below in the planet of Tatooine.
The good news is that you can make some credits for some cool upgrades during
matches. The bad news is that the poor targeting and confined spaces are really
not ideal for fun multiplayer action.
Overall: 7.0
Star Wars:
Lethal Alliance
for the PSP may not be perfect when it comes to the controls or
its multiplayer mode but it’s still a blast to play if you’re a fan of all
things Star Wars or like a decent action game. There’s a lot of variety to the
levels and the teamwork aspect is pretty good but ultimately this is a portable
action game that could have a lot better.
