Star Wars Rogue Leader: Rogue Squadron II

"I used to bulls-eye wamprats back home; they're not much bigger than two meters."

When the Nintendo GameCube launched in November of 2001 Star Wars Rogue Leader: Rogue Squadron II was there right along with it. It was met with critical acclaim and quickly became one of the console's most successful games. Two years later, it is still one of the systems best.

As Rogue Leader you are in command of the most fearless group of pilots the Rebel Alliance has to offer, spearheading missions to liberate the galaxy from the clutches of the evil Empire and engaging in epic dogfights and air to land battles across the stars. Through out the campaign, you will visit many familiar locales in the Star Wars universe, taking part of the Battle of Hoth and securing a fuel source for the Republic in Cloud City, Bespin. Seeing these old locations will no doubt bring a smile to the face of old school Star Wars fan boys (like yours truly) and on an aesthetic level, the locations will take your breath away with it's (still) stunning graphics, particularly in the Battle of Kothlis...

Rogue Squadron II puts you in the flight suit of both Luke Sywalker for the early missions and then later, Captain Wedge Antilles of original trilogy fame. Ewan McGreggor's uncle, Denis Lawson, reprises his role as Wedge, providing the game with his voice talent. Anyone familiar with the original Rogue Squadron might have an inkling of the furious combat to be found, although not at the level this game delivers.

Graphically, Rogue Leader faithfully recreates not only the worlds but also the craft, X-Wings, Y-Wings, A-wings and Speeders all reproduced to the finest of details- in fact Factor 5 were quoted in saying that 'the level of detail on the craft in-game surpasses the level of detail on the craft in the Star Wars special edition', quite a statement to be sure, but one of great accuracy. Unfortunately all is not perfect in the visual presentation, the occasional slow-down becomes apparent in the more hectic, low altitude battles and draw-in actually becomes visible in one or two places within the game. But that's just grabbing at straws, the visuals are amazing, especially when you and your wingmates are confronting 100's of TIE fighters and Star Destroyers, all in gloriously detailed 30 FPS animation.

The sound is also excellent, presented in no less than Dolby Pro Logic II. Traditional Star Wars sound effects abound, from the fat blaster fire that you have come to expect to the searing resonance of TIE fighters. Of course the amazing and Oscar winning compositions of John Williams are also present to heighten the drama of the on screen action. The game is also complimented by solid voice work from Denis Lawson and company.

The controls are a breeze, obvious and simple. By the end of the first mission you will be firing torpedoes, ordering your wing-mates around and evading enemy fire with no thought toward the controls at all. Which is makes the amazing combat in the game that much more fun, since you're not trying to remember overly complex controls.

The combat itself is remarkable and always enjoyable, blazing fire fights and scores of enemy ships along with the changing of your craft make for a dynamic and intense experience which is sure to be enjoyed by both Star Wars freaks and shooting fans alike. The combat is made all the more interesting by the aforementioned squad commands, ordering your team mates to performs specific tasks adds a strategically element to the gameplay, as does the AI of the enemy squadrons; if you shoot the squad leader then his wing-mates will more often than not, scatter without the direction of their commander. It's the little things like that that add an extra dimension to the gameplay.

The game also has a medal and points system. If you perform a mission well enough you will be rewarded with a medal, different color medals means different amounts of points. You can also revisit completed missions and attempt them again using a different craft. These points are used to unlock bonus missions, which are definitely worth the effort. If you are good enough, you may even get to play the game on Ace mode...

The only thing to lament really, is a lack of multiplayer mode, I can't imagine the fun I would have playing along side a friend and taking out Imperial ships. However, the single player campaign is strong enough to survive the game with out the benefit of multi play, plus the next installment of the popular series is confirmed to have a multi-player in the works.

All in all, I would recommend this game to anyone with both a Gamecube and common sense, this is truly one of the best shoot 'em up games out there and a must have for action junkies and Star Wars fanboys alike.