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Review: Jedi Power Battles (PlayStation) by Jody Reeves 04/21/00 Those of you lucky enough to have PSX can command the Force in a brand new (and challenging) way. |
I've got three
words for you: I hate jumping.
Now, before you check the level of allergy medication running through my veins to see if
it's affecting my thinking, let me explain. The latest PlayStation game from LucasArts is Star
Wars: Episode I - Jedi Power Battles. What it should be called is Star Wars:
Episode I - Jedi Jumping Mania.
The basic plot of Jedi Power Battles, like the Phantom Menace game
before it, is loosely based on the Episode I film. But here's where it gets cool -- you
get to pick from one of five Jedi. The choices range from the obvious (Qui-Gon Jinn,
Obi-Wan Kenobi, Mace Windu) to the not-so-obvious (Plo Koon and Adi Gallia). Each Jedi has
special talents and means of wielding their lightsabers. Some jump (again with the
jumping!) higher than others, some are faster, some are wiser. It's up to you to figure
which Jedi best suits your gaming personality. I started with Adi Gallia (chicks unite!),
but ran into some issues with her jumping ability (I'll explain my preoccupation with
jumping momentarily), so I switched to Obi-Wan and am with him on Level Six (Coruscant) as
I write.
Once you've picked your Jedi, it's time
to begin. Your main enemies on the first four levels are the Trade Federation battle
droids. These come in various flavors, some being harder to kill than others, but the ones
that take more to kill are worth more points. Level One is the Trade Federation flagship,
Levels Two through Four take place on Naboo. Level Five takes place on Tatooine, where you
try to safely escort Anakin Skywalker from Mos Espa to the Queen's ship. Instead of battle
droids, you face down Sandpeople and Jawas. Now I'm on Level Six, Coruscant, where
mercenaries are trying to keep me from reaching the Jedi Temple. Additional levels include
the Gungan ruins and more of Theed and its Palace. Also, once you get through the ten main
levels, you unlock four secret levels. (To see screen shots, Quicktime videos of game
play, and other neat stuff, go to the official Jedi Power Battles
site at LucasArts.)
And now on to my issue with jumping in this game. Jumping is, to put it mildly, a
Bantha-sized pain in the behind. Each level I've played through so far requires more
jumping than an Easter Bunny convention. Just when you think you've crossed every broken
ledge in the Naboo swamp, you turn a corner and find more. When traversing the Theed
Palace looking for the Queen, I thought about how cool it would be to instead find the
Palace's designer and give him the business end of my lightsaber for building so many
freaking ledges onto the Palace walls. It was hell jumping on stone pillars on Tatooine,
trying to evade Sandpeople and Sith probes from shooting my butt out of the air. It was
hard -- no sooner did I get past the first jumping marathon, than I find more jumping to
do over the Sarlacc Pit. Now that I'm on Coruscant, I'm jumping from building to building.
Why Obi-Wan can't take the subway like anyone else is beyond me.
Which leads me to my main gripe with
this game, there's no mid-level save feature. Grrrrrr. Each level has
"checkpoints"; if you die, you'll re-spawn at the last checkpoint rather than at
the beginning of the level. Big deal. It doesn't make me feel better when I miss the last
jump in a sequence of 5 million, only to find myself back at the first ledge. Saves are
only allowed at the completion of the level. Boo, hiss. The Phantom Menace game
had a mid-level save, and I wish the guys at LucasArts had incorporated the same feature
into Jedi Power Battles.
The constant jumping (no, I'm not letting go of this!) is also a dark side feature. I
mean, is all this bouncing really necessary? Granted, I'm only on Level Six, so maybe the
jumping diminishes in the higher levels. I sure hope so...
One last dark side issue -- your Jedi has a "lock-on" feature that is somewhat
annoying. When your character is confronted by an enemy, he or she will lock-on to the
droid or whatever is attacking you directly. This becomes a problem when you're surrounded
by those who are out to get you. Your Jedi is focussed on the enemy right in front, and is
taking hits from about five more guys from behind. Tapping the directional pad helps, as
does widely swinging one's lightsaber.
On the light side, this is really one of
the most challenging Star Wars game titles I've played on the PlayStation. I make no bones
about cheating, and my GameShark isn't helping me get from one ledge to another. So, if
anything, I'm learning patience. Lots of patience. My newfound Jedi serenity comes in
handy when on Level Three, I'm told to rescue at least seven of the Queen's handmaidens.
Excuse me, but weren't there five in the movie? However, the patience I've learned from
the game kept me from obsessing on the question of the handmaidens, and focused instead on
developing a strategy. Going slow is probably the sagest advice I could give. If you have
a dual-shock controller, use the analog stick for running around in open spaces, but the
directional pad is invaluable for negotiating the jumps. Baby steps are key. Also, always
look ahead -- you may think you've made the last jump, but 99.99% of the time, you'll find
another set of leaps around the corner!
Another cool feature is the ability to use your lightsaber to block laser fire from the
droids and mercenaries. The trick to this is to use the block button at the very last
moment to deflect the blast back at the enemy. I haven't tried the other Jedi, but Obi-Wan
does have that nifty saber flourish after blocking. Also, you get combo rewards at the end
of each level. I'm really liking Obi-Wan's combo where he slices and dices, then does that
nifty thing where he swings the lightsaber underhanded and behind him. Very cool.
If you've got a friend willing to play,
Jedi Power Battles has a dual-player feature. You and your buddy can save the
galaxy together, which can be a blessing when it's time to face Darth Maul at the end of
the game.
Unlike the Phantom Menace game, Jedi Power Battles requires little, if
any, puzzle solving. When you start a level, you're given an objective, whether it's to
rescue handmaidens, Naboo pilots, or escorting Anakin. There's no searching for clues, nor
do you need to push and pull objects around to aid in your quest. Health and Force
power-ups abound, in addition to lightsaber extension and intensifier pickups. Be sure to
get the one that makes your lightsaber about five feet long -- droids will fall in your
path like new-mown wheat.
I'm sure there's going to be a lot of comparisons drawn between Phantom Menace
and Jedi Power Battles. Personally, I think each game is great in its own way. Phantom
Menace is perfect if your gaming mood inclines towards solving puzzles and using the
Jedi Mind Trick. If you'd rather just charge through levels without much distraction, then
Jedi Power Battles is the better bet.
Generally, my impression of Jedi Power Battles is that it's a great game. I'm not
used to being so frustrated, and in reality, that's a good thing. Another good thing is
that you're really getting five games in one -- once you finish with one Jedi, you can
start a new game with one of the others. Since all the characters react and behave
differently, the game won't play the same twice. I liked the pace, which was set nicely by
the John Williams's film soundtrack. The sound effects were very nice, every lightsaber
hum and swoosh was cleanly audible.
I've become dependent on LucasArts' PlayStation releases. It seems rather ironic,
considering my life is spent updating a Senator's website, but I don't have a computer at
home <sniff>. That being the case, I've gotten pretty good at transitioning from
using a keyboard to working a console controller. I played The Phantom Menace
demo on the PC, but I own the full PlayStation version. I must admit now that you get much
better control over a lightsaber when using a console controller. Since the saber is the
only weapon at your disposal in Jedi Power Battles, I doubt that a PC version
would be very friendly.
So, if your a PSXer, and are inclined to cut up battle droids, then Jedi Power Battles
is the game for you. I'm giving this one a B+.
(When not slaving away in America's own version of the Imperial Senate, Jody Reeves can be found avidly hunting down nude photos of Harrison Ford on the internet. Authenticity matters not.)
(Screenshots from official website used by permission of Lucasfilm.)
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