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Star Wars Battlefront
Score: 92%
ESRB: Teen
Publisher: LucasArts
Developer: Pandemic Studios
Media: DVD/1
Players: 1 - 16
Genre: Action/ Online/ First Person Shooter

Graphics & Sound:
Star Wars games have become stale as of late. We’ve done the Jedi thing to death, and if I EVER have to fly against the Death Star again it will be too soon. Star Wars Battlefront changes things by giving gamers a new way to experience the Star Wars universe -- through the eyes of a grunt trooper in either the Clone Wars or Galactic Civil War.

Battlefront looks great and ranks among some of the best graphics I’ve seen in a Star Wars game in a while (and trust me, I’ve played plenty). Battlefields are big and really capture the epic feel of battles from the movies. Blaster fire and explosions fly all around while giant AT-ATs lumber across snowy fields trying to keep snow speeders from tripping them up. Character models look especially impressive, especially those of the clone troopers. It’s really neat to see all of the little details Pandemic was able to work in. One of the few complaints anyone could have with the game’s look is the presence of blur filters over all battlefields. Some players may not like it, but I felt it only added to the hectic feel that the game was trying to convey. Check out the Battle of Geonosis in Attack of the Clones and try telling me that battlefields are nice, clear areas. This is really one of those ‘love it or not’ issues. DVD quality clips from all five movies are also worked in to help set up certain battles.

Sound is something few Star Wars games have excelled at, and Battlefront is no exception. All of the trademark effects are here. Though it’s something only the hardcore fans will probably pick up on, all of the music matches up with the film trilogies they are taking place in. For example, when playing during the Clone Wars, you’ll only hear music from the two prequel movies; when taking part in the Galactic Civil War, you’ll only hear music from the original trilogy. Again, those looking for a problem could cite the voice work during mission briefings as being sub par (which is true seeing as how the Emperor sounds like a 60-year-old chain smoker), but it’s such a minor thing you probably won’t even care once you get into the action.


Gameplay:
For players familiar with the Battlefield series of games, the concept behind Star Wars Battlefront is simple: you choose sides and control points on a battlefield, and cut off your opponent’s reinforcements. Each side is given 200 reinforcements (though the numbers fluctuate under certain conditions) which act as a sort of life meter. Each time you or one of your soldiers die, they are respawned at a command point under you control. Once an army reaches zero, or a side controls all the command points on the field, they’re defeated. Control of these points is important since it limits where your opponent can attack. Controlling points near vehicle spawns comes with the added advantage of cutting off your opponent’s ability to use heavy weapons.

Each faction has access to trooper classes that have their own unique abilities and functions in battle. Soldiers are the hard-nosed warriors while sharpshooters can take things out from a safe distance. Trooper classes are similar for each faction, but also have their own unique perks. For example, Dark Troopers and Jet Troopers can use jetpacks in battle, while Destroyer Droids can use personal shields. What type of trooper you choose to be is completely up to your playing style and your current objectives on the battlefield. If your mission is to destroy the shield generator bunker on Endor, you’ll more than likely want to be a Wookie Smuggler, who come equipped with powerful time bombs. If you’re facing down a mechanized CIS fleet of vehicles, then the ARC Trooper is your job of choice. These, however, are only suggestions as you can be whatever class you want whenever you want.

Combat isn’t limited to foot battles; nearly 15 vehicles are also available, ranging from ground-based vehicles like AT-ST and Speederbikes to aerial weapons like X-Wings and TIEs. Which vehicles you can use are largely limited to the battlefield you’re playing on. Also, there are times where one side will have access to vehicles while the other will not. The real plus side to this is that any player can pilot any vehicle on the field. So if you happen to find yourself in a situation where your side doesn’t have any heavy weapons, you can partake in a little search and steal mission to even the sides. There’s nothing like taking it to the Empire with their own weapons. Some vehicles also allow you to take different positions (pilot or a gunner position) and load up with multiple troopers. Picking up other troopers becomes vitally important to get the most out of some vehicles -- like the snowspeeder. Without a co-pilot, you can’t launch the tow cables and trip up AT-ATs.

The Single-player mode is broken up into three components: Historic Battles, Galactic Conquest, and Instant Action. In Historic Battles, you’ll play through all of the major battles from the movies as well as some smaller skirmishes not seen in the movies. Galactic Conquest is one of the more interesting of the offline modes. Here you choose a faction and battle for control of the galaxy. You begin by choosing a planet to attack, and after two successful battles, take control of them. Controlling planets gives you planetary bonuses like more troops and Jedi generals. Controlling four planets grants you access to your Secret Base ability -- such as access to the Death Star. Instant Action lets you pick a faction and battleground and fight.

Online battles allow for up to 16 players to participate. Bots can also be included in battles to add to the action.


Difficulty:
Offline, Star Wars Battlefront is very erratic in difficulty. Some missions, like the CIS attack on Kashyyk are cake walks, while others, especially the Battles of Endor and Geonosis, are rather hard. Much of the difficulty can be eased with the use of smart tactics, but there are a few elements that make battles feel cheap. In particular is the Battle of Endor, which puts you at a 50-person disadvantage to the Empire. Sure you have the Ewoks at your side, which I assume is supposed to make up the difference, but they’re only tactical use is as meat shields. Other than taking a few blaster shots, they don’t help much. For the most part trooper class types are balanced, although the Destroyer Droids were known to give me fits during certain battles due to their shields, which can pose an unfair advantage, especially when coupled with their rapid-fire lasers.

Online, it’s all about tactics and player skill. Communication is key during battles, so make sure you have a USB mic set-up and ready to go before you even think about stepping foot onto the online battlefields. It also helps if you’re a courteous player online, otherwise count on getting the Batha Fodder award (given to the player killed the most times during a battle) often.


Game Mechanics:
Star Wars Battlefront can be played on both first and third-person perspectives. The controls are set up really well and are easy to get used to, at least when you’re on foot. Vehicle controls are hard to manage until you really get the hang of them. Air-based vehicles in particular are a pain due to their lack of movement range. There were numerous times where I found myself trying to reign terror from above on ground troops, only to scratch my ship’s belly against the ground. This wouldn’t be much of a problem if some battles, like Geonosis, didn’t require you to take out ground-based targets from the air. The option of ground-based tanks is available during this battle, but they’re so slow half your reinforcements are gone by the time you reach the target zone.

Although it features offline and an online mode, Star Wars Battlefront really shines as an online game, which it is primarily meant to be. Anyone who regularly plays games online should definitely look into Battlefront. For those who aren’t online, you should still get your money’s worth, but it won’t come with the same replay factor as the online crowd. All in all, Star Wars Battlefront is one of the better Star Wars games to come along, and is really a breath of fresh air from the typical Jedi stuff found in other games.


-Starscream, GameVortex Communications
AKA Ricky Tucker

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