Silicon Fusion >> Previews >> Star Wars Battlefront (EGN)

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Preview:

2nd September 2004:
Star Wars Battlefront (EGN)
At EGN and Game Stars Live we managed to play test this eagerly-awaited Star Wars shooter.
Posted by John Grothier - Xbox,PlayStation 2,PC - UK and Europe

I first saw Star Wars at the impressionable age of eight. I was totally blown away by the scale of it all, the huge worlds it created. Never before had I been so immersed in a film, and the sequel was even better, with that memorable sequence with the 'Walkers' on Hoth, no one had ever seen anything quite like that before. When I saw Jedi I was amazed at the enormity of the space and ground battles, and the battle of Endor is still today one of my favourite pieces of cinema.

So ever since then I wanted to be a part of that crusade. My only hope was a computer game. Today I played it.

Star Wars Battlefront is an action shooter set right bang in the middle of the Star Wars universe. Players can select one of several different soldier types and decide on one of fifteen battlefronts spread over ten planets. Both the classic Trilogy and the Clone Wars eras are included, planets Hoth, Endor, Tatooine, Kamino and Genosis are all lovingly re-created, and will allow gamers to re-live and participate on all of the classic Star Wars Battles like never before.

Let me first say that the style of Star Wars Battlefront is exactly that of the films, the developers are obviously huge fans of the series - and it really shows. It looks glorious and the graphics engine running the game is more than I dared hope for, and I did not once run into any frame rate issues.The first level I played through was on Endor, the forest moon. I opted to be on the side of the Rebellion, trying to take down Storm troopers with the aid of a small band of rebels, which included some angry Wookies. My first attempt at taking on the Empire was over quite quickly when I stumbled out from the undergrowth into a leafy glade containing an AT-ST. These walkers are quite deadly and have tremendous firepower, and just like in Return of the Jedi, the rebels can also take control of the walking beasts and turn the firepower back on the unfortunate Storm troopers.

The control system in Battlefront is really easy to master and it's incredibly responsive, and it was not long before I was blasting away with ease. Battlefront features many different types of weapons to use; blaster rifles, rocket launchers and thermal detonators are all included. Also scattered around the battlefields are ground-based turret guns that can be manned and used to defend command posts. Players can select to be one of over twenty different unit types from four factions: Rebel Alliance, Galactic Empire, Republic Clone Army and Separatist Battle Droids. Each unit has their own specialized abilities, so finding the right strategy for the fight is important.

There are three main single player modes to choose from which include 'Instant Action,' 'Galactic Conquest' and the story-based 'Historical Campaigns.' The Historical campaign allows players to experience all of the epic Star Wars battles from Episodes I-VI, fighting from the perspective of each of the four factions within the game.

My next engagement was on the icy world of Hoth, where the Empire was trying to destroy the power generators protecting the rebels as they try to flee the planet. It was not long before a small army of Storm troopers, AT-ST's and AT-AT's were approaching the Rebel base, and alas, I did not last long this time either. But I just could not wait to get back into the action - the sign of a great game. I played one more level, Tatooine, before my colleagues, who were muttering something about 'other games to see', dragged me off. Tatooine is not only filled with sand, but with many Storm troopers as well as AT-ST's and Tie Fighters to pilot. This time I played on the side of the bad guys and climbed aboard a conveniently placed AT-ST, and had fun blasting away at the good guys. Controlling the many different vehicles in Battlefront is surprisingly easy, and you can even change gun turrets on some of the ground and air vehicles.

Star Wars Battlefront made a big impression on us, and although we only saw split-screen multiplayer action, if the online play matches what we experienced today, then we are all in for something very special indeed. It's nice to see a developer that lives by the legendary maxim, 'Do or do not, there is no try.'

John Grothier

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