Star Wars: Starfighter Special Edition

UPC: 023272655754

Platform: Xbox

Publisher: LucasArts Entertainment Company

Developer: Secret Level

Category: Simulation

Style(s): Space Combat Sim

Synopsis: Graphical enhancements and added two-player modes aside, Star Wars: Starfighter Special Edition is essentially a port of the PlayStation 2 original. Based around the exploits of three pilots: Rhys Dallows, Vana Sage, and Nym, the game weaves a narrative that, while concurrent with the events of Episode I, is totally unique to the game. Throughout the title's 19 missions, of which five are exclusive to this edition, players will helm three completely different fighters, each of which is unique to their owner. Rhys' Naboo Starfighter is extremely quick with a modicum of firepower, while Nym's Havoc is slow, but armed to the teeth with energy bombs, triple laser cannons and more. Falling somewhere in between is Vana's Ship, the Guardian Mantis. It's highly maneuverable, but lacks the speed or power of the other two. The missions themselves run the gamut from standard seek-and-destroy excursions to massive space battles, with five bonus missions making their way into this edition. Certain missions even allow the player to command wing mates, ordering them to defend or attack specific structures and enemies. CG cut-scenes perform the necessary task of setting the stage for upcoming missions, as well as providing some insight into the various characters you're forced to control. LucasArts saw fit to include an additional three multi-player modes in the title, bringing the grand total to five. Hunter pits two players against each other, one being the requisite hunter, while the other his prey. Capture the Flag and Dogfight are exactly what they sound like, and staples in many a multi-player mode, regardless of genre. Tag and Detonator Drop round out the selection. Detonator Drop is much the same as CTF, but now there's only one flag (a bomb in this case) that everyone must recover. Once retrieved it must be dropped off at an opponent's base before time runs out. Tag requires the designated person to keep an enemy under a beam for ten seconds to score. Visually, Star Wars: Starfighter Special Edition proves the most accomplished, sporting sharp textures and a smooth frame rate. ~ Gavin Frankle, All Game Guide

Package Contents: Registration Card

Controls: Joystick/Gamepad

The text is crammed into 12 pages and doesn't offer much in the way of detail. Fortunately, there are some training missions within the game to get a better idea of how to play. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

The graphics do not take advantage of the Xbox, and the first eight missions are boring to look at. Things get better near the end of the game, however, and there are some nice lighting effects. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

While Xbox owners get a special version of the 2001-released PlayStation 2 game, Star Wars: Starfighter still plays exactly the same albeit with some added missions and multiplayer contests. Those who enjoyed Rogue Squadron or Battle for Naboo on the N64 expecting the same type of gameplay are in for a surprise, as the game takes a slight turn for the worse with a fixed perspective, strange controls, and some rather tedious levels. The biggest change from the early Star Wars shooters is the absence of a third-person perspective set behind the craft. Since the game must be played entirely from a first-person view, you lose the ability to sense where your wings are in relation to the surroundings. This makes the planetary missions more difficult than necessary since you can't tell how close your ship is to hitting something, whether it's the edge of a canyon wall, an enemy turret, or the ground. The perspective becomes less of an issue during the openness of space combat, but problems exist here as well. The majority of missions end up feeling like basic point-and-shoot exercises rather than requiring any degree of piloting skill. Despite being able to pilot three different ships during the course of play, they all basically handle the same and controls feel more akin to driving a car than guiding a sleek starfighter, not that a valid comparison can be made this early in the 21st century. For some strange reason there is a sniper view on the Naboo Fighter, allowing you to zoom in on targets rather than chase them down, and quick turns involve "power-sliding" by quickly alternating between the boost button and the brake. The worst problem is trying to scroll through the available targets, as you often have to keep tapping the button until the right ship, tank, or structure appears into view. There is no map or radar on the screen, so you are at the mercy of following a red arrow until you blast the target out of the sky. Since many of the missions involve multiple objectives, such as protecting a craft from damage or defending a base from oncoming attacks, it's important to plan a basic strategy that involves eliminating the most dangerous threats. Fumbling with the controls to cycle through targets -- keep in mind you're under the pressure of being attacked while doing so -- makes it easy to miss what you're looking for, so you end up cycling back and forth through a long list until either the mission ends due to a failed objective or you happen to stumble upon the target. The space missions suffer from a lack of speed or movement, as it often feels like you're just spinning the cursor around the screen instead of actually flying through space. The background doesn't do a convincing job of fooling you with elements like streaking comets or motion blurring, so the environments become less and less believable until certain story sequences kick in which allow you to fight amidst asteroids or participate in the final battle against a looming space station. Most of the planetary battles early on are rather boring, with the same "destroy-as-much-as-possible-as-quickly-as-possible" tenant of gameplay, but within enclosed environments that are either too foggy or just devoid of interesting things (such as the Mars-like base that looks like a red planetarium with gun turrets, small spaceships, and a few buildings to destroy). It's not until the ninth mission (out of 14) where things start to pick up in terms of scope, challenge, and in visual style (such as flying over the rolling green hills of Naboo). Those owning the PlayStation 2 game will probably want to pass on this version, as the primary missions are structured exactly the same and there isn't a substantial difference in visuals (while the frame rate seems to be smoother in some areas, it's still not perfect). There <I>are</I> six extra bonus missions, three of which are completely new, with the rest being two-player versions of the first three bonus missions on the PS2. The only real standout in the new crop is "Serious Swarm," where the object is simply to survive. This is easier said than done, of course, as this mission represents the longest battle in the entire game -- with a "good" attempt being able to complete it within 30 minutes. Players will fight wave after wave after wave after wave of every fighter in the game, including large freighter ships and a duel with none other than Darth Maul himself in his elongated TIE Fighter-esque spaceship. To help you survive, there are occasional power-up icons that can temporarily offer invincibility, a wingman, new shields, or a restock of missiles. Star Wars: Starfighter won't impress Xbox owners used to playing such greats as StarLancer, TIE Fighter, or even titles in the Colony Wars series. The simple fact the game is based on Episode I is also a knock, since it lacks the built-in nostalgia and familiarity associated with using an X-wing, Y-wing, or Millennium Falcon against the Empire's Star Destroyers, TIE Fighters, or wonderful AT-ATs. Yet if you're just looking for a basic shoot-'em-up with great music, an above-average storyline, and a variety of two-player modes, Starfighter will satisfy. It's not quite as special as the title suggests, but it has its moments. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Players can revisit each level in an attempt to win three medals by completing additional objectives, usually translating into destroying all of a particular fighter within a certain amount of time. The two-player modes are a nice addition. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

An impressive 35 songs from John Williams' Episode I score are included, and each pilot features distinct voice-overs and radio chatter. Some of the sayings are highly repetitive, taking away from some of the enjoyment. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

The game's missions can get repetitive in a hurry, as all of them involve blasting as many ships as possible no matter what the objectives are. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

the game requires Joystick/Gamepad.