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| Shadows of the Empire must have been one of the most highly anticipated games of 1996. Indeed, during the months before its release, the thought of a Star Wars game on Nintendo 64 was like a dream come true. Even the screenshots hyped the game, as they appeared clear and very 3-D. At long last, the game is released, and I must say that I was expecting more from this title. The overall presentation of the game is nice. The less-than-spectacular frame rate in levels such as the Doom-style ones is excusable since everything is textured, anti-aliased, and light-sourced, even the polygonal enemies. The fog and water effects could have been done a bit better, perhaps more like the fog in Wave Race’s Drake Lake. The cinemas, which primarily include delicately hand-drawn images, are a refreshing change from the rendered or FMV cinemas that we've grown accustomed to. Perhaps the most impressive graphics are those found on the first level of the game, at the Battle of Hoth. In this area, everything is perfectly clear, the frame rate is great, and the feeling of total immersion into the game is very strong. Too bad only the first level gives you that feeling. The sounds are on par with the graphics, which is an impressive feat considering the memory-restrictive medium on which the game was produced. The original Star Wars soundtrack was digitized into the game, and although it was sampled at a frequency less than that of a CD and loops a bit too often, it still gives the suspenseful feeling throughout the levels. Knowing that this is a reproduction of the original John Williams soundtrack, you can rest assured that the composition and execution of the music leave little to be desired. The sound effects on the game are decent, though void of anything substantially better than other games. The sound effects get the job done...and little else. The game is split into ten different --- and I do mean different --- levels. The first and last levels are decidedly the best of the game, and offer fast action with impressive graphics. Few games can equal the sense of exhilaration you get when you use your tow to trip an AT AT walking along the ivory snowscape. The asteroid belt levels are, in a word...boring, and do little to showcase the power of the Nintendo 64. The speeder bike level was something I was looking forward to, but upon actually playing the level, I was quite displeased. The graphics in these levels are simple but very clear, and the frame rate is fantastic. However, controlling the bike is one of the most awkward experiences in the game. Not only does the bike respond sluggishly, but if you touch the sides which barrier the winding path at the wrong angle, you'll be halted to a stop, at which point you will have to back up and position yourself again, just to crash into yet another wall. In addition, the other bikers, which you must destroy by ramming into, are a bit...well...stupid. Not only do they wait for you when you fall far behind them, but they just glide along the landscape with seemingly no point and no reaction to your presence. All things considered, this is one of the most poorly executed levels in the game. The game does get a bit better with the Doom-style levels. In these levels, there are several ways in which you can view the action: The typical first person perspective, trailing second person as in Tomb Raider, and an overhead second person view, such as that in some levels of Crash Bandicoot. The movement in these sections seems slower when compared to other games in the same genre. Even as you push the analog stick all the way forward, the character drags along at a pace that is too slow to be comfortable. The jetpack is a great addition to these levels, but becomes a bit bothersome as you cannot use it for an extended period of time without recharging. The corridor exploration/shooting levels in Shadow of the Empire are fair, but represent only silhouettes of other brilliantly designed levels found in some other games, including Lucas Arts' own Dark Forces. Conclusively, Shadows of the Empire remains a game that is just above average. Because of its completely different levels, it offers some fantastic sections, as well as some areas which would have best been simply left out altogether. I can understand that Lucas Arts wanted to try different ways to play and show off what the Nintendo 64 can do, but in the process they shifted their focus away from gameplay, and the badly playing sections of the game leave a bitter taste in your mouth as you continue the game. Hopefully, this was an important learning experience for Lucas Arts. They have shown that they have learned to harness 64-bit power to a great extent. As bad as some levels may seem, there are several redeeming qualities in the game. As I mentioned, the first and last levels are fantastic, and the corridor shooting levels are not bad at all. This isn't a game that can compete with an in-house Nintendo game, and the depressing part is that it could have been. As it stands, it's good, not great. |
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