Amazon.com Review

Star Wars: X-Wing Alliance casts you as the youngest son of the Azzameen family, a merchant dynasty operating in a galaxy far, far away. The game is set in the turbulent time period between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Caught amid increasing tensions between the Galactic Empire and the Rebel Alliance, with business rivals watching for any sign of weakness, the Azzameens are on the edge of financial ruin. Worse, their Rebel sympathies may endanger their very survival.

As the family's newest pilot, you fly tutorial missions at first, under the supervision of your sister Aeron and the droid Emkay. But even as you are training, the situation heats up. Before long, the family has been betrayed, your space station has been seized, and you're forced to turn to the Rebellion. Though the game's focus is on combat, the development of this story is tight and suspenseful.

The story and the merchant/smuggler setting give the game plenty of variety. One mission may have you piloting a loaded freighter through an Imperial blockade, while another may place you in the cockpit of an X-Wing on a hit-and-run raid against an enemy battle station. Every ship, every weapon, every sound effect is pure Star Wars, totally faithful to the look--and feel--of the movies. This extends to the missions themselves: nothing works as planned, but somehow you and your Rebel allies manage to make it all the way to the climactic Battle of Endor. If you've distinguished yourself in the earlier missions, hot pilots will get the chance to take the controls of the Millennium Falcon and cram a torpedo into the gut of the Emperor's second Death Star.

Controlling the fighters, freighters, and transports in X-Wing Alliance is easy, with all the options you'd expect in a Star Wars simulation. Shield, engine, and weapon power levels are all adjustable, so you, too, can transfer all power to front deflector screens while attacking, or shut down power to weapons to outrun a swarm of TIE fighters. Novice players may find it difficult to control wingmen or to keep track of the changing objectives when missions go sour. But practice makes perfect, and the truly frustrated can simply skip up to three missions without penalty.

With a modest learning curve and graphics that put you right in the milieu of the Star Wars films, X-Wing Alliance will have you flying combat missions for the Rebel Alliance in no time--and loving every minute of it. --Alyx Dellamonica

Pros:

• Loving attention to detail
• Fantastic sound effects and John Williams's music
• Interesting and changing mission objectives
• Wide variety of spacecraft

• Occasional bugs within missions can render them unwinnable

Reviews (27)

Finally!
Don't get me wrong by the title....I loved X-wing to death, and TIE Fighter was just fabulous too (we'll forget about Xwing V. Tie Fighter), but WOW!!!LucasArts finally got to an age when they had the computing muscle and graphical abilities to really give their X-wing series the beauty and power it deserves.These missions are really challenging and thrilling; when you fly into a cloud of TIE fighters and pick em off as they screeeeam by(with good surround sound speakers), you'll really feel like you're in the climactic battle of Return of the Jedi.

Which brings me to the "Finally!" of my subject line: you finally get to fly inside the Death Star!!!!That is, if you can make it to the final mission...some of these missions are very, very tough, even on "easy".I beat all of the missions up to the mission RIGHT before the Death star one.It was just too hard!!Fortuatenly, LucasArts implemented a "skip" feature if you just cannot beat a mission.This will come as a highly welcome relief to those of us who played certain X-wing missions 40 or 50 times before beating them...

I gave up on the game after losing the death star mission a few times, but I WILL get back to it once the school year starts again.

One note: I played the first half of this game without a 3D accelerator, then got a Voodoo III, and holy COW!The difference makes it almost an entirely new game.Don't play this game without an acceleartor, or you're missing out in a big way.

Though it didn't grip me quite as much as the original X-wing, this is still a fantastic game.Buy it if you're into the star wars thing!

good game for the fast computer
this game has some GREAT graphics.the missle trails engine glow and the model details are terrific.the story is a can't wait till next mission story.the AI is incredibly smart.a good game

Really captures the spirit of Star Wars
When I first heard about X-wing Alliance, I thought it was just going to be a cheap attempt to drag out the X-wing franchise.But this is an awesome game.Unlike TIE fighter, the gameplay experience has really been increased from the original X-wing in this game.Flying freighter-craft truly is different from flying starfighters - if you try to fly it like an X-wing, you're as good as dead.Also, comapred to pirate starfighters, I could understand why TIE fighters were considered so deadly, a distinction I didn't really get in the original X-wing.

Most importantly, though, when playing this game I truely felt I was in the SW universe.For example, in one early mission during a bacta transfer between the Azzameens and a shady group of pirates I really felt like I was in one of Timothy Zahn's novels.Also, the shuddering of the ships and the multiple explosive and cha-cha-chas of the TIE fighter's laser cannons went a long way towards enhancing the flying experience.The same goes for the planets images during combat, as well as the immensity of some of the space stations.

A couple minor criticisms: the cutscenes don't seem very relevent/Also, the "big finale" against the Death Star seems to just have been thrown in, and was somewhat of a disappointment.Finally, most of the levels were a little easy - I beat most of them on one try with the setting on hard.I was hoping for a bigger progression in difficulty as the game increased.The Battle of Endor in particular I was hoping would be more fierce.

Overall, however, this is a great game, with an awesome multiplayer platform.The real forte, however, is the single player - this game has great replayability.I would recommend it to anyone.I even enjoyed it more than Rogue Squadron or Rebel Assault and maybe even Jedi Knight.

horrible!
This game was so confusing, its all expanded universe, you can't get past the first level without waiting for an hour, you never fly into the death star eather. I gave this game away for 5$. Its a total rip off. You don't know what you are doing. Its stupid. don't buy it, you will hate it.

Be prepared to become engrossed in the game
There are some games that you play that just are "games" and not experiences. Earlier titles such as the Rebel Assault games were as such. The gamer did not feel like they were actually "doing" what was happening in the game. Games such as Quake and Duke Nukem and Doom, while entertaining, are superficial and do not engross the gamer.

But X-Wing: Alliance is different. Where as Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six changed the way we play first person shooters (how many times did your palms sweat on missions that you could not be detected?), X-Wing Alliance changes the way we play flight sims. This isn't a superficial space shooter that leaves the gamer hungry for more. In fact, it is completely satisfying. The story is compelling, the graphics are sharp, the gameplay is never dull, and the music is, well, Star Wars.

The missions will leave you hooked for hours, constantly forcing you to put off that paper that must be written or that supply report that was due on your boss' desk three days ago. You are ultimately rewarded for your longevity and resourcefullness by hopping into the Millenium Falcon (assuming the role of Nien Nunb or Lando...I never figured that one out) and blasting tie fighters at the battle of Endor. And if you think that the Falcon didn't do much at that battle, just wait until you fly the 4 missions of that battle, and you'll have a new respect for what Lando did (especially the VERY HARD final mission of flying into the Death Star. Expect to spend a few days here)!

When you talk about Multi-player, this game excells in all areas. You can log on and play solo against others or join groups and coordinate battles. All ships in the game can be flown in multiplayer (I especially grew fond of the Toscan Fighter, though nothing beats the shear power of the X-wing).

Overall, an excellent game. Not only is it fun to play and enthralling, but you actually at most points feel as if you are in the game. When you fail a mission and decide that you need to make your multiple jumps back home instead of just quitting the mission right then, you'll know how engrossing this experience really is. ... Read more

Reviews (37)

Under-rated Game
I've owned every other Star Wars game on the 64, and without a doubht, nothing suprasses Rougue Squadren.

I had my doubhts about this game. I started off playing Rougue Squadren, then Naboo, and Racer, both Racer and Naboo lost there reply value after a weel for me, but RS i one I will always go back to now and then... So I thought I might give Shadows Of The Empire a go. I had low expectations for it, but actualy comparing it to RS is useless because this version is completly different to RS and BFN! It suprised me when I got to the 2nd stage and it had gone Goldeneye style! You run around as a guy named Dash, you start with a laser, but you can find missiles, proton thingies, stun guns and my fvorite that just blows half the room away, I dunno what it was called but it's great...oh, and a flame thrower!!! Would have been nice if the enemys caught fire or something, instead of act like the where shot, but it's still cool.

Half the game is on foot in a Goldeneye/Duke Nukem kind of way. You open doors, collect things, can fly around with a jet pack, have to do things to get to certain area first before moving on the level and things like that. The rest of the game is flying and shooting in your ships.

Level one is the battle of hoth, and where this games story begins. It is is almost like the Battle Of Hoth in RS on one of the bonus missions. The graphics arnt RS, but that didnt matter. You gun down the probe driods, go after the Chicken Walkers, then trip the Walkers. Then the story begins, whats happening is this game starts from Empire Strikes Back (the movie) and after the Battle Of Hoth, it's following the story of another Rebellion, Dash. And what it leads to is the events that have happened inbetween Empire Strikes Back & Return Of The Jedi.

From the movies, you only see the end of Empire as they go looking for Han, then the next movies starts with his rescue. Well this game is what happened inbetween then.

The graphics are decent, there not RS but it's still fun. I know it's the original, but it felt good to actualy get out of the crafts and vehicles and do some running around for a change.

Only 3 negative things I have to say.
1) You kill Boba Fett in this, so that makes no continuity sense.
2) No multiplayer :( wouldve made a great 2 or more layer game I reckon.
3) it would have been nice to be able to do a custom edit to the controls, and be able to choose what button you want to do what with. Because of the 100's of other shoot'em up games, everytime I went to shoot I was pressing the Z button by mistake. Theres no programmed control setting to use the Z button to fire. Which makes no sense, because the Z button is known as the trigger button, but all it does in this game is either veiw, or run left, depending on what control setting you have set.

So, basicly, the graphics arnt superb, it was one of the 1st games for the 64, and you can see the many advancments they made for RS. But this game is still good. SOFE & RS are 2 completly different games. If you love RS or BFN, and you havent played this one 'cause you think it is inferior, then think again. It holds its own and stands up still. There is even a level on speeder bikes! Reminded me a bit of Racer, but not quite the same; it's hard to go fast and stay in control in this. There isnt any ships to choose in mission like RS, basicly you start with the Snow Speeder, go onto Dash's ship that is much like the Falcon. And apparently theres a code to fly an X wing in the last level, and cheats to play as the AT-ST, but I didnt try them.

I found it tougher then you'd think to stay alive, so I recomend you enter the Debug code.

What you do is start a new game in a fresh slot, (earase if you none free) then enter your name as ".Wampa..Stompa" and note the . on there. There is a space at the start, and 2 between Stompa. It is case sensative, so make sure you press the L button to change from upper case to lower case. Then ok it all and start the game. Press pause as soon as the level starts, and on the pause menu, hold down all the c buttons, the L, R, & Z buttons and left on the arrow pad (hold them all at once together. Then while holding them down, move the control stick to the left for about 5 seconds, you will hear a noise. Then hold it right for 5 seconds. Then left, then right, then left for the same time. And you should get pink writing come up.
(TIP: the way I did it was used my finger to hold the button, then used my lips to hold the stick left and right)
That pink writing you can toggle through by press L or R, and then Start to enable it. You basicly just need the invincabilty and all weapens. Maybe the level skip or teleport(to another location of the level your on). Have fun with it. Each time you want to use it again, hold all the buttons down again (all C's, L, R, Z, left) and then tap the analog to the left and the menu will display again whenever you want it.

May the shwartz be with you.

Childhood Game-Nostalgia
I recently went crazy and bought an N64 system, an expansion pak, a memory card, and 13 games. Thing was, it all happened in less than 2 days and it happened cause the sweet memories I had when I was a child. I bought the N64 mainly for the game Zelda: Ocarina of Time (by the way if you've never played it, by all cost and means, do so). However, this game was also part of that sweet memory which I'm trying to relive again.

This game, from my experience a long time ago, was fun. The only minor problem is sometimes the lack of directions, camera angle can be changed but sometimes even with the change you don't exactly get just what you want still, and controlling is a little hard sometimes so jumping from one spot to another usually ends up in falling to your doom, but again not if you get use to it. Same for walking on ledges.

You start out with a small spaceship (don't know the names that well not much of a star wars fan) and you use your laser guns to kill the small two legged robots (at-st?) and these ropes to entangle and destroy the big ones. Than for the next two levels or so are first person shooters.

The thing about this game is that soon it gets boring so what you do is be creative in killing your enemies. For example: Level 2 or something, where you meet these hairy beasts haha, wow, anyways what I do is, they are locked in this room with some guys. So what I do is run in, save up my guns, and run around and open the cages and let them handle those guys. Afterwards you let the two beasts fight each other to save ammo. Trick is to not let them see you and don't disturb them while they are fighting each other. And in the first level I love killing the smaller robots with my own ship. Suicidal style.

This game is nice still. I think its quite replayable. It was hard for me to play it then cause I didn't have a memory card and each time I turned the game off I got to start in the beginning of that level again. I never beated the train level.
You really can't go wrong with this game. Just don't buy it for more than $15. I bought one that worked great for $7.50. Shop around. Nice day to everyone.

Better than it's given credit for
Shadows of the Empire was one of those Star Wars games that had a few strikes against it before it was ever released. First it was a game based off a book and not a movie, so right away the casual fan was a little lost. Second, although you come in contact with characters from the movies, you play as an original one from the book. So It didn't suprise me when the game was released that people treated it a little too harshley.

So is the game as bad as they say? No. True the game isn't perfect, but it is still a pretty fun game. I found the control scheme easy to use and the graphics were some of the best on the N64 at the time. Also it featured both on foot missions and flight sim-styled combat missions. Both gave you the option of playing in a first or third person perspective. Now while a majority of the missions were on foot, the game really shined during the flight levels. The final level was a fast paced space battle that included dozens of ships on screen at once, all well rendered with a minimum amount of slowdown.

If I had to gripe about anything in this game I'd say that the on foot missions get a little boring. You'll spend alot of time going back and forth solving puzzles that only slow the game down. On the plus side you do get to fight one of the most popular villians from the films, Boba Fett, in an all out shoot out includind dueling jet pack action.

So if you're a Star wars fan and own an N64 but never played this game, you might be suprised how fun it is!

A Game That is a Lot of Fun with Cool Cheats
This game was the very first N64 game I've ever played. You're Dash Render a Han Solo like character. This game is a lot of fun, accurate to the book, and has the best debugger cheat I've ever seen. There is a three ship levels where you're in the Outrider(Dash's Ship) or a snow speeder. Thereis four camera modes so you can play it either James Bond first person style or Laura Croft Second person style either way it's fun. Your choices of weapons are aewsome, from laser, to seeker(a heat seeking gun), to disrupter(half grenade, half atom bomb this bay will fry everything including Dash). A great game that doesn't waste your money.

awesome game
I thought this was one of the best games ever. It is so awesome. Whatever U do B-U-Y I-T!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Jedi Knight: Dark Forces 2 caters to the farm boy in all of us by letting players grab a lightsaber and fight their way through the Star Wars universe from a first-person perspective. You slip into the boots of Jedi wannabe Kyle Katarn, guiding him through several adventures that should appeal to any Star Wars fan. (The two of you out there who don't care for Star Wars will just have to find another game to play.)

Your Jedi powers grow as the game progresses, and players are free to commit acts that strengthen their ties to either the Dark or Light side of the Force. Once the commitment to good or evil is made, you lose all your Force powers from the opposing side but gain the ability to add more powerful tricks to your arsenal from the side you chose. All the neat stuff from the movies is there, like the Force pull that lets you disarm enemies, and Vader's sadistic favorite, the Force grip, for choking enemies from a distance. Other powers like Force jump give you greater mobility in the game, and all the Force powers add immensely to Jedi Knight's gameplay.

The included Mysteries of the Sith add-on picks up the adventure five years later. This time you get to play as both Kyle Katarn and Mara Jade, the female Jedi from Timothy Zahn's novel Heir to the Empire. This time around you must adhere to the Light side of the Force, but that doesn't make gameplay any less interesting. Success in these expansion missions require much more use of your Jedi powers than the original game, and actually having to think our way through problems in a first-person shooter (especially in the last few levels) was a refreshing change.

Graphically, both games hold up well. Resolution can be cranked up to 1,600 x 1,200 if your video card is up to task. Although the environments you move through lack detail the level design is so spectacular, we doubt you'll care. Few games offer environments this massive or varied, and the familiar Star Wars architecture lend a great deal of atmosphere to the game.

The movie tie-in also means that Jedi Knight has some of the best sound effects ever. From the hum of a lightsaber to the roar of a passing TIE bomber, everything is authentic and immediately recognizable. If you missed this game the first time around, don't make the same mistake with this bundle. --T. Byrl Baker

Pros:

• One word: lightsaber
• Massive environments with a familiar theme
• Ability to choose Light or Dark paths with specific powers (such as healing or lightning) for each

• Enemies aren't very intelligent

Reviews (43)

Great game!
This is such a great game that it made me want to get more Star Wars games!controls are great,[cheats are also great] and the graphics are good.plus when you use force powers it almost looks almost realistic.

ok
the games story line is great...exciting and full of action but the game has its pros and cons...first off the graphics pretty much suck...for the time it was made the graphics were awesome but now they are funny...second off the force powers get stupid sometimes...the AI sucks and its too easy to fool them by just using mind trick, its easier just to use mind trick over and over again to finish the levels. But like i said for the time it was made in...its a good game and fun to play but once again...the graphics...SUCK

Star Wars: Jedi Knight Dark Forces 2 with Mysteries of the S
I thought that this game was excellent because you get to use your gun, and when you runout of ammo, you get to use your trusted lightsaber(or you can switch weapons!). Both games have a great storyline and i recommend them to anyone who is looking to have SOOOO much funplaying a starwars game.8)/:)

A classic
This is one of the best games I've ever played, it's the only PC game I have that is online.

still a great value
I had to write a follow-up review now that about 3 years has passed since my last one, and two sequels to this game have been published.Despite playing the newer games, I dusted off and fired up my old copy of Jedi Knight/Mystery of the Sith (JK/MOtS) and had a blast.The two are obviously dated, but don't suffer as much in comparison in terms of game play as the original "Dark Forces" (circa 1994) had in light of JK/MOtS.Like DF, all the games in the Jedi Knight series are first person shooters.JK/MOtS added the lightsaber and force powers with an enhanced game engine - besides better graphics and sound, it was now possible to combine moth horizontal and vertical head movements using the mouse (DF had separate buttons for vertical looking, which made the interface feel exceedingly clunky in comparison).Also, basic movements were more natural - you never had that feeling prevalent in DF that you were a golf cart instead of a person.

But above the improved engine, JK excelled because it was as much a SW experience as it was a game - with a tight story line, excellent level design and filmed FMV cut scenes.(Most people hated the cut-scenes - poorly acted and not very effects laden - but I loved them; they added to the movie-like feeling and, anyway, "Attack of the Clones" had horrible acting and scenes that went on much longer) You never had that feeling of other shooter games where you suddenly stopped and wondered - OK, where am I, what am I looking for and why am I hitting all of these buttons.The story returns pro-rebel mercenary Kyle Katarn to the fore.Learning that his father was killed by an evil dark jedi named Jerec, Kyle sets off on a mission of revenge. Soon he learns more - that Jerec rules an entire faction of imperials intent on locating the lost "Valley of the Jedi" (also featured in "Jedi Outcast").The burial place of countless jedi, the valley also holds a bottomless reservoir of their force power.The plot has Kyle tracking a traitorous droid named 8T88 from Nar Shadaa to his father's home planet of Sulon (the droid decodes a map leading to the valley - the map is then destroyed).Great level design makes each player map seem less a map than a place that must be navigated.AI suffers in terms of the imperial troops - who prove bad enough before their blasters are force-grabbed away.Balancing that out, the game is generous with boss modes - sending you up for 5 lightsaber duels with the dark jedi, including the climactic duel with Jerec.Personally, I hated the saber duels - they always seemed to boil down to hopping and slashing with sabers.(Jedi Outcast is most improved in that respect - there are much better looking duels, and more of them).Your force powers are divided between generic powers (speed, jump, sight) and those specific to light (heal, persuasion) or dark (lightning) forces.Your reliance on dark or light powers (and your ability to keep from killing various innocent by-standers) will determine whether you are a light or dark jedi.(The consequent difference for one side or another is not that great - mostly it determines which of Jerec's evil jedi you will fight in one of the latter duels, and which cut scenes you'll watch).Sound and graphics compare well with the newer games, and the overall plot makes you feel like you're in a Star Wars movie.

This edition also comes with "Mysteries of the Sith" - a companion disk that uses a slightly altered game engine and was originally released separately, but otherwise required JK be installed.In MotS, you play Katarn for the first several missions, then assume the role of Mara Jade, a former imperial agent brought to the light (her character was introduced in the novels of Timothy Zahn).The tight plotting of the first game is gone - replaced by looser story arcs (as Kyle, you must save a rebel base from an imperial ground assault, then destroy an orbiting asteroid the imperials are using to stage their attack; as Mara, you will infiltrate the palace of Kapa the Hutt and then, in a switch, go to work for him; you will also track down and try to retrieve a jedi holocron and save a rebel corvette from marauding pirates; eventually you will follow Kyle back to a mysterious planet of the Sith where it's dark and swampy, the locals are hostile and hungry, and your weapons don't work).If uneven, MotS has its share of thrills and challenges.AI is noticeably improved (with stormtroopers ready to go fisticuffs when their blasters are force-grabbed) and gameplay is much more challenging on the whole.Should you tire of the levels provided, an entire on-line community has crafted single and multi-player levels for both games.

In short, both games are still great values and enjoyment isn't terribly undermined by your having played Jedi Outcast - though it's obviously not the mind-blowing experience of 1997 (still, it's aged better than the Spice Girls).If you've got a P4 - it's just an excuse to turn the graphics up to excessive.I first played this on my P200MMX computer with VoodooII graphics acceleration, and enjoyed every minute.On my P4, I had no Windows XP problems, and was able to crank graphics to the full. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

A long time ago, an awesome real-time strategy game set in Earth's pastnamed Age of Empires II was unleashed on an unwitting public. Almostimmediately, it took its place among the best games of its genre. GalacticBattlegrounds takes many of the elements that made Age of Empires IIso good and gives them a complete Star Wars makeover. The gameplay is sosimilar, it's hard to recommend it to anyone with a copy of AOE II.However, if you haven't played AOE II, or you're a hard-core StarWars fan, you might just find this game to be strong in the Force.

Battlegrounds offers you the chance to become a leader in deciding someof the most important battles of the Star Wars mythology. As in otherreal-time strategy games, you'll concern yourself with such things as keepingyour troops fed, advancing technology, and trade. And, of course, keeping yourbase from getting completely wiped out is generally considered a plus.

Among the few enhancements Battlegrounds makes to the Age of EmpiresII engine is the bigger technology tree (more stuff to invent and play with)and air and anti-air units (TIE fighters, X-wings, etc.). Most of the favoriteraces, machinery, and characters of the films are also well represented.Wookiees, Jedi, the Trade Federation, Darth Vader, Luke, and the rest of thegang (including Jar Jar) are all there for you to command in the campaign mode.Those looking to wage war in the battles seen in the films might be somewhatdisappointed, as many of the missions, while no less important, take placeparallel (and usually very close to) those shown in movies.

Thankfully, a few of the better-known skirmishes have been incorporated in thegame--just don't expect to significantly alter Star Wars history. Forexample, when controlling Imperial forces in the Battle of Hoth (the snow battlefrom The Empire Strikes Back), you lead your troops in an effort toannihilate Rebel scum before they can flee the planet. Can you change theoutcome of the battle seen in the films? Aside from losing your commander andimmediately losing the game, no. But the stories behind the skirmishes depictedthroughout Battlegrounds do fit well into the Star Wars myth andare usually fun. There are also quite a few standalone missions, a random mapgenerator, and tools for creating your own battles. It's enough to keephard-core Star Wars fans ignoring their earthly responsibilities for a good longtime.

Battlegrounds is, at its core, a modification of Age of Empires IIand it plays about as well as can be expected. Fortunately, despite its somewhatoutdated graphics, Battlegrounds' famous characters and locales add justenough Star Wars flavor to help make it a solid game in its own right.

Pros:

• Puts you in command of AT-ATs, stormtroopers, and Jedi
• Familiar Star Wars locales, characters, and music
• Uses the familiar (and very good) Age of Empires II interface
• Interesting main campaign that spans the films and goes beyond Return ofthe Jedi

• Outdated graphics lack definition and are rather flat
• AT-ATs too small, TIEs and X-wings hover instead of fly

Reviews (16)

This is very first game I bought for my new Macintosh
I bought this game a few months ago just after I got my G4 PowerMac.This is a very fun game to play.It is kind of like Rise of Nations in the Star Wars Universe.This year I have become a big time RTS fan.When my older brother saw how cool this game is while I was playing it, he bought the PC version for himself.I recommend this game to those who both like Rise of Nations and Star Wars.

I am very happy,
Webmaster Mark

Not as good as the game it borrowed its engine from
Now the game itself is very fun and challenging and has a lot to offer but the engine they used was AOE2s. They did a bad job using it. I found that there was very poor path finding and the AI was pretty crappy. Besides those downsides a solid RTS

Mostly for Star Wars Fans, but Still Very Playable
If you have played Age of Empires II, it won't take very long to get the hang of this game. However, that might make this game boring if you've worn out your interest of that game. Even so, the AE II engine has been completely reworked into the Star Wars Galaxy, with much of the familiar characters, vehicles, and planets of the movies. Playing the scenarios lets you use various main characters such as Darth Vader and Chewbacca. Many sound bytes have been used from the various movies, though a few get overused, especially the "Ahh!!" when some units get killed.The graphics are decent and it ran well on my G4 400 which is getting too slow for most newer games.
Despite the fact that most of the game feels like Star Wars, it would have been interesting if more unique units and features were available since in regular game play, it doesn't matter how many resources you have gathered or how advanced your technologies are, you aren't going to get the Millennium Falcon or a Star Destroyer. At least you can get an AT-AT or X-wing. Overall, I recommend Star Wars Galactic Battlegrounds, especially for Star Wars fans. I just have to wonder if there is a Spaceballs mod out there somewhere??

ugh....soooooo boring
I used to like this game. was kind of fun. not it bores me out out of my wits. Let's start out with the graphics. Ok, the Millenium Falcon is huge in the movie, but in the game...(sigh)its the size of about ten people. Lets look at the Jedi and Sith. The only difference between the two is that they fight differently with different colered light sabers. If a jedi comes to an enemy building, why the heck would he hack at it with his LIGHTSABER? Its also a frame rate of oh, 3?! Now lets look at the mechs. There are, count em, 4 DIFFERENT MECHS! AWESOME! The Pummel has...whoa...2 ATTACK! there are also about 10 maps. the campaigns are just disproportionately boring. Chewbacca has a crossbow, yet he shoots lasers! How can ewok hang gliders hover? Why can't they just fly in a circle like airplanes in Empire Earth? Also theres about 10 different animals. The terrains are boring. Grass and dark grass. If you walked by and said hi to a Gungan medic, would she\he\whatever say stupidly, "Just a fleshy wound!"? Echuu Shen-Jon is a black character, but in the game he's white. C-3PO Can't walk that fast! Ok, Ok, Ok lets just leave it at that there are no Pros and many Cons. I hate this game. People who think this game is "The BEST GAME IN THE UNIVERSE", should breathe deeply and rethink their life.

Don't hold your breath.
This was possibly created by the most inept minds in the industry. A realtime strategy game based on Star Wars? This game has many flaws, which I won't go into detail with, but some other ones that really stick out.

1. The graphics. Come on. This is the 21st century. We should expect good graphics for any game on a Mac. These graphics are wicked blocky, and most of the explosions look pasted on at best.

2. What kind of Jedi hacks buildings with his lightsaber? I didn't see Obi-Wan hacking the Mos-Eisley cantina. Or maybe Darth Vader duking it out with a a in the Death Star.

3. The havesting of minerals, or money, whatever it was, seemed really unrefined. you couldn't have machines come through and annihilate an entire forest for wood, could you? I mean, it is far in the future! In Warcraft III you had more hi-tech harvesting tools, i.e. the goblins with buzzsaw wooden mechs.

Aside from this, I urge you to go with a Warcraft title, or Starcraft before you try your hand at the destruction of games as we know it. Although, if you like this kind of Star Wars [stuff], go with this. It's not too bad. ... Read more

Product Description

WookiesTowering, fur-covered humanoids native to the planet Kashyyyk, Wookiees are exceedingly strong and prone to fits of rage. However, they are also intelligent, loyal, and trusting. Among the species, bravery and honor are considered paramount. Although their culture is not warlike, Wookiees do make fierce warriors and deadly opponents when angered or threatened.In Star Wars Galaxies, we will strive to capture the b ... Read more

Features

• Includes eight playable species with detailed character customizability
• Entirely new 3D engine designed to portray the Star Wars galaxy in the greatest possible detail
• A seamless universe spanning both familiar and never-before seen worlds from Star Wars
• Vehicles for travel across worlds and through space

Reviews (827)

A galaxy truly, truly ruined...
Brawler classes being forced to use Skill Points that have nothing to do with their profession from Brawler's skills, why do I say this?As a Master Swordsman, 2-Handed Swords, I have to have the 1-Handed tree in which there are no modifiers for 2-Handed Weapons.This applies to all four Brawler Classes, meaning you need a tree that does nothing for you other than waste Skill Points that can be used elsewhere to improve your character.Why was this done? Most likely because all Ranged Professions require not only their basic tree from Marksman but also Ranged Support.What this means is the same Skill Points are used to be either a single Master Marksman Elite Profession as a Brawler Elite.I understand this concept but at least the Marksman get modifiers from the Ranged Support tree that help them no matter what they choose. They should have added modifiers for the other professions that the trees are required for instead of making them just Skill Point wasting trees.

CU is a much needed change.
I've got to hand it to SOE.They were pressured in releasing the "Total Experience" and "Rage of the Wookies" before the release of Episode III.They've had to suffer the thousands of "hate" letters directed in their way, and are still dredging through it all.

SOE had an incomplete Combat Upgrade on their hands, and are making great strides in pulling out a great product.I will admit that there were a lot of bugs and glitches with it, but given the circumstances, they are doing a wonderful job.They do still have a lot of work to do, but so far, I'm 100% satisfied with their progress thusfar.

If you hear anyone complaining about the CU or about SOE, you can rest assured that these people are completely sensless.Everyone was crying for a change to be made about combat in SWG, then along came CU.It is a DRASTIC change from the SWG that anyone had ever played before.Most people that are complaining about it are closed-minded and haven't spent an hour, with eyes wide open, playing this Upgrade.I've had more fun playing since CU than I have in the past 2 years.I also have complete faith thatSOE is doing everything in its power to make this complete.

Wasted Potential
Quite possibly the very best idea for a MMORPG, and also, quite possibly the very worse execution as well.The idea of an online game set in the Star Wars Universe was definitely the most enticing game idea I had ever seen.I actually had to buy a whole new computer to play it two years ago.

This game has, or to say, had dozens of new innovative ideas.It was the first MMORPG to use a skill system, instead of a level system, since I had played UO.It had the greatest crafting system I had ever seen in any game.It was also the first online game I know to include professions specifically aimed towards casual gamers.Players could choose to be Dancers or Musicians.You could place your own houses all over huge sandbox style planets.

Most of things were flawed, and had issues with something being too strong, or not strong enough.For the longest time the game's developers tried unsuccessfully to balance and fix the flaws with the game.A great deal or progress was made in the twenty-two months since the game's launch, but evidentially not enough.The developers created a patch called the "Combat Upgrade" or CU for short.

The combat upgrade fundamentally traded a very flawed, though original and innovative combat system, for a very flawed bland overused combat system.The upgrade switched from a skill based system, to the overly used level system that so many other games have.A unique armor system that involved different damages and certain enemies and armories having certain protections and vulnerabilities was replaced with simply all armor having very similar protections to everything, as well as every enemy having the exact same protections now as well.

Though it was named the Combat Upgrade, this change greatly effected all the non-combative professions as well.Medical professions lost the ability to craft their own medicines, and now simply heal without them.(much like priests or clerics in other games)They may only heal in combat now, if they wish to advance through their profession.Crafting has been made much more simple, and weapons and armor now all very similar stats, and the difference between an exceptional craftsman and a inexperienced one is now very little.

As for it being Star Wars, it's more like Everquest with Star Wars names and characters pasted over it now.The game is set between Episodes IV and V and yet there are dozens of Jedi running around.Ithorians, a pacifist race according to the Star Wars Canon, have 3 suits of exclusive battle armor and can learn just as many destructive skills as other races.The rebels in the game are never hiding and always very much out in the open.

To be a Jedi in the game you must travel a very long, boring, and tedious path full of time sinks and tons of grinding.If you become a Jedi, all that remains is to continue grinding to learn new Jedi skills.They only way to gain XP as a Jedi, good or bad, is to simply kill things over and over again with a lightsaber.Jedi in Star Wars Galaxies is simply another combat profession with different weapons.After you reach Jedi there are no quests or missions for you, at least none that a Non-Jedi could do.

I've been playing since the game's launch late in June of 2003, and have been playing it regularly since.The developers at Sony Online Entertainment have constantly ignored concerns and requests from the player base, and continue to make horrible decisions based on things they never explain to it's loyal customers.The most recent change to the game as left me with no friends left to play with, and can't even find a reason to log on anymore.SOE seems to not only know nothing about Star Wars, but also nothing about managing a Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game as well.If you like Star Wars I'd recommend Knights of the Old Republic, Battlegrounds, or Episode III.If you like online games you might want to try City of Heroes or World of Warcraft.But even if you like both Star Wars and Online games, I wouldn't recommend this game to you.

Don't waste your money. REALLY!
This game and the recent work done on it by SOE, is the single reason I will never buy another SOE product. This was once a good game, you could log on and play without spending hours looking for a group unlike Everquest or other online games, but... not anymore. On top of having a huge unfinished patch force upon the live servers, (bringing some of them down for over 24 hours) it was a patch that created huge protest and mass people saying it was not wanted. Let alone wanted in its unfinished full of bugs state. But SOE and their team did not listen. People were banned for protesting and saying they wanted to keep they old game, forum post were deleted for the same reason. To end this review, I must repeat, do not buy this game.

CU/Comic Upgrade ruined this game
I loved this game from day one almost 2 years ago and went through all the changes, but the CU I cant stomach anymore, I gave it a shot and sure if you like grouping with friends Im sure it might be fun. But all my friends have already canceled and tried making new ones and they hate the game now too and cancel and trying to solo and get xp has become impossible now. I have a Jedi too and they forced us to have to group now if we want to gain xp so now we could be hunted consistently by BHs. So unless this game goes back or gets a major overhaul again. Dont waste your money, this is still a beta and shouldnt be paid for or have a monthly fee. Ive gone to Guild Wars (no fees). ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

A long time ago, an awesome real-time strategy game set in Earth's pastnamed Age of Empires II was unleashed on an unwitting public. Almostimmediately, it took its place among the best games of its genre. GalacticBattlegrounds takes many of the elements that made Age of Empires IIso good and gives them a complete Star Wars makeover. The gameplay is sosimilar, it's hard to recommend it to anyone with a copy of AOE II.However, if you haven't played AOE II, or you're a hard-core StarWars fan, you might just find this game to be strong in the Force.

Battlegrounds offers you the chance to become a leader in deciding someof the most important battles of the Star Wars mythology. As in otherreal-time strategy games, you'll concern yourself with such things as keepingyour troops fed, advancing technology, and trade. And, of course, keeping yourbase from getting completely wiped out is generally considered a plus.

Among the few enhancements Battlegrounds makes to the Age of EmpiresII engine is the bigger technology tree (more stuff to invent and play with)and air and anti-air units (TIE fighters, X-wings, etc.). Most of the favoriteraces, machinery, and characters of the films are also well represented.Wookiees, Jedi, the Trade Federation, Darth Vader, Luke, and the rest of thegang (including Jar Jar) are all there for you to command in the campaign mode.Those looking to wage war in the battles seen in the films might be somewhatdisappointed, as many of the missions, while no less important, take placeparallel (and usually very close to) those shown in movies.

Thankfully, a few of the better-known skirmishes have been incorporated in thegame--just don't expect to significantly alter Star Wars history. Forexample, when controlling Imperial forces in the Battle of Hoth (the snow battlefrom The Empire Strikes Back), you lead your troops in an effort toannihilate Rebel scum before they can flee the planet. Can you change theoutcome of the battle seen in the films? Aside from losing your commander andimmediately losing the game, no. But the stories behind the skirmishes depictedthroughout Battlegrounds do fit well into the Star Wars myth andare usually fun. There are also quite a few standalone missions, a random mapgenerator, and tools for creating your own battles. It's enough to keephard-core Star Wars fans ignoring their earthly responsibilities for a good longtime.

Battlegrounds is, at its core, a modification of Age of Empires IIand it plays about as well as can be expected. Fortunately, despite its somewhatoutdated graphics, Battlegrounds' famous characters and locales add justenough Star Wars flavor to help make it a solid game in its own right.

Pros:

• Puts you in command of AT-ATs, stormtroopers, and Jedi
• Familiar Star Wars locales, characters, and music
• Uses the familiar (and very good) Age of Empires II interface
• Interesting main campaign that spans the films and goes beyond Return ofthe Jedi

• Outdated graphics lack definition and are rather flat
• AT-ATs too small, TIEs and X-wings hover instead of fly

Reviews (127)

Star wars galactic battlegrounds is awsome!!!!!!
Star wars galactic battlegrounds is awsome!!!!!! the game has good grafics and is fun to play. they teach you how to play in the menu.
to make it better you should get an expantion like star wars galactic battlegrounds the clone compainion.

Great game, but lacks a certain something
Let me preface my review by stating that I am an enthusiastic Star Wars fan, and bought this game because of it. The gameplay is fun and interesting and the SW locals are great; however, when compared to AOE II (the game from which this is derived), there is a slight lack of cohesion and balance. It is harder to find unit combos that work seamlessly together, and there are too many top-heavy units (AT-AT and the rebellion tank, for example) which don't cost enough to make (it is VERY easy to build 15-20 AT-AT's and steamroller across a map). The flying units are a mere annoyance, lacking any real power when faced with anti-aircraft, and a sheild generators and towers make uber-strong defensive combos that take eons to remove, especially in the face of defensive siege weapon emplacements.

To summarize: This is a good game, but if you are playing someone who has a similar skill level, prepare to be playing a LONG time.

Good game
I had a lot of fun playing this game. There really was only one problem. This would be that it is a total clone of Age of Empires 2. It is the AoE game engine set in a Star Wars galaxy. The units are exactly the same. For example, there is a unit in AoE that is called the ram, it is resitant to arrows and destroys buildings. In Star Wars there is a unit called a pummel. It is resitant to lasers and destroys sturctures. This sounds pretty similar, right? I suggest that you buy Age of Empires, and you love it, to buy this game. You should try AoE out first.

wonderful
I am an avid RTS gamer, and of course I fell in love with Starcraft the first time I played it. But SC does have its faults, namely the biggest one being it was too limited. I always wanted to load up with 100 or so carriers and raid someone's base. But alas, unit limits keep you from doing such a thing. But then I discovered Battlegrounds, and was satisfied. It has an even more detailed tech tree then Starcraft, and of course the unit limits were more forgiving, so I was able to take 150 at-ats and raid bases at my whim. Of course, its challenging to keep your base going long enough to do this, so the difficulty I had at playing SC never really left either. Of course, you could sit around and complain that the graphics arent 3d, the story mode doesnt have Starcraft's excellent cutscenes, well, to that I say, hard cheese. If you like Starcraft, Star Wars games, or just strategy games in general, this is worth the cash.

A good RTS with a star wars twist
this game is overall good, although it's hard to play the random battle mode well. the CPU's are either dumb as rocks or hard to beat but never in between. also it has easy to access online gaming but limited players unless you have the expansion. in the end, this game is a great star wars RTS but is very limited with out the expansion. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Through Jango Fett--father of Boba Fett--players will plunge into thedark, deadly world of a bounty hunter. Inspired by events between EpisodeI and Episode II, Star Wars: Bounty Hunter presents anoriginal, compelling, third-person action experience that establishes JangoFett's place in the Star Wars galaxy and his connection to the notoriousClone Army. The game draws players into Jango Fett's sinister and seedy world,where thieves and assassins thrive. Using his cunning and a host of deadlyskills, Jango Fett ventures into the rarely explored dark side of the StarWars universe to track down the elusive leader of a mysterious and deadlycult. All the while, he'll compete against a brutal rival from his past in aquest to capture the ultimate bounty, dead or alive.

Gameplay emphasizes intense combat and physical action in the relentless pursuitof prey across six fantastic worlds and 18 levels. Jango Fett faces off againstan onslaught of the worst scum in the universe, including crime lords, corruptpoliticians, and enemies of various species. He is equipped with an arsenal ofpowerful weapons such as dual blaster pistols, a flamethrower, missiles, and adistinctive jet pack. ... Read more

Reviews (72)

Not as great as expected, but still not that bad
First off, I'd just like to say this is an average game. There are more cons than pros. The game has a good sense of showing the Star Wars universe to you, but most of the time it's just constant enemies reappearing around corners that you can kill with your blasters in 3 shots. A really bad problem about this game is that the structure of the environments are so hard to follow and there are quite a few technical problems as well. The A.I. isn't that dumb, but way too simplistic. You do get a jetpack, you can burn people with your wristwatch, you can use your cable to wrap people up in, or just your fists and blasters to get the job done very easily. Youd do feel like Jango Fett, but you also feel this isn't a sensational game.
A huge dissapointment was when I saw the intro with the incredible, polished, cinematics and then when the real gameplay hits, as soon as it begins, you'll see the graphics aren't as expected. The only thing I think the game almost had to perfection was the sound. Whenever you are in danger or in a battle, the loud orchestra of music begins to play, and all the enemies have the same type of voices compared to the movie. This is indeed a fun game and I'd recommend this to anyone that is a big fan of Star Wars, other than that, it's an average game, for which I give it a 3 out of 5.

Star Wars Bounty Hunter rocks!!!!
This is one of the greatest Star Wars games! Not only do you get to claim bounties other than the main baddies, but you can fry civilians! Nothing can satisfy you more then the sight of a well-done resident. You can use a bunch of weapons, like saberdart launchers, twin blaster pistols, whip-cord, ID scanners, and more!

You can't stop playing this game once you start. The graphics are great and the music is fabulous. The voices are also good. Bounty Hunter takes place through episodes one and two, so there's plenty of game play.

You will travel through many worlds and places like the home of some tusken raiders, or the skyscrapers of coruscant. You have to take out millions of Republic guards, aliens, out-laws, and rival bounty hunters. This game is over-all a great, must have game!

Where's Meeko!!?
This is a phenomenal game. If your a Star Wars fan especially, you'll be knocked out by the Lucasfilm Archives sound effects (Ithorians, Jawas, Tuskens, and Gonk Droids to name a few).

I don't understand the complaints either with the gameplay. Those who claim to have "beat" the game in a single day are simply playing video games too much. The mere length of the game would require, literally, a day...and that's providing a perfect performance on your debut outing! But then, I suppose anyone who plays video games that much isn't going to be surprised by much; many games have structure similar to this one, but I've seen few pull it off with as much panache and grace. The controls are pretty easy to master, offer a ton of variety, and the enemies provide ample challenge. As far as the bounties go, I had a blast looking for them. They don't offer anything necessary, per se, for the gameplay to take place (in other words, you can simply blast 'em all if you want), but provide a personal & fun challenge, much like trophy hunting in Tournament Melee does.

The atmosphere is simply enchanting, atmospheric and increasingly creepy as the game goes on. Ultimately, as a Star Wars fan, you will be submersed into a convincing, enveloping world that is already familiar to you from the movies. It will be a joy for you just to walk through it!

The voice acting was done by Temuerra Morrison (Jango), Clancy Brown (Montross) and even the woman who actually played Zam Wessel in Attack of the Clones. Extremely well done with great cut scenes and outtakes.

I only hope a sequel will appear someday.

Aliens beware!
This game is awesome!With great graphics, great gameplay , and a great storyline.There's so many weapons and devices to choose from you can blast 'em, burn 'em, catch 'em, shock 'em, explode 'em, and just totally demolish them!The only drawback is you have to keep tapping buttons in the middle of a fight to get the weapon you want.And that sometimes hurts your health.It's a fairly hard game and is very enjoyable!It's awesome dodging bullets, fighting dozens of baddies at once, flying around and shooting everything!There's alot of great things to this game that makes up forthe little nuisance of switching weapons around.Stick with the dual blasters and have a blast!!!

A New Twist on Star Wars
This is a simply amazing game.The graphics are awesome, and the voice overs are great too.In nearly all of the star wars games for any platform, you're a jedi, facing wookies with blasters, and cutting thru them like a warm knife thru butter.This game presents a challenge, not to mention that Jango Fett is awesome beyond imaginable.You face enemies that arent easy to kill and you do so with graphics that are unpresidented for a star wars game. The story line is good and easy to follow and Jangos wit is definitly cool.I would recomend this to any gamer who likes star wars, and a decsent challenge. ... Read more

Features

• Star Wars Galactic Battlegrounds - Clone Campaign takes you into an all-new strategy adventure that closely parallels the events of Episode II!
• This Expansion pack adds a whole level of strategy to the game, with new features like team bonuses -- team up two civilizations to gain specific new strengths
• Existing civilizations have been updated - The Naboo get new bonuses, the Rebels get a new air unit, the Empire gets a new assault mech and more
• Follow two generals, Echuu Shen-Jon and Sev'Rance Tann as they struggle with(or against) two new civilizations - the Galactic Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems
• Visit amazing new worlds like the lava planet of Sarapin

Reviews (1)

Great expansion pack for a one of my favorite games
...Clone Campaigns is a neat expansion pack for Galactic Battlegrounds. It updates Galactic Battlegrounds to Epsiode II, with the Republic and Confederacy. Also, several changes are made to the game itself, so even if you play one of the old civilizations, it will be new and fun. The most major are:
* Air cruisers- Cannons in the air. Verrrry sllllooooowww recharge rate.
* Anti-air is more powerful/Fighters are less powerful against Anti-air.
* Jedi/Sith upgrades cheaper
* Turrents are more expensive
I would recommend that you get this if you have Galactic Battlegrounds. If you don't have Galactic Battlegrounds, it's an RTS (real time strategy) game based on the Age of Empires II engine where you can become your favorite civ (Royal Naboo, Wookies, Rebel Alliance, Republic, Gungans Empire, Trade Federation, Confederacy) and fight with other civs for control of a world. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

nice
You get to melee in Star Wars ships. That's essentially the point of this game. X-Wing Vs. Tie Fighter includes melees such as free for all, ones with wingmen, in asteroid clusters, etc. There are also things like minecleaning and turkey shoot where you shoot at larger ships.
Balance of Power adds the B-wing to the list of ships, and campaign missions. Also, my favorite part of the game, it adds a 25 minute long turkey shoot that starts with cargo freighters and ends with a super star destroyer. The first time you see the size of it, you'll be happy you got the game.

Fun. Once I start playing, it's usually hours before I quit. Controls are good, too, though it takes a bit to memorize what keys do what.

GREAT GAME
WHAT!!!!!!!!!!???????????
ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO FEEL LIKE YOUR MOVING IN YOUR LITTLE SHIP?

Probably, but it doesn't work to well. When you're first playing the game, it can be confusing and you can get "Lost in Space".
Why?
Because, first of all, all of the controls are new to you and you don't know what is what in the cockpit. So if you turn, your facing a [blank] picture of space - and you can't find your way back to the battle. But you get used to it. But it's still annoying!

So why did I give this game five stars?
Because EXCEPT FOR THE ABOVE, (and a little more at the bottom) IT'S GREAT! YOU REALLY FEEL LIKE YOU'RE THERE! ONCE YOU KNOW THE CONTROLS AND WHAT EVERYTHING MEANS, YOU'RE HAVING SUCH A GOOD TIME, YOU DON'T GET OFF TILL MIDNIGHT!

G-R-E-A-TG-A-M-E-!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GET IT!

WARNING: If you don't currently have a joystick, don't get the game! It requires a joystick to play! (I had to go through that, and it wasn't fun.)

OMG!!!!!! if you dont own this u r CRAZY!!!!!!!
THIS GAME RULES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!IT IS NOT JUST 4 STAR WARS FANS!!!!IF U LIKE PILOT GAMES IT IS 4 U!!!!!IF U LIKE STAR WARS IT IS 4 U!!!!!THIS GAME INTRODUCES THE SUPER STAR DESTROYER, MAKING UP 4 THE TINY ISD'S.and u can download ship path's and fly awesome fighters like TIE defenders and missile boats, 2 name a few.GET THIS GAME!!!!!!

This game ROCKS!
ill keep it short and brief, the critics who blast this game dont know what their talking about, this game is one of the bes tive ever, played. IF youre thinking about buying it DO SO!!!!!

Awesome! I hail this game!
This game is totally awesome! It really puts you into the Star Wars universe like Battle for Naboo and Rogue Squadron did. The controls are good for a game like this. I give this game 5 stars! ... Read more

Amazon.com

In this 3D action game based on the epic Star Wars prequel, you get to jump into the story and play an active role in the liberation of the besieged planet of Naboo. The Phantom Menace closely follows the plot from the film (and will give it away if you haven't yet seen the movie) and includes all of the major conflicts, conversations, and events you saw on the big screen. In addition, the game adds a number of transitional scenes and challenges to help flesh out the plot a bit. In each major segment of the story, you will control of a different character: Obi-Wan Kenobi, Qui-Gon Jinn, Queen Amidala, and Captain Panaka (the queen's loyal captain of the guards).

The game is played from a third-person perspective, similar to Tomb Raider and Heretic II. Basic gameplay is reminiscent of these games as well, so you'll find yourself facing a number of agility and reflex puzzles as you make your way through the game. (In other words, expect to do a lot of jumping, rolling, and running.) And of course, you'll also have to fight your way past hordes of evil battle droids. The graphics are impressive, as are the sound effects, music, and voice acting. Overall, LucasArts did a fine job of re-creating the look and feel of the movie with this game. The gameplay may not appeal to every action gamer out there (this is not a Quake clone by any stretch), but it could be a blast for Star Wars fans and any player who enjoys a Tomb Raider-style gaming experience. Now if only you could turn that lightsaber on Jar-Jar Binks.... --Mike Ryan ... Read more

Reviews (63)

It's cool
I'm not really much into top of the line graphics and all that stuff. I play a game if it sounds fun. So yeah the graphics aren't the best but the games alot of fun. Several people were complaining about Tatooine levels. If you play it the way you're supposed to then yeah its sorta boring. I don't play it the way I'm supposed to when I've finished the game once. Try attacking some random people or walking throu the dung. Make it interesting do it your way, if you want to run through the streets of Tatooine and killing every person in sight and being chased by all the guards, swinging their vibroaxes at you and yelling "You're a no good killer," and stuff like at you than do so. I've always liked padme in the movies so playing her is pretty fun, yeah when you first get her she has an extremely wimpy stun blaster, but if you look behind you or go into nearby buildings, there are grenades, blasters, and proton torpedo launchers. The level on Coruscant is my least favorite in the entire game, just because running around in the depthes of Coruscaht trying to find Queen Amidala gets annoying. The only other level I don't like is the 4th level, which takes Obi-Wan trying to get Queen Amidala out of Theed, while having to get her past AAT's and bunches of droids, and if you leave her alone too long they'll say "The Queen has been killed," when she alives you get sayings such as "YOu're stepping on my dress," and "I never knew Jedi could be so rude," from her. Overall it's a really fun game just play it your way, explore, do what you please on it, (within what the game allows of course)

Thoroughly entertaining
It's been awhile, but I recall first playing this game with my brother and us declaring it the most enjoyable LucasArts venture yet.Yes it has its flaws, especially now in 2004 when videogame graphics have since made stunning advancements.But this 1999 game is simply classic - the "choose-your-own-response" dialogue, deceptively tricky puzzles, lightsaber and shoot-'em-up action - I'm sure any Star Wars fan who missed it the first time around would have a ball picking it up now, especially with the marked-down price.

good game, but with some bugs
This is a great game and its fun too, but the bugs get annoying. but first the good things. The graphics are fairly good, the gameplay is good, the levels ar good, the weapons are good, and i like all the Characters you are in the diffirent levels, and it challenges you. Now the bad stuff. the camera views get messed up some times, some times the the characters repeat what they just said, some times it locks up when you try to save a game, some times the sound gets messed up (and its not my sound card), and some times the characters start saying things when a. they all ready said it b. your not even close to them. But overall this is a good game, and i recommend it to any one who likes star wars or adventure/Action games.

Great game
I really enjoyed this game. It had many impressive weapons,as well as the tactics used to deploy them. Have no fear, parents. This game dishes out dire consequences if the kids start killing innocent sentience, meaning that you can't go on a killing rampage and live to tell about it. This game has a moderate amount of solvable puzzles, and bosses that will keep you interested. The only puzzle that will have you throw the computer out the window is the trading in the Mos Espa level. I like a challenge. It personally didn't bother me, but the graphics had flaws(most of which I found humourous). For example, if you try to talk to someone with your lightsaber up, as you talk, your saber will be coming out the back of the person's head, without harming them. My only disapointment is that there is no lightsaber dueling. You get into a fight with Darth Maul, on several occasions, but you can't block his saber, and visa-versa, which means it is a bloodbath(figure of speech, there is no blood)between the two of you. It is true that the final battle with Maul is somewhat easy, but that is what the skill codes are for. In short, if your looking for a good game without needless killing, this is it. As for replayability, I've had The Phantom Menace for two years, and I still play it.

Awesome Game! A Must-Have
This game is the best. You get to be Obi wan, qui-gon, Panaka, and queen amidala. the gameplay is awesome, the graphics are perfect, and the a.i. is good. the only problem is that it is simple to beat darth maul in the final battle. I bought this game and i played it over and over again. All star wars fans must have this game! ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

As a member of the Rebel Alliance, climb into the cockpit of an X-wing and battle the Empire for freedom as you fly against deadly TIE fighters and menacing Star destroyers. Fight in three combat tours of duty, including two add-on tours of duty: Imperial Pursuit and B-Wing. You'll pilot three spacecraft with full instrumentation and 17 cockpit views per craft and dodge the weapons of the evil Empire in both deep space and on surface missions. Includes X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter: Flight School with 14 playable levels. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

The best game ever made. period.
TIE Fighter, even now, is, simply put, the best computer game ever made. Other people might say it's Civ II, and some would say that it wasoutclassed by Freespace or Wing Commander, but they are mistaken. TIEFighter had a story. Not just a "we've been attacked, go and shootthem back" story but a very deep story, which involved the pilot.Furthermore, it had original missions. It wasn't just "go shootthem" or "help defend us", you do things like flying escort,scouting, recon, spying, etc. Well, basically, go look at PCGamer's reviewof it and rating, and see what other games have gotten better ratings thanit. one has, and they're wrong. That having been said, this is basicallyTIE Fighter (and X-Wing, another respectable game) with updated graphics.They didn't put on Xwing versus TIE Fighter's truly awful control orinterface, all they did was update the graphics. The result is that now thebest game ever made has graphics to suit. No real computer gamer can affordto be without this.

All Time Classics
Even in their original forms, both of these games have been on my hard drive since they first game out.With the exception of Elite, the StarWars games were the first space sims to feel like you were actually flyingin a 3D environment, not playing a 2D arcade game (sorry Wing Commanderfans).Add 2 fantastic Star Wars story lines (both well fleshed out in therespective strategy guides), a chance to sample the overall lacklustersequel, updated graphics, and win 95 funtionality for under $20, and youcan't go wrong.Freespace fans, check out the originals, and pick upAlliance.Its nice to see the series back on track.

All that's missing is Ben Kenobi whispering in your ear...
This collection of all the X-wing titles (before Tie Fighter) is a great value, and an excellent introduction into the wonderful world of Rebel dogfighting.The sound effects, the graphics, the atmosphere--all of itevokes images of your favorite space battles in the Star Wars movies.Youget to start slow, and work your way up to the really tough missions--andyou'll need the time to learn, trust me!Quite simply one of the mostall-around enjoyable games I've ever played. ... Read more

Reviews (20)

These bad guys are so good....
I love playing games, but when push comes to shove, I'm not very good at it. I own both X-Wing and TIE Fighter. When I play X-Wing, I always die in a fiery explosion in my first mission (once I was lucky, though, and got captured!), but TIE Fighter is so flexible in difficulty that even I have gotten pretty far. It's more interesting, too. Most Imperial fighters (and all of the classic movie ones)have no shields, so you must rely on your wits, aim, speed, and allies to keep from becoming toast, and if you run off to do secondary missions (for which you gain major brownie points with the Emperor and promotions through his secret "Order"), sometimes none of these can save you. Luckily, at least on the difficulties I played on (and it can get much harder for all you challenge junkies), it's not very easy to die or get captured even if you try (yes, I have. yes, I'm strange).
If you hate games but love Star Wars (or vice versa), this is going to convert you. If you're into games of any kind (unless you only play solitaire and mahjongg, in which case you probably are from another galaxy anyway and don't need to discover the Star Wars one), BUY THIS RIGHT NOW. You will not regret it. You'll get more fun for your money than from any other game, even the Sims or Grand Theft Auto, no matter how sophisticated your computer is (I still only have 400 MHz).

A Classic and All-Time Great
It's been ten years since Tie Fighter made its appearance, and I think that it's still probably the best game I've ever played.

As many have said, this is an exquisite experience even if you're no fan of Star Wars. If you are, however, you'll be delighted to know that this game, rather than being the standard "unbelievably lucky Rebel kills the evil Empire all by himself," in TIE Fighter, you are an Imperial pilot. And you're not alone, you're - well, I'll get to that.

The graphics, while not exactly ILM, are decent, as is the music. But it's the gameplay that makes a brave man weep in the wake of its sheer perfection. As a simulation game, controlling your TIE fighter is quite complex but you'll learn and get used to it in a matter of minutes. The combat itself is fast-paced and detailed, very advanced for a game of its time.

And unlike most previous Star Wars games, in which you had an incredible advantage over your enemies, in TIE Fighter, you (as an individual) are often equally matched or even outmatched. The AI is beautiful, and it works both for your enemies and your allies. You are often only one element in a large and well-orchestrated operation. You'll get an amazing sense of accomplishment out of this game.

It's just... epic. That's the word that keeps popping up in my brain. It was epic.

You'll be quickly immersed in the storyline; in-mission voices are a big help. The campaign is very, very long, but worth every minute of it. There's a stunning variety of mission designs and goals.

As you progress in rank, you'll get access to more advanced crafts and weapons, and, for storyline purposes, if you complete "extra" objectives in certain missions, you'll gain levels in the Emperor's secret service. (For a big fan of the Empire like myself, well, this is just *cool.*) In the earlier missions, you're often either alone or with one or two squadrons. You'll occasionally be under the command of your wing leader, but for the majority of the missions you're the leader of your flight group.

And the farther along you go, the larger the battles get. This is the thing that really blew me away. In major missions, there are often ten or more capital ships and literally dozens of fighters and other smaller craft. You feel like you've become a part of something big.

It just sucks you in. It feels like it's real. I haven't seen a game since that's quite reached that quality of depth.

Please don't be fooled if you've played its successor, "X-Wing vs. Tie Fighter," which was nothing but a backfired attempt to fix what wasn't broken.

In short: play Tie Fighter before you die.

You know you love the Dark Side...
There is something extremely thrilling about playing the bad guy for a change. I was always happy to earn a medal after completing a mission in the X-Wing games, but I LOVED earning the Emperor's blessings as a TIE Fighter pilot. Goose bumps! I got goose bumps on missions of vital import to the Empire. I felt like I could take on the entire Rebel Alliance myself.

The style of dogfighting is so different in a TIE because you ain't gots no shields!!!! :-) You simple must not get hit or pray that its a glancing shot you can shake off over time by outmaneuvering the enemy.

Playing for the Empire opens up a diffrent sort of game. It is a lot fresher than the X-wing games, which make you feel like the understudy to Luke Skywalker since you are essentially taking on his place as Top Gun in Rogue Squadron. I mean, how many times can you blow up the Death Star in a Star Wars game? That type of game you can find over and over. But in TIE Fighter, there is a new perspective, much more intrigue and mystery. Lots of suprises. Hey, you are working for the bad guys, not everyone on your team plays well with others.

There is a reason that this is considered one of the best games of ALL time. It is that good. And a minor spoiler... I nearly cried when I got the pleasure to fly as wingman to HIM. The Force IS strong with this one.... the Dark Side of the Force.

Just get it!
This game, although old, its a classic of its genre. The gameplay is fantastic.Don't waste time and buy it.

P.S.I hear there's tension between Wing Commander and TIE Fighter nuts about which game is the best of them all. I've played Wing Commander 3 and Prophecy too.My advice: forget about moronic issues. Just get all of them!

One of the BEST classic games
For 10 bucks, please buy this. That is all I can say. Back in 1997 when I played this game I was HOOKED. Its not going to blow you away with amazing graphics or sound, but its star wars. It a well done game in terms of GAMEPLAY. You dogfight with imperial ships, bomb destroyers with space rockets, and so on. It's not hard to learn the controls but i HIGHLY reccommend a joystick. Its much more fun this way. You do not need a 150 dollar professional model either, grab one for 15 bucks and have a great time.

Do not expect a game of 2003, but expect to be entertained for a while!

Hope this helps! ... Read more