31-Oct-2005 A corker which builds on the legacy of the first game, and then some. What more could a Star Wars nut want? WITH ANAKIN now safely suited and booted inside his iron lung, LucasArts is opening the floodgates with Episode III content. We weren't allowed to see any Episode III stuff in the first Battlefront, save for a peek at Chewie's planet Kashyyyk.
So the most obvious conclusion to draw with Star Wars Battlefront II is that it's simply the first game with some of those CG Episode III planets stapled to it. Not so. The Star Wars universe is huge, so we're treated to a broad range of planets and locations from all six movies, not just from the last film. Leia's ship the Tantive IV, Dagobah, Jabba's Palace, and the Death Star all make their sequel debuts, and a great exercise in Rebel zapping they prove to be too. But Battlefront II is far more than just plonking the entire bulk of the previous title into pretty new locations.
We cried out for the chance to take to the stars in the previous game - and now you can. Hulking great Star Destroyers and Rebel Transporters go at each other like two galleons in space, while players rush from hangar to hangar, strapping themselves into any number of smaller ships to launch David vs Goliath-style strikes at the enemy's weak spot. You can spiral into enemy bridges to take out their command (risky, and not particularly effective), or land in an enemy hangar, then sneak to the reactor core on foot to shut it down from inside. As you can probably gather, Battlefront II is a monster game, but it never feels lacking or poorly populated. Whole battalions of Stormtroopers, droids, Rebels and separatists swarm about with the kind of AI that sends a shiver up your spine. If you want to get close to a spawn point this time, you're either going to need some seriously chunky hardware, or be a superb sniper. It's relentless.
Because of the grander, busier gameplay, though, LucasArts has had to find a way to level the playing field. Enter the Jedi! Each Jedi or Sith has their own ability, be it Palpatine's lightning blasts, or Yoda's bounce attacks, and these can be employed for short bursts during a match once a team captures a certain number of spawn points, or kills a set number of enemies. They're a great way of turning the tide of war, and watching the faces drop on unsuspecting rivals is priceless when they realise your failing tactics were just a plot to play a saber-waving trump card. It adds a depth to the game that wasn't there before, and means that a lone gunner can make as much difference as a perfectly executed squad strike.
As if that weren't enough, there's a proper solo mode this time, following the exploits of the 501st Stormtrooper division. It feels a little like a well-meaning gesture than an actual crank-up in the single-player stakes, but it's well done and adds oh, a good 15 minutes to the game. At its core though, Battlefront II remains a walloping, beautiful example of what Xbox Live can do. It's bigger than the first, it's better than the first, and if there's any justice, it'll be what everyone will be playing come release. Impressive. Most impressive.
Official Xbox Magazine staff
// Overview
Verdict
A corker. Builds on the legacy of the first
game, and then some. What more could a Star Wars nut want?
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