Short game, not worth $50!
Written: Sep 08 '01
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Pretty graphics, good sound
Cons: Short game
The Bottom Line: If you're a Star Wars fanatic then this game will be worth every penny. For the rest of us a rental of the game for the weekend will probably suffice.
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| mookiekong's Full Review: Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter for PlayStation 2 |
Welp, Star Wars: Starfighter is one good looking game from LucasArts. It's also pretty fun too. There are some drawbacks to the game though, one is fatal.
Star Wars: Starfighter follows three different characters Rhys Dallows, Vana Sage, and Nym. If these characters don't sound familiar, they shouldn't. They are new character introduced into the Star Wars universe via this game. Starfighter takes the story of these three characters and weaves them into a tight story that is actually pretty enjoyable. Each of the characters gets their own vehicle and like the differences in the characters, each vehicle is different too. The storyline of the game takes place concurrently with the storyline of Episode 1 and it gives some light to what was happening in the movie.
The game is good at rendering huge space combat and also planet-side combat. When I'm flying around shooting things, it's not just me but a whole slew of other craft in the air and space. This grandiose feeling that is projected by the game is something to be seen.
The one thing that sticks out about Starfighter is how well it looks. The game is gorgeous, at least on the gameplay side. The pre-rendered scenes look like crap. This is strange since usually the pre-rendered stuff looks a lot better than in-game stuff. With Starfighter it goes the other way. I couldn't stand looking at the cheap (early-90s) CG stuff that was used to tell the story. I could though fly around in the vehicles for hours because of the beauty and detail put into the in-game engine. The gorgeous graphics don't come free though since at times, when there are a lot of fighters on-screen, there is significant slowdown to the game.
The sound is all LucasArts. The sound is done to perfection, most of it coming from Episode 1. Along with the sound effects is the score that is lifted (and somewhat remixed) from Episode 1.
The other drawback to the game is that it is way too short. Given that I shelled out $50 for the game and can blow through it, on the hard difficulty setting too, in a weekend makes it way too expensive for the given play time. I'd say one could probably go through this game in a single sitting if they played in easy mode.
One thing to mention is the control scheme of the game. It takes a little bit to adjust to. The control scheme, after getting used to it is pretty useful (especially the Sniper/Zoom feature). But until then, you'll have to really work at it to get used to it. The left analog stick is used for up/down and yaw while the right analog stick is used to recenter the craft and for roll. And then there's the miriad of buttons that you'll have to learn. But, like I said, it won't take too long to learn these controls.
Should you buy Star Wars: Starfighter? Only if it's under $30 -- even then it's an expensive investment. If you're a Star Wars fanatic then I'm guessing this game is worth every penny to you, no matter the price. For the rest of us a rental of the game for the weekend will probably suffice.
Recommended:
No
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Epinions.com ID:
mookiekong
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Location: San Jose, CA, USA
Reviews written: 68
Trusted by: 26 members
About Me:
Current Mookie Obsession: Apple iPhone 8GB and Fedora 8.
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