AbstractNot many games have tried to pack so much STAR WARS action into one experience. This incredible Xbox exclusive takes you to such classic locales as the Federation ships, Naboo swamps, the streets of Theed, Coruscant, Tatooine, and other familiar settings. The game's dozens of missions provide widely varied gameplay, and you'll encounter all sorts of classic characters like Qui-Gon, Mace Windu, Darth Maul, the Battle Droids, Jin Ha, and the Tusken Raiders. May the Force be with you, gamers.
ESRB rating
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Violence |
Full descriptionObi-Wan, easily one of the most recognizable characters in the famous Star Wars saga, is the protagonist in this third-person adventure title for the Xbox. Using the two analog sticks on the controller, players control Obi-Wan's movement and lightsaber independently of one another. In addition to possessing consummate skill with a lightsaber, Obi-Wan is imbued with a vast array of Force powers that can be used to leap great distances, deflect laser blasts with his lightsaber, run quickly, pull enemies and objects nearer, or push them farther away.
Taking place just before the events in The Phantom Menace and eventually running concurrently with it, Obi-Wan will find himself in familiar locales such as Coruscant and Theed, and will interact with NPCs. During his travels, he will contend with many of the characters from the film, as well as the Jin ha -- a new breed of enemies whose exact role will be unveiled as you progress. A Jedi Saber Arena allows players to spar with members of the Jedi Council, and offers two players the ability to go toe-to-toe.
Join Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi as he takes on the worst scum and villainy the galaxy has to offer in level after level of fast-paced action. The power of a legend is yours as you wield Obi-Wan's considerable Force powers, Jedi agility and lightsaber in 15+ action-packed levels. Call upon the Force and your powerful lightsaber as you face a mysterious new enemy, an assassin droid project and a devious plot that could dramatically shift the balance of power in the universe.
Editorial reviewSource:
AmazonA long time ago, LucasArts established a sterling reputation with their classic
X-Wing,
TIE Fighter, and
Monkey Island games. But recent efforts have varied widely in quality. Some games, like
X-Wing Alliance, were outstanding. Others, such as
Force Commander, were better left unreleased.
Obi-Wan, LucasArts's first
Star Wars: Episode I adventure game for the Xbox, falls firmly in the latter camp--the controls are poor, the graphics uninspiring, and the voice acting is embarrassing.
Obi-Wan chronicles the adventures of young Obi-Wan Kenobi across five acts as he battles the evil Trade Federation, the Black Heth crime organization, and other assorted baddies. The story is nothing new, and it's hampered a bit by the Episode I setting, which simply isn't as compelling as the setting of the classic Star Wars stories.
Since you play as Obi-Wan, the primary weapon in your arsenal is the lightsaber. Using a third-person view, you use the left thumbstick to control Obi-Wan and the right thumbstick to control the lightsaber. In principle this sounds fantastic, but in practice it's a mess--the camera constantly shifts angles, making it hard to see certain enemies, and planning a coordinated attack with the lightsaber is unnecessarily difficult, especially when multiple enemies are swarming in from all sides.
Graphically, Obi-Wan is lifeless. It fails to take advantage of the Xbox's fancy graphics hardware, and the environments are empty and plain. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, a game released for the obsolete Nintendo 64 system, features much more beautiful graphics. And playing Obi-Wan after playing Halo or Munch's Oddysee will make a Star Wars fan weep at the thought of how good Obi-Wan should have looked. Compounding the ugly graphics problem is the fact that the game will slow to a crawl at certain points, making jumping or fighting practically impossible. Almost as bad as the poor graphics is the horrid voice acting (Obi-Wan sounds like Mike Myers doing a bad Scottish accent), and the all-too-frequent cinematic cutscenes look like they were slapped together in five minutes.
There are some tiny diamonds in the vast rough, such as the ability to use Force powers to throw objects at enemies or pull weapons out of their hands. A feature sure to please fans of the dramatic saber fights in Episode I is the multiplayer Jedi Battles mode. This mode lets you and a buddy engage in fierce Jedi duels, using characters from the movie and game. Unfortunately, these few nice touches aren't enough to overcome Obi-Wan's bland setting and lame execution. --William Harms
Pros:
- Force powers
- You get to use a lightsaber
- Multiplayer Jedi Battles can be fun
- Great music and sound effects
Cons: - Foes parry Obi-Wan's lightsaber with clubs
- Horrible graphics
- Atrocious voice acting
- Clumsy controls
- Empty levels
Take on a Tusken War Chief, assassin droids, and Darth Maul as you journey through more than 15 levels
Travel through the Star Wars universe to visit places including Coruscant, Tatooine, and Obredaan
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