Star Wars Starfighter

"Very Good Star Wars Game, But It's Not Long Enough!"

After a number of successful titles had been released on the Nintendo 64, Lucas Arts finally decided to try its luck at making a game for one of the first ''next-generation'' systems, the Sony Playstation 2. That game would be Star Wars: Starfighter.

Gameplay -10/10- Like previous hits, such as Rogue Squadron, Starfighter was a flight simulator game. Unlike Rogue Squadron, however, Starfighter had a number of features that its N64 predecessor lacked. One such attribute was a targeting system. The ability to lock onto a target is quite useful in this game, since it can be quite easy to lose your enemy in Starfighter's expansive levels. Another handy factor in the game is the sharpshooter mode, where the camera zooms in really far, enabling you to easily pick off your opponents before they are in range to fire at you.

There are three default ships you can fly, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. The first craft is the N-1 Naboo Starfighter, which is really, really fast, but it shields are weak, and its weaponry only consists of two laser cannons and a limited supply of proton torpedoes. The second fighter is the Guardian Mantis, an extremely maneuverable ship with a stupid name. The Mantis' weapons are also made up of two laser guns, but it also has an unlimited supply of small missiles which latch on to an enemy starfighter and drain it of it's energy. Lastly there is the Havoc, which is my favorite ship in the game. The Havoc's very slow and bulky, but it's by far the toughest ship. It has six laser cannons which are all fired at the same time, along with an unlimited amount of bombs.

The variety of levels in Starfighter are nice too. There are escort missions, hit and run missions, or simple but fun ''destroy all enemies on the screen'' missions, as well as many more. The only thing that's disappointing in this category is the length of the game; it's just too short. Other than that though, the gameplay's somewhat flawless.

Challenge -7/10- Starfighter's slightly disappointing in this category, since I thought it would've been harder than this. Now don't get me wrong, there are some difficult parts in this game, but they're mostly in the levels where you play as the Havoc. The majority of the N-1 and Guardian Mantis levels are unbelievably easy, even on the game's highest challenge settings. The last levels though is the hardest part in the game though, in my opinion.

Story -10/10- Starfighter takes place during the events of Episode One, but thankfully, there's not a single appearance of that pond scum, Jar Jar Binks, nor any of the idiotic Gungans for that matter. Starfighter's about a rookie Naboo pilot named Rhys Dallows, who gets to fly as an escort for the queen's starship as she goes to discuss matters with the Trade Federation. Upon arriving at the rendezvous point with the Federation, they are ambushed by mercenaries. The queen escapes, but Rhys is stranded there in space in his damaged ship. After a while though, Rhys gets assistance from some other mercenaries, who repair his ship, and they all go back to Naboo to help stop the Trade Federation blockade.

Graphics -10/10- The graphical capabilities of the PS2 are well used in Starfighter. The ships look like they were taken right from the movies, and you can easily see every little detail on them. The levels are also very nice, especially the Trade Federation battleship. The cutscenes are simply breathtaking, and also appear to have been taken straight from the movies.

Sound -10/10- Sony's always been the best when it comes to video game sound, and of course, Starfighter is no exception. The sound effects (lasers, explosions, engine sounds, etc.) are great as usual. The music sounds clearer than it does on most cartridge based Star Wars games, and the voiceovers are understandable too. Each character's voice seems to suit them well.

Playtime/Replayability -8/10- The game goes by so quickly, that it's hard to get bored of it fast. After you beat it once though, you probably won't want to play it again for a while.

Rent or Buy? Don't expect this game to be another Rogue Squadron, because it isn't. It's still pretty good however. Buy only if you're a Star Wars fan and you like flight sim games, otherwise, I would suggest renting this title first.

Well, there you go. Star Wars Starfighter is proof that Lucas Arts CAN make a good Episode One game. Lucas Arts also made a sequel to this title, Jedi Starfighter, which is an Episode Two game. In my opinion, the original was the best.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 06/20/03, Updated 06/20/03