System: N64
Price:$49.95
Developer: Factor 5
Publisher: Lucas Arts
Release: Dec/98
Star Wars fans will be proud of this latest offering. SW:RS more than makes up for the hap hazard Shadows of the Empire. Rogue Squadron doesn’t try to be all things. It’s not a first or third person shooter, it’s a dog fighting shoot-em-up with X Wings, A Wings, V Wings, the Millennium Falcon and other famous craft from the inimitable Star Wars universe. Think of Star Fox but with complete 360 degree freedom (but you are Luke Skywalker, not Fox McLeod) and now get excited.
Highs: 4 Meg Expansion Pak
Large 3D landscapes & cityscapes
Great Control
Awesome Musical Score (But I’m getting tired of it!)
Good Camera
Excellent Price
Lows:
Static Pix
Pop Up and lots of it!
It might sound like I’m a Star Wars fan, but alas, I’m not. Yes I saw the first movie about 10 times (when it came out in 1977) but so what? What else was I going to do back then? Disco hadn’t even really begun, Burt Reynolds and Dom Deloiuse reigned supreme at the box office, so what were my choices? Anyway, I knows a good game when I see one and Rogue Squadron is mighty fine. It won’t win awards for originality but we’ve had enough of that with Zelda, so let’s just go back to having fun, shall we?
You take on the role of Luke "I think I wanna make it with my sister, and my dad is trying to saw me in half" Skywalker. You are part of Rogue Squadron and get to fly some of movie history’s most famous spacecrafts, as you take on various objectives to aid the Rebel Alliance against the evil Empire.
To be a real trooper, I decided to play this game without the use of the expansion pak. Why you ask? Well, I didn’t even want to see it in action just yet. I didn’t want it to spoil me. I know there are a lot of people who will get this game and not receive the expansion pak and so, this review is for them. I’m not saying I’ll play this game without the expansion pak. When I buy it, the pak will also be purchased.
Without the expansion pak, this game is just fine. I didn’t miss it because well, I didn’t know what I was missing. Sure there is fog, some small amount of choppy animation and more Pop Up then Pee Wee Herman at a porno theater, but you know what? It doesn’t matter because it was a blast blowing Tie Fighters out of the sky with my X Wing, and remember I’m not even a fan! The mountains pop into view far enough away so that you’ll generally have ample time to get the hell out of the way. So graphically speaking, this game looks sweet even without the pak, so I can only assume that the pak will sweeten up graphics and framerate. So far, so good. Controlling the crafts are easy. The controls are laid out well, and you have several configurations to choose from. Loops and rolls are possible and necessary later in the game when the difficulty heats up and the enemies don’t let you off so easily. I wasn’t enthralled with the feeling of speed exactly, but maybe the pak will help that out.
Musically, this game features yet another version of John Williams classic. Am I the only one who is growing weary of this yet? I know they can’t put anything else in a Star Wars game, but man, all I can do is throw my hands up to the gods. It is a powerful piece of music and it suits the game obviously, but how getting Puff Daddy or Shaggy rapping over it? I’m kidding of course.
Game play wise this game is a little tough in spots. Many levels have sub-sections that you must complete, and if you fail, you go right back to the beginning of that mission. Being able to save at the end of a sub-section would have been a nice feature. But at least you can save, did you hear me Star Fox you unsaving bastard?
There’s not a lot I don’t like about Rogue Squadron. It does what it does extremely well. It makes the Battle of Hoth from Shadows look like a complete joke. If you are into Star Wars, then I’d highly recommend this game. You will probably love it to death. I’m not a fan and it’s numero uno on my Christmas list. However, I’m 32 and my wife stopped buying me toys years ago, which in plain english, means, I’m screwed. Merry Christmas Gang! Oh wait, I have an even better ending...... May the Force... ah forget it.