AbstractSTAR WARS fans need not rest all of their hopes on the likes of Episode II; this Xbox franchise entry has the story and visual splendor to rival any of the films in the popular sci-fi series. Play as Adi Gallia the one Jedi who can save the troubled Karthakk system. Use of the Force is mandatory here, as you'll have to master Force Reflex and Force Lighting abilities in order to successfully pilot the Starfighter. Boasting high AI and incredibly advanced gameplay, this one is sure to make the diehards happy.
ESRB rating
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Violence |
Full descriptionThis sequel to Star Wars: Starfighter features a storyline inspired by events depicted in the feature film, Star Wars: Episode II -- Attack of the Clones. As a Corellian Jedi Master named Adi Gallia, players embark on a quest, on behalf of the Jedi Council, to investigate the traitorous coalition being formed by Count Dooku. Players will streak across the galaxy in a Jedi Starfighter prototype ship as they advance through 15 combat missions.
New to the Starfighter series is the option to train before each mission, allowing players to learn the control system of their ship as well as the combat techniques necessary for survival. The game also offers the ability to use Force Powers, in addition to the vessel's standard armaments of quad-pulse lasers. The Force Powers include Force Shield, Force Lightning, Force Reflex, and Force Shock Wave in three degrees of strength.
While the majority of missions involve Adi Gallia, at certain points during the game players will be able to control the pirate character from the original Star Wars: Starfighter, Nym. Each of the missions available in the single-player campaign can also be played with a friend in a cooperative mode. Selecting this option offers Player Two the choice of three new characters and ships: Reti, Jinkins, and Siri Tachi. At certain points the second player will be called upon to man Nym's laser turret gun while the other player flies.
As in the first game, advancing through each mission involves completing a specific number of objectives, from bombing runs inside bases to flying through asteroid fields. A secondary game, Coruscant Territory Capture, is a strategy contest in which two teams compete for the control of three territories. Flying over a territory when there are no enemies in the vicinity will "capture" it, which awards a team points the longer they maintain control of the region. The first team to 100 points wins the game.
The galaxy is in turmoil as the events of Star Wars: Episode II rapidly approach. Mace Windu dispatches one of the Council's top Jedi - Adi Gallia - to investigate disturbances in the Karthakk system, as a secessionist movement threatens to expand. Using the Republic's new prototype Jedi starfighter, Adi Gallia sets out on missions which lead into events depicted in the Star Wars: Episode II film. She quickly gains an upper hand in space battles through Force powers, but will these be enough to counter the massive fleet of the evil Captain Toth and a mysterious figure that threatens the very foundations of the Galactic Republic system?
Features include single and dual player action in over 20 story-based missions, graphics, effects and performance enhancements - along with over 40 new crafts including massive capital ships, three new flyable fighters and new enemy crafts.
Editorial reviewSource:
AmazonThe force is truly with
Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter. This first-person space shooter will appeal to fans of the genre, and will especially excite any
Star Wars buffs: there's a lot of material in this game that covers the period between
Episode I and
Episode II.
The time prior to the events of Star Wars: Episode II is a chaotic one. Pressure between the Republic and Count Dooku is building, and the Count has a plan that will give him the upper hand. He's made a deal with Captain Toth of the Trade Federation, who intends to take over the resource-abundant Karthakk system. He has met almost no resistance, except for the alien smuggler Nym.
Aware that the Karthakk system must not fall into Dooku's hands, Mace Windu dispatches his former student Adi Gallia (now a Jedi Master) to the system in an experimental force-powered starfighter. She joins forces with Nym, and together they just might have a chance at stopping Captain Toth.
Jedi Starfighter has 15 story-driven levels and an in-depth tutorial. In all, the game provides over 20 missions, mostly protecting or escorting targets and blowing up droids and other minions of the future Empire. The action takes place in space, as well as in the sky over various planets. You can play as either Adi or Nym, and you can also play the entire game in two-player split-screen cooperative mode. The Xbox version has an exclusive head-to-head scenario called Coruscant Territory Capture--think Star Wars meets Capture the Flag.
The two main ships you fly are Adi's Jedi starfighter (the same ship piloted by Obi Wan in Star Wars: Episode II, Attack of the Clones) and Nym's strike bomber. Adi's ship is fast and light with four force powers (force field, force lightening, force reflex, and force shock wave). Nym's ship has heavier armor in addition to energy bombs, cruise missiles, proximity mines, and cluster missiles. The cockpit is set up similarly in both ships, so it's easy to switch between them.
This game is good, but there are a few weak points. The voice dialogue, while well-scripted, never shuts up and may drive you batty. The AI is downright dumb early in the game: for example, you can blast away at an enemy troop carrier, and it keeps going on its merry way until it's destroyed (the drones are somewhat trickier, but soon become predictable). The AI does improve later on, but some may not feel challenged even then. Lastly, the button placement on the already cumbersome Xbox controller is difficult--the zoom button is right next to the shoot button, making it pretty much impossible to do both at the same time.
Bottom line: Star Wars Jedi Starfighter is a fun space shooter--especially for two-player gaming--that shows off your Xbox. --Bryan Karsh
Pros:
- Good training missions
- Two-player cooperative and combative modes
- Sharper, smoother graphics than PS2 version
Cons: - Too much dialogue
- Difficult button placement
- Dumb AI
Fulfill certain objectives to unlock bonus features and vehicles
Issue commands to wingmates during combat to help turn the tide of battle
Perform powerslides to make tight turns
Cooperative mode lets two players work together to fight a common enemy
- Portions of content provided by Rovi Data Solutions, Inc. and IGN Entertainment, Inc.