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Star Wars: Starfighter review

Game: Star Wars: Starfighter
Platform: PlayStation 2
Genre: Shooter
Developer: LucasArts

Reader review by johnnythm

Date unavailable

Let me start off this review by saying this: I have been playing games for most of my natural life, and I believe that I represent most other casual gamers out there who are looking for a good time. With that said and out of the way, I'll get straight to the point. No pussyfooting around in my reviews! Now for the review you all want to hear.

Lucas Arts has once again graced us with another Star Wars Title, this time in the form of a combat sim much akin to Rouge Squadron. In fact, Starfighter could easily be called Rouge Squadron 2, it's so much like its predecessor. But this time, the action takes place during the events in the Episode 1 movie. The story revolves around three characters and their quest to shut down the Trade Federation. There is Rhys Dallows, who is like your Skywalker character, seeking to avenge the death of his flight instructor. Vana Sage, the mercenary fighter Pilot, who is deceived by the Trade federation early in the game. And Nym, the Feeorin bandit leader, who aims to put the federation away for ruining his business. And although the story is merely filler in between levels, it still has that unique way of grabbing our attention and making us play longer. Other little neat aspects of this game include the B-wing and T-16 vehicles and some music from the original episode 1 soundtrack. Now down to the nitty gritty.

Graphics: All I can say about this game is WOW! Lucas Arts really put that extra effort into this game to make you feel as if you are really in the seat of that Starfighter. With the enhanced anti-aliasing that Lucas Arts promised, the game is brought to you in painstakingly great detail. You'll have to get a towel to wipe the drool off your mouth once this game boots up. Never have I played a game with so much attention to detail; even the little battledroids have been modeled to perfection and brought to you on the screen. The explosions will leave you breathless, and the sheer number of models on-screen simultaneously will make your mind spin! At one point in the game you're forced to look at the planet as about 60 droid Starfighters fly up toward you! All this is done with little or no slowdown. Hands down, these are the best graphics to date on the PS2.

Sound: Once again you are treated to sounds straight out of the movies. Ships buzz as they narrowly miss a collision with your ship, lasers zing by you as you dodge 10 Droid ships, and even the familiar ''Roger, Roger'' of the battle droids are in this! I love this game! The musical score is what you would expect from a Star Wars title: dramatic space opera music. The biggest treat is at the end of the game when ''Dual of the Fates'' plays through the background. Nothing new Sound wise, but still a good formula.

Control/Gameplay: As soon as you pick up the controller you will be saying, ''Thank you Thank you Lucas Arts.'' They have put that extra effort into making your experience that much more enjoyable. Controls are simple: the left analog stick controls your pitch and yaw, and the right analog stick controls your spinning and turning. Boost and brake are conveniently placed as R2 and L2, respectively. Lock-ons are done with the Square button and firing with the 'X.' The best feature, though, is the sniper cam, which is R1. This feature allows you to zoom in on the enemy for some precision shots. After the first mission you should be able to pick up all the controls and become a legit Starfighter pilot. Thank you Lucas Arts for making this a simple game to pick up and play.

Overall: Although the game itself is a bit short, even with all the secrets to unlock, Star Wars: Starfighter is a game that no Star Wars fan should be without. With the great blend of graphics, control, and sound this game would be good for any casual gamer out there. In my truly honest opinion, this is a must-have game for anyone with a PS2, bottom line.

Rating: 0/10

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