Christmas Reviews II: Star Wars: Battlefront (PS2)

This review isn’t going to be as long as the last one. Rather than a full review, I think I’m going to (in this case) go with my impressions of the game. So last night I fired the game up for the first time and played through the first three levels. It was….very pretty….

Star Wars: Battlefront is a somewhat cool and interesting concept in the franchise. Capitalizing on gameplay over storyline, this game allows you to take part in some of the main battles from both sides in both the Clone Wars and the Galactic Civil War (the first three movies to you and me….wait….I mean 4, 5, and 6….you know….STAR WARS? *sigh* I know…I’m confused too.) and take multiple roles in various series of battle.

From what I saw (which admittedly wasn’t much) the game control handles much like the Xbox classic Halo, going for a more realistic type of game where you can’t take more than a couple blaster hits without going down for the count, but you respawn frequently in the same battle, and the tide of battle moves on with or without you. The levels I played revolved around taking neutral and enemy bases, while defending your own. There are a LOT of other computer generated or playable buddies in this that do most of the work for you. That’s both good and bad. The AI is much better than I expected, with both good and bad guys running for cover and rolling around to avoid blaster fire, but I just didn’t have as much fun being Joe Stormtroooper as I did being Kyle Katarn. Honestly? The three battles I was involved in won themselves without me. I mean on one Darth Vader is helping you out! How are you going to lose this?

Okay, I’ll be honest. I really wasn’t thrilled with this game, and I have a theory why. I look at what I didn’t like and have to admit that it shares a lot with why I just don’t love pure shooting games on consoles in general…especially those ported over from computer games.

Gripe #1: I hate the analog stick for shooters. I know….I know….I should love it. It’s more PRECISE! It’s faster! It ganks on your thumb less!

Right. Between slippery controls (perhaps I am the idiot exception here, but keeping my fingers on the analog stick and trying to do anything resembling precise aiming or moving was a difficult prospect at BEST) and slow game movement (how the hell does a guy with a jetpack move that freaking slow??), Star Wars Battlefront handled like a ’72 Buick. I’d much rather have the D-Pad usage and have things sped up by three times at least.

Gripe #2: Well, Gripe #2 was the movement speed, but that was already mentioned. You don’t run. You don’t jump well (without a dark trooper jetpack). You rarely spawn anywhere CLOSE to the action, so you’re stuck with a looong walk to get anywhere towards any rebel scum from any spawn points. And dodging? Well there’s a cool summersault button to dive out of the way of a shot, but forget sidestepping it.

Gripe #3: Control setup. Okay. I’ll admit I have no idea how customizable this is, so I may be nitpicking here, but I haaaated the controller setup. I understand the reasons behind the controller setup (you use both analog sticks to move, the L and R buttons to fire), but it isn't that natural for your hands and aiming up or down is a pain. X BUTTON = FIRE! The easiest to reach button is always the most used. It’s been that way since Super Mario Brothers came out on the 8-bit Nintendo, and it should still be the case. At least don’t make the X button something lame like laying down… Oy.

Again, it's probably just a failing of the console controller.

Gripe #4: Armor? I also understand the desire for some realism here, but I had more fun when I could take a blaster shot or two. Perhaps that’s just me and what I wanted from the game versus what the game was SUPPOSED to be (more of a strategy game) but I’d love to be able to jet-jump into a group of rebels and use a couple of thermal detonators to show them what the Empire is really about (hot flaming death) than a lot of running and hiding and shooting while hiding.

Admittedly, this is a great style of play for some people. This is why I don’t get into Call of Duty games or Halo but eat up Unreal and Quake. Personal preference folks. If you like the realism, this type of gameplay should suit you. Me? I didn’t. Give me Mace Windu with Darth Maul’s double saber and a Droideka shield generator and plunk me down in the middle of the Death Star any day and I’m a happy man.

Even I must admit the graphics looked awesome on this game though. Star Wars has a specific look and sound that you need in any game re-creation, and this achieves it in my opinion. Blaster shots sound like blaster shots should, and both scenery and animations keep within theme. Admittedly there isn’t a lot of story, but that’s not what you got this game for, is it? Oh! And much like Halo, you can take vehicles in this game! From speeder bikes to AT/ST walkers, raining blaster fire upon the tiny figures below is much more fun than shooting from a hiding spot.

Overview: This game is what it says it is. It’s a half strategy, half shooter game where you can take on some of the better battles from all of the Star Wars movies, and gives a very gritty, very realistic portrayal of how the battles went from the perspective of storm/clone/droid troopers and rebel/republic fighters.

I honestly think I could love this game on the computer. Give me a mouse and a keyboard and let me go to town and I think I’d be a lot more certain (and less likely to either slip my targeting crosshair up or down while turning or lay down in front of a wookie with a bowcaster pointed at me) AND have a lot more fun.

Until I get it on computer (and am able to play anything on the computer that isn’t World of Warcraft) I’ll give it a resounding “Meh…” and say that if you’re into this sort of thing, hey it’s great.

If, like me, you are not…continue to avoid shooters on the consoles. They are full of frustration and evil. Mostly evil.


Final Grade: C-