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:: Rogue Squadron 3 for GCN Preview |
Can you believe it? It’s almost been two years since we’ve last seen a game by Factor 5. Incidentally, the previous Rogue Squadron. It also happened to be the GCN’s introduction to the North American market. Now, in a matter of days, the third game in this popular franchise will be released. It doesn’t seem like Factor 5 wants move on…
As if the game itself wasn’t enough, those of us who pre-ordered the game received a free bonus disc (Nintendo’s second) instantly, containing all the goodies that make us GameCube fans salivate.
The bonus disc includes:
• Gladius Trailer
• Rebel Strike Trailer
• Rebel Strike playable demo
• Rebel Strike game art
• Atari’s Star Wars arcade game (from 1982)
The playable demo included on the disc is actually a complete level from the game. Entitled “Battlefield Hoth”, the level takes place on the snowy planet featured in the second original Star Wars movie, “The Empire Strikes Back”. The level begins on foot, as you are left to take down a giant AT-AT after escaping from your downed snowspeeder. The AT-AT’s are very easy to demolish on foot, a little too easy, as you cut a panel open with a light saber to toss a charge in the belly of the machine, just like in the movie. From then on it’s across the battle field on the back of a tauntaun, cutting through waves of Imperial snowtroopers en route to a mounted gun. The gun feels less refined than the stationary weapons in EA games such as 007 or Medal of Honor and doesn’t feature crosshairs, which wouldn’t be a problem if you could actually see the coloured trail the lasers leave behind. Also, the control stick must be held in the desired location or the gun will revert back to its original position. Very annoying. After a trio of AT-ST’s is destroyed, you hop into Luke’s trusty X-Wing and help escort three rebel transports out of Hoth’s atmosphere. Travelling upward, you pass straight through a layer of clouds that stunts your vision. Impressive stuff.
Taking out Tie Bombers is more difficult than in was in Rogue Leader. Perhaps the developer thought groups of these could be destroyed much too easily previously, and have been upgraded with armor that the more mobile Imperial fighters lack, as they should. Tie Interceptors are peskier now, as they seem to find the back end of your ship rather easily, and are much more difficult to fend off. Controls the same, if not identical to that of Rogue Leader. Controlling on foot feels more like a gimmick rather than an actual feature, as maneuvering and more importantly dodging fire is a bit awkward. There isn’t a multitude of weapons at your disposal at any one time either, at least not from what I’ve seen. Flying the X-wing is much the same as before, but somehow seems more polished and a solid frame rate is kept.
The level menu is almost the same as what we saw in Rogue Leader, making it feel like an expansion, a reworked Rogue Squadron game, if you will. On the upside, the new technology Factor 5 has created for the GameCube [they not only make games, but applications] has allowed the team to compress cut-scenes from the actual movie and play them at a high quality, before, during and after gameplay. This creates a smooth flowing story, with no abrupt changes in events like in Rogue Leader.
If the playable demo doesn’t excite you, the trailer showcases my aspects of this game unique to the franchise. Among these are the speeder bikes, that look fantastic being piloted through the lush jungles of Endor, and other on-foot levels in the depths of the Death Star. The game looks very satisfying.
The focus point of the bonus disc may not be the demo but rather the full version Star Wars arcade game, dating all the way back to 1982, from the now retired people at Atari. I thought this would be a cool retro experience. Instead, I played through in complete disgust. It’s not that I don’t appreciate the game, it’s just that in 2003 it’s taken out of context from what must have been ground breaking technology 21 years ago. I couldn’t even see myself playing this arcade game after watching the original “A New Hope”. I had no idea what was happening, and the voice-overs were just robotic blips. It was like an MS-DOS version of the first Rogue Squadron, except with crappy one button controls, and it takes up 5 memory card blocks. Oh well, you can’t have everything.
If you find you “must” have this disc, but feel the pre-order commitment is too great, then it’s possible some local retailers might be selling them separately for a small fee. Mine was purchased at one of the two Canadian Best Buys for $5cdn. The cool thing is that it’s not an official pre-order [i.e. a down payment, free disc up front, then pay the balance when the game is released], instead I “bought” the disc and with my receipt have that $5 credit towards the game, whenever I feel like purchasing it. Pretty sweet deal. Hopefully Nintendo continues this trait for its future hits. Next up seems to be a bonus disc for Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, containing six demos of upcoming games, reportedly. Expect a full review of Rebel Strike: Rogue Squadron III soon.
Bonus Disc Rating: Approved/Disapproved
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| Reviewed by Koren Korok ::
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