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Halo 2
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Pub.: Microsoft
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Dev.:
Bungie
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Score: 9.8 |
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Star Wars Battlefront Review
by Ryan
With the release of the original Star Wars trilogy DVD set as well as the Star Wars Battlefront video game, Lucasarts added another $150 million to their bankroll in one day! While many will pick up Star Wars Battlefront upon its release there are some out there who tend to stray away from all the hype and educate themselves before plopping down 50 bucks for a game, and can you blame them, because honestly aside from a few gems (KOTOR for example) many of the Star Wars games on the Xbox have been rather blah. Well fear no more my young Padawans because Star Wars Battlefront is here with an experience never before seen on the Xbox.
Features:
-Star Wars music, characters, and vehicles
-Online Multiplayer up to 24 players (with T1 connection)
-System Link
-HDTV 480p
-In-Game Dolby Digital
Gameplay:
Pandemic's mission with Star Wars Battlefront is to put the player in the middle of an epic Star Wars conflict. Ever dream of flying around in a Snowspeeder and using your tow cable to take down Imperial Walkers? How about joining the Clone army during the battle at Geonosis? Well in Battlefront you can do that and so much more.
Star Wars Battlefront pits two factions (either Rebellion vs. Imperials or Republic vs. Separatists) in a battle to control several different points on any of 10 maps. The settings are taken right from the Star Wars movies. You'll do battle on the icy planet of Hoth, the forest moon of Endor, and Cloud City in Bespin just to name a few. While some maps might lend more towards vehicle play or ground based blaster fighting, most are well designed and allow a good degree of both.
Different character classes allow you a wide variety of playable options. Each class has different abilities, all which can lend a huge hand in winning a battle. For example, snipers are not only good for taking out troops from long range but are also equipped with recon droids that can call air-strikes on heavy vehicles or critical points on the map. What nice about this feature is that you can change classes upon re-spawn so you never get stuck playing the same type of character.
The single player experience of Star Wars Battlefront has three different modes to offer. The first is Historical Campaign which takes you on a linear path through the game with some original movie cut-scenes thrown in to give it more of a story feel. Galactic Conquest is where you and your enemy battle for control of each planet in hopes to eventually conquer the galaxy. When you win a planet you are able to choose a power-up for the next battle, like adding a Jedi to fight for your side or health regeneration for your reinforcements. Finally, Instant Action allows you to jump right into a battle without haste.
Star Wars Battlefront's biggest attraction is in the online multiplayer features of the game. The online action is fast and furious and supports up to 24 players if you have a host running a T1 connection. You can also include AI bots in matches to add to your armies. The AI bots will not only command vehicles and turrets but will also obey certain commands you give them, like to pile into gun turrets of a Republic Gunship or to stand and defend a strategic point. There is nothing quite like hoping in a Snowspeeder with your buddy to take down Imperial walkers together. No other game on Xbox has quite captured a real battlefield experience like this one has.
While Battlefront is a wonderful addition to the Xbox library it doesn't come without some major faults. For starters there is no real game play difference between the offline and online modes, and the offline modes won't really keep your attention for weeks on end. It�s basically the same game with the same types of battles. The only difference is offline you have the Galactic Conquest mode and some movie cut-scenes in the Historical Campaign, aside from that there is no real difference. The AI also acts a bit strangely sometimes. I've played in games where the enemies AI's are commanding turrets and vehicles and your comrade AI is and will not. A major beef people have had while playing online is the lack of any lobby. If it's not already a major concern for Pandemic and Lucasarts (and my sources tell me it is) the lack of a lobby really hurts the online experience. For example, if you tried to join your friend's game and the match was set on auto-balance, then there is no way of playing on the same faction with your buddy. If you are able to choose your side, there's no lobby to talk to your friends so you can coordinate which team all of you will play on. It's possible that this could go on round after round, and just breeds frustration. This really puts a hindrance on players trying to run clan matches and friends list matches. There was also a noticeable amount of lag during the early weeks post release but Lucasarts is rumored to be working on a patch to fix those issues. Not having any downloadable content sort of stinks as well.
Graphics:
I have to admit that though the graphics are not the best I've ever seen on Xbox, they are stellar nonetheless. I was pleased when I saw how detailed and realistic the various vehicles and characters looked as well as how amazing their animations were. My jaw dropped when I was hit with a grenade and sent flying and flailing 20 feet into the air, only to hit the ground flopping and rolling for about a hundred feet. Explosions look sweet, Characters are detailed (you'll get a chill when you see Drodekas rolling towards you), and the engine seems to handle a ton of action rather well (offline that is). This is one of the best looking Star Wars games to date.
Audio:
Here is an area where Battlefront excels. Nothing was spared in the audio development of this game. From laser blasts, vehicle engines, character voices, to John Williams� classic scores, the audio is a real key in making you believe you are in a Star Wars battle. You won't believe your ears when you hear the X-Wing's blasters fire or how that TIE Fighter sounds exactly like it does in the movies. Wookies growl, Snowspeeders whirr, and droids bleep and blurp all to your ears� delight. Throw in the hauntingly ominous Star Wars music we've all come to know and love and you have one of the best auditory sections of a game that consoles have ever seen.
Overall:
Star Wars Battlefront is another one of those games that is mediocre to good without Xbox Live, and a definite solid addition to your library if you are an Xbox Live subscriber. That's not to say that the offline modes aren't enjoyable and exciting to play. The excitement just wears off in a short time and you'll be wishing you had Xbox Live so you can really experience what this game was made for: online play. While it does have it's faults, like the non-difference between online and offline play and the lack of an online lobby as well as lag, this game brings an experience to the Xbox that we haven't seen before. True war simulation battles complete with different vehicles, character classes, and strategies (and don't tell me Unreal 2 counts). If you're a big Star Wars geek or you're looking for a new gaming experience on the Xbox, then you should go pick this one up.
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| Rating |
| Gameplay: | 8 |
| Graphics: | 8 |
| Sound: | 10 |
| Value: | 8 |
| Tilt: | 8 |
| Overall: 8.4 |
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