Title	:	Wrath Unleashed
Platforms	:	Sony PlayStation 2, Microsoft Xbox
Publisher	:	LucasArts
ESRB Rating	:	Teen
Game Rating	:	7.3
Review by	:	Ken Gagne

When gods battle, mortals tremble. But LucasArts' release of Wrath Unleashed, for the Sony PlayStation 2 and Microsoft Xbox, is not the world-shattering event I'd hoped for. [Xbox version reviewed here] 

Wrath Unleashed is essentially a repackaging of Archon, Electronic Arts' classic computer game from two decades ago that combined the strategy elements of chess with the uncertain outcomes of an action game. Though Wrath looks like a different beast, anyone familiar with Archon will quickly adapt to this new setting — though they may not like the transition. 

Wrath Unleashed pits two to four fantastic armies against each other on a hexagon-gridded map. Players take turns moving centaurs, genies, dragons, and other creatures to place them in control of temples. On most levels, whoever occupies a certain number of temples, or decimates the opposition, first, wins. 

When two opposing creatures vie for control of the same hex, a real-time battle occurs. Each creature has weak and strong physical and magical attacks, as well as strings of combinations. The strength of the attacks differ, as does the life force of each attacker; a demigod, for example, not only inflicts more damage per attack than a unicorn, but can take three times the beating of said horse, creating an unbalanced engagement. The fields also vary in composition and element and support combatants of matching alignment, such as the fire god's henchmen situated on a volcano. 

Despite (or perhaps because of) these variables, the battles are more frustrating than dramatic. It is very easy to fall victim to a string of physical attacks from which there is neither escape nor opportunity for riposte; the dodge/block button has little effect in either regard. Environmental hazards are too random to be advantageous: the most aggressive strategy proves futile if, on your way to execute it, you're struck down by a stray bolt of lightning. Preparing the battlefield is essential, but the actual battle degrades to a mindless melee in which most of the game's tactical elements go out the window. 

As mentioned, victory in battle should lead to control of the temples. A good strategy game would reward patience and planning, but most of Wrath's scenarios have a fixed limit of only 25 turns, which is even fewer minutes. If none of the winning conditions are met within that frame, the game is a draw, regardless of who has the upper hand. Speed is as key as strategy to ultimate victory. 

Some mechanical minutia further constrains enjoyment of Wrath. This game improves upon Archon by offering three- and four-player battles, but that only balances the absence of online support for downloadable maps or engaging Internet opponents; even Archon was superior in this regard. Even though offline, ten seconds of waiting precede and follow every battle — a difficult time to justify for loading commonly-used battle maps. 

The graphics are serviceable. The fantastic creatures do not always possess a traditional appearance, instead trying to look as intimidating and battle-ready as possible. Their pre-battle and winning poses do little to inspire, though. 

Though multiplayer is best, Wrath Unleashed remains restrained. It lacks the longevity and elegance necessary for a successful strategy game. Advance Wars has more tactics, though less action; even LucasArts' own Gladius serves as satisfactory competition. Sometimes, when mortals tremble, it's not in awe, but disappointment.

---

This article is copyright (c) 2004, 2007 by Ken Gagne. All rights reserved. Not to be distributed without permission.

Original publication: Gamebits, 21-Mar-04

Title	:	Wrath Unleashed
Platforms	:	Sony PlayStation 2, Microsoft Xbox
Publisher	:	LucasArts
ESRB Rating	:	Teen
Game Rating	:	7.3
Review by	:	Ken Gagne

When gods battle, mortals tremble. But LucasArts' release of Wrath Unleashed, for the Sony PlayStation 2 and Microsoft Xbox, is not the world-shattering event I'd hoped for. [Xbox version reviewed here] 

Wrath Unleashed is essentially a repackaging of Archon, Electronic Arts' classic computer game from two decades ago that combined the strategy elements of chess with the uncertain outcomes of an action game. Though Wrath looks like a different beast, anyone familiar with Archon will quickly adapt to this new setting — though they may not like the transition. 

Wrath Unleashed pits two to four fantastic armies against each other on a hexagon-gridded map. Players take turns moving centaurs, genies, dragons, and other creatures to place them in control of temples. On most levels, whoever occupies a certain number of temples, or decimates the opposition, first, wins. 

When two opposing creatures vie for control of the same hex, a real-time battle occurs. Each creature has weak and strong physical and magical attacks, as well as strings of combinations. The strength of the attacks differ, as does the life force of each attacker; a demigod, for example, not only inflicts more damage per attack than a unicorn, but can take three times the beating of said horse, creating an unbalanced engagement. The fields also vary in composition and element and support combatants of matching alignment, such as the fire god's henchmen situated on a volcano. 

Despite (or perhaps because of) these variables, the battles are more frustrating than dramatic. It is very easy to fall victim to a string of physical attacks from which there is neither escape nor opportunity for riposte; the dodge/block button has little effect in either regard. Environmental hazards are too random to be advantageous: the most aggressive strategy proves futile if, on your way to execute it, you're struck down by a stray bolt of lightning. Preparing the battlefield is essential, but the actual battle degrades to a mindless melee in which most of the game's tactical elements go out the window. 

As mentioned, victory in battle should lead to control of the temples. A good strategy game would reward patience and planning, but most of Wrath's scenarios have a fixed limit of only 25 turns, which is even fewer minutes. If none of the winning conditions are met within that frame, the game is a draw, regardless of who has the upper hand. Speed is as key as strategy to ultimate victory. 

Some mechanical minutia further constrains enjoyment of Wrath. This game improves upon Archon by offering three- and four-player battles, but that only balances the absence of online support for downloadable maps or engaging Internet opponents; even Archon was superior in this regard. Even though offline, ten seconds of waiting precede and follow every battle — a difficult time to justify for loading commonly-used battle maps. 

The graphics are serviceable. The fantastic creatures do not always possess a traditional appearance, instead trying to look as intimidating and battle-ready as possible. Their pre-battle and winning poses do little to inspire, though. 

Though multiplayer is best, Wrath Unleashed remains restrained. It lacks the longevity and elegance necessary for a successful strategy game. Advance Wars has more tactics, though less action; even LucasArts' own Gladius serves as satisfactory competition. Sometimes, when mortals tremble, it's not in awe, but disappointment.

---

This article is copyright (c) 2004, 2007 by Ken Gagne. All rights reserved. Not to be distributed without permission.

Original publication: Gamebits, 21-Mar-04

Title	:	Gladius
Platforms	:	Nintendo GameCube, Sony PlayStation 2, Microsoft Xbox
Publisher	:	LucasArts
ESRB Rating	:	Teen
Game Rating	:	8.0
Review by	:	Ethan Deneault

I usually shy away from any game that has a game reviewer's opinion on the cover. This is a long held fear of reviewers from major magazines - they don't get paid to write bad reviews. (Hello GamePro!) However, it was my charge to review the GameCube version of Gladius, so into my console it went. And it hasn't yet come out, even though Mario Kart has been pleading for me to beat the Mirror Mode. 

Gladius, as its name implies, is based around a pseudo-Roman-era world. The scene is set with a rather well-done intro, painted frescoes depicting an ancient battle between the lamely named "Affinity Gods" and the dark forces, with the wars of men serving as the catalyst. In the end, the dark power is sealed away, etc. etc. etc. It's too common these days to have a cliched story; luckily, Gladius doesn't dive into the all-too-common "lone boy saves the world" motif, and instead presents you with an unexpected option right at the start: Who do you want to play today? You get a choice, patrician Valens (marked as 'advanced') and barbarian Ursula (marked as 'beginner'). The back story seems no more than flavor text throughout most of the game. In fact, barring some ominous warnings interspersed throughout, one senses that the story is subtle in it's telling. 

In the world of Gladius, everything revolve around gladiatorial combat, which is the way that the lands of the world remain at peace. No matter which staring character you choose, you are unceremoniously dumped into a tutorial-cum-plot section, where you are shown the ropes of combat in the games. In a refreshing change from the Final Fantasy school of tutorials, Gladius' tutorials are tightly integrated into the game itself, never breaking the flow of the story, or sounding like someone is reading the manual to you. During the many long load times, your sagacious character will pop up and give some general assistance. Interestingly enough, however, at some points the main characters seem to act as though they know they are in a video game, which is creepy. 

As most of the game centers around combat in the arena, any aspiring gladiators should be willing to slog through hundreds of battles with a less than stellar combat system, right? Not so. Gladius' controls and combat is where the game really shines. I often found myself retrying already-mastered combats just to kick the crap out of a bunch of punk barbarians again. 

The combat system is much slower paced than other RPGs, and its emphasis on facing, placement and movement across the arena puts Gladius into the same category of "tactical" RPGs such as Ogre Battle or Final Fantasy Tactics. The control scheme for the game is wonderful, and makes good use of the GameCube's controller. The number of options is a bit daunting at first, but the tutorials help immensely, and with only a bit of practice, the player can get a sense of how intuitive it really is. 

Not content to simply assign each player a certain to-hit ratio as in OB or FFT, the developers added a nifty feature called the swing meter. The swing meter is similar in form to the version seen in golf games. The indicator bar hums along a horizontal bar on the bottom of the screen, and you tap a button, or series of buttons, at the right time to either hit normally (get the marker in the orange), glancing (get the marker in the blue), or strike a critical hit (get the marker in the red). To keep things fresh, different types of attacks have different types of swing meters as well. Critical hits are completely within the player's control, and a player with good timing can go an entire battle without missing a critical hit. As the difficulty ramps up early on, knowing the swing meter is invaluable. 

Speaking of difficulty, Gladius isn't a particularly hard game once you get into the swing (har har) of things. But early in the game you may be tempted to throw your controller through the window if you don't keep your gladiators upgraded with the best weapons and ensure they all level up equally. Good skill choice is also important: forget affinity skills until you acquire the capacity for combo attacks. When you hire other gladiators for your school, don't forget to grab some spearchuckers (Peltasts and Gungnirs), too; with conscientious effort, they are surely the most important fighters on the field. 

The graphics are a bit average for the GameCube. Every gladiator is made with what looks like a low-polygon count model. For long camera angles, this is fine, but up close, it's very noticeable — especially in Ursula's hair. There is very little slowdown or choppiness; however, and even with many gladiators on screen, the game maintains a nice, smooth framerate. 

Whereas in many games, voice acting is a cringe-inducing nightmare, it's a good thing here; each character is played with an appropriate tone, and never once does it sound forced. Doubtless this quality is due in large part to Gladius being originally written in English, for American sensibilities. The game's music keeps it moving, and is perfectly suited to the game without being ostentatious, or sounding too much like elevator music. 

Now, for the bad: load times, load times, load times. There is no excuse for a GameCube game to have such long and frequent loading screens. Even though the pain is buffered by having a "tip of the day" flash up on many of them, sometimes 5-10 seconds is lost to a black screen. On a PC, the constant loading times would be acceptable, and even expected — but console games are a different breed. The menu system is also not quite up to snuff. Outside of combat, selecting gladiators, even going from the arena to the world map is tedious. All in all, Gladius seems to have been designed from a PC-centric perspective — which isn't bad, but it's not what I would have expected from a console game. 

Overall, I give this game an 8 out of 10. It has a few deficiencies - notably the curmudgeonly menu system and the load times, but it is an enjoyable tactical RPG. Such games are not designed for everyone; those that desire a deep storyline, lengthy cinematics, and a fast paced battle system will be disappointed on at least two counts. However, those who are seeking a well-made tactical RPG will do well to pick up Gladius.

---

This article is copyright (c) 2003, 2007 by Ken Gagne. All rights reserved. Not to be distributed without permission.

Original publication: Gamebits, 31-Dec-03

Title	:	Gladius
Platforms	:	Nintendo GameCube, Sony PlayStation 2, Microsoft Xbox
Publisher	:	LucasArts
ESRB Rating	:	Teen
Game Rating	:	8.0
Review by	:	Ethan Deneault

I usually shy away from any game that has a game reviewer's opinion on the cover. This is a long held fear of reviewers from major magazines - they don't get paid to write bad reviews. (Hello GamePro!) However, it was my charge to review the GameCube version of Gladius, so into my console it went. And it hasn't yet come out, even though Mario Kart has been pleading for me to beat the Mirror Mode. 

Gladius, as its name implies, is based around a pseudo-Roman-era world. The scene is set with a rather well-done intro, painted frescoes depicting an ancient battle between the lamely named "Affinity Gods" and the dark forces, with the wars of men serving as the catalyst. In the end, the dark power is sealed away, etc. etc. etc. It's too common these days to have a cliched story; luckily, Gladius doesn't dive into the all-too-common "lone boy saves the world" motif, and instead presents you with an unexpected option right at the start: Who do you want to play today? You get a choice, patrician Valens (marked as 'advanced') and barbarian Ursula (marked as 'beginner'). The back story seems no more than flavor text throughout most of the game. In fact, barring some ominous warnings interspersed throughout, one senses that the story is subtle in it's telling. 

In the world of Gladius, everything revolve around gladiatorial combat, which is the way that the lands of the world remain at peace. No matter which staring character you choose, you are unceremoniously dumped into a tutorial-cum-plot section, where you are shown the ropes of combat in the games. In a refreshing change from the Final Fantasy school of tutorials, Gladius' tutorials are tightly integrated into the game itself, never breaking the flow of the story, or sounding like someone is reading the manual to you. During the many long load times, your sagacious character will pop up and give some general assistance. Interestingly enough, however, at some points the main characters seem to act as though they know they are in a video game, which is creepy. 

As most of the game centers around combat in the arena, any aspiring gladiators should be willing to slog through hundreds of battles with a less than stellar combat system, right? Not so. Gladius' controls and combat is where the game really shines. I often found myself retrying already-mastered combats just to kick the crap out of a bunch of punk barbarians again. 

The combat system is much slower paced than other RPGs, and its emphasis on facing, placement and movement across the arena puts Gladius into the same category of "tactical" RPGs such as Ogre Battle or Final Fantasy Tactics. The control scheme for the game is wonderful, and makes good use of the GameCube's controller. The number of options is a bit daunting at first, but the tutorials help immensely, and with only a bit of practice, the player can get a sense of how intuitive it really is. 

Not content to simply assign each player a certain to-hit ratio as in OB or FFT, the developers added a nifty feature called the swing meter. The swing meter is similar in form to the version seen in golf games. The indicator bar hums along a horizontal bar on the bottom of the screen, and you tap a button, or series of buttons, at the right time to either hit normally (get the marker in the orange), glancing (get the marker in the blue), or strike a critical hit (get the marker in the red). To keep things fresh, different types of attacks have different types of swing meters as well. Critical hits are completely within the player's control, and a player with good timing can go an entire battle without missing a critical hit. As the difficulty ramps up early on, knowing the swing meter is invaluable. 

Speaking of difficulty, Gladius isn't a particularly hard game once you get into the swing (har har) of things. But early in the game you may be tempted to throw your controller through the window if you don't keep your gladiators upgraded with the best weapons and ensure they all level up equally. Good skill choice is also important: forget affinity skills until you acquire the capacity for combo attacks. When you hire other gladiators for your school, don't forget to grab some spearchuckers (Peltasts and Gungnirs), too; with conscientious effort, they are surely the most important fighters on the field. 

The graphics are a bit average for the GameCube. Every gladiator is made with what looks like a low-polygon count model. For long camera angles, this is fine, but up close, it's very noticeable — especially in Ursula's hair. There is very little slowdown or choppiness; however, and even with many gladiators on screen, the game maintains a nice, smooth framerate. 

Whereas in many games, voice acting is a cringe-inducing nightmare, it's a good thing here; each character is played with an appropriate tone, and never once does it sound forced. Doubtless this quality is due in large part to Gladius being originally written in English, for American sensibilities. The game's music keeps it moving, and is perfectly suited to the game without being ostentatious, or sounding too much like elevator music. 

Now, for the bad: load times, load times, load times. There is no excuse for a GameCube game to have such long and frequent loading screens. Even though the pain is buffered by having a "tip of the day" flash up on many of them, sometimes 5-10 seconds is lost to a black screen. On a PC, the constant loading times would be acceptable, and even expected — but console games are a different breed. The menu system is also not quite up to snuff. Outside of combat, selecting gladiators, even going from the arena to the world map is tedious. All in all, Gladius seems to have been designed from a PC-centric perspective — which isn't bad, but it's not what I would have expected from a console game. 

Overall, I give this game an 8 out of 10. It has a few deficiencies - notably the curmudgeonly menu system and the load times, but it is an enjoyable tactical RPG. Such games are not designed for everyone; those that desire a deep storyline, lengthy cinematics, and a fast paced battle system will be disappointed on at least two counts. However, those who are seeking a well-made tactical RPG will do well to pick up Gladius.

---

This article is copyright (c) 2003, 2007 by Ken Gagne. All rights reserved. Not to be distributed without permission.

Original publication: Gamebits, 31-Dec-03

Title	:	Gladius
Platforms	:	Nintendo GameCube, Sony PlayStation 2, Microsoft Xbox
Publisher	:	LucasArts
ESRB Rating	:	Teen
Game Rating	:	8.0
Review by	:	Ethan Deneault

I usually shy away from any game that has a game reviewer's opinion on the cover. This is a long held fear of reviewers from major magazines - they don't get paid to write bad reviews. (Hello GamePro!) However, it was my charge to review the GameCube version of Gladius, so into my console it went. And it hasn't yet come out, even though Mario Kart has been pleading for me to beat the Mirror Mode. 

Gladius, as its name implies, is based around a pseudo-Roman-era world. The scene is set with a rather well-done intro, painted frescoes depicting an ancient battle between the lamely named "Affinity Gods" and the dark forces, with the wars of men serving as the catalyst. In the end, the dark power is sealed away, etc. etc. etc. It's too common these days to have a cliched story; luckily, Gladius doesn't dive into the all-too-common "lone boy saves the world" motif, and instead presents you with an unexpected option right at the start: Who do you want to play today? You get a choice, patrician Valens (marked as 'advanced') and barbarian Ursula (marked as 'beginner'). The back story seems no more than flavor text throughout most of the game. In fact, barring some ominous warnings interspersed throughout, one senses that the story is subtle in it's telling. 

In the world of Gladius, everything revolve around gladiatorial combat, which is the way that the lands of the world remain at peace. No matter which staring character you choose, you are unceremoniously dumped into a tutorial-cum-plot section, where you are shown the ropes of combat in the games. In a refreshing change from the Final Fantasy school of tutorials, Gladius' tutorials are tightly integrated into the game itself, never breaking the flow of the story, or sounding like someone is reading the manual to you. During the many long load times, your sagacious character will pop up and give some general assistance. Interestingly enough, however, at some points the main characters seem to act as though they know they are in a video game, which is creepy. 

As most of the game centers around combat in the arena, any aspiring gladiators should be willing to slog through hundreds of battles with a less than stellar combat system, right? Not so. Gladius' controls and combat is where the game really shines. I often found myself retrying already-mastered combats just to kick the crap out of a bunch of punk barbarians again. 

The combat system is much slower paced than other RPGs, and its emphasis on facing, placement and movement across the arena puts Gladius into the same category of "tactical" RPGs such as Ogre Battle or Final Fantasy Tactics. The control scheme for the game is wonderful, and makes good use of the GameCube's controller. The number of options is a bit daunting at first, but the tutorials help immensely, and with only a bit of practice, the player can get a sense of how intuitive it really is. 

Not content to simply assign each player a certain to-hit ratio as in OB or FFT, the developers added a nifty feature called the swing meter. The swing meter is similar in form to the version seen in golf games. The indicator bar hums along a horizontal bar on the bottom of the screen, and you tap a button, or series of buttons, at the right time to either hit normally (get the marker in the orange), glancing (get the marker in the blue), or strike a critical hit (get the marker in the red). To keep things fresh, different types of attacks have different types of swing meters as well. Critical hits are completely within the player's control, and a player with good timing can go an entire battle without missing a critical hit. As the difficulty ramps up early on, knowing the swing meter is invaluable. 

Speaking of difficulty, Gladius isn't a particularly hard game once you get into the swing (har har) of things. But early in the game you may be tempted to throw your controller through the window if you don't keep your gladiators upgraded with the best weapons and ensure they all level up equally. Good skill choice is also important: forget affinity skills until you acquire the capacity for combo attacks. When you hire other gladiators for your school, don't forget to grab some spearchuckers (Peltasts and Gungnirs), too; with conscientious effort, they are surely the most important fighters on the field. 

The graphics are a bit average for the GameCube. Every gladiator is made with what looks like a low-polygon count model. For long camera angles, this is fine, but up close, it's very noticeable — especially in Ursula's hair. There is very little slowdown or choppiness; however, and even with many gladiators on screen, the game maintains a nice, smooth framerate. 

Whereas in many games, voice acting is a cringe-inducing nightmare, it's a good thing here; each character is played with an appropriate tone, and never once does it sound forced. Doubtless this quality is due in large part to Gladius being originally written in English, for American sensibilities. The game's music keeps it moving, and is perfectly suited to the game without being ostentatious, or sounding too much like elevator music. 

Now, for the bad: load times, load times, load times. There is no excuse for a GameCube game to have such long and frequent loading screens. Even though the pain is buffered by having a "tip of the day" flash up on many of them, sometimes 5-10 seconds is lost to a black screen. On a PC, the constant loading times would be acceptable, and even expected — but console games are a different breed. The menu system is also not quite up to snuff. Outside of combat, selecting gladiators, even going from the arena to the world map is tedious. All in all, Gladius seems to have been designed from a PC-centric perspective — which isn't bad, but it's not what I would have expected from a console game. 

Overall, I give this game an 8 out of 10. It has a few deficiencies - notably the curmudgeonly menu system and the load times, but it is an enjoyable tactical RPG. Such games are not designed for everyone; those that desire a deep storyline, lengthy cinematics, and a fast paced battle system will be disappointed on at least two counts. However, those who are seeking a well-made tactical RPG will do well to pick up Gladius.

---

This article is copyright (c) 2003, 2007 by Ken Gagne. All rights reserved. Not to be distributed without permission.

Original publication: Gamebits, 31-Dec-03

Title	:	Star Wars Rogue Squadron III: Rebel Strike
Platforms	:	Nintendo GameCube
Publisher	:	LucasArts
ESRB Rating	:	Teen
Game Rating	:	6.7
Review by	:	Ken Gagne

Even rebels can go bad. 

Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader was a launch title for the Nintendo GameCube, and amazed audiences with its graphics, gameplay, and significant but manageable difficulty. 

Sadly, Rogue Squadron III: Rebel Strike flounders in inadequacy, compromising the success of the series with a dispersed effort across many gameplay styles that drags the whole product down. 

More than enough games have been based on Lucas' original trilogy, so LucasArts has wisely moved away from those familiar scenes. Unfortunately, the original missions they've created in their stead lack the cohesion of the films. The levels comprise a series of disconnected missions that, while relating to the Star Wars universe and plots, offer little substantive expansion. 

These missions have senseless objectives and rules. In one, an enemy troop transport is trying to escape, but does so by making hops, landing every fifty feet and exposing itself to the player's fire. Another level has gamers attacking an enemy transport which previously escaped with Rebel prisoners; later, players defend a transport under fire, but the level ends when the players find a means of escape. A third level has local citizens offering the vague advice, "Here's a bomb — use it!", turning what should be a standard defensive mission into a nebulous search for a target and means of detonation. 

A supposed improvement in this installment of Rogue Squadron, and one of the downfalls of the series, is the variety of mission styles and vehicles. Luke, Wedge, and other avatars will occasionally tackle their targets on foot. But whereas Shadows of the Empire, the lukewarm Nintendo 64 game, employed this method with some strategy, Rebel Strike puts gamers in control of models that senselessly exchange fire with enemy troops. The camera angles are terrible, making the heroes too small or obscure, and the aiming, even using the target lock-on, is imprecise. 

Other ground vehicles, including land speeders, tauntauns, and AT-STs, suffer similar problems. Dash Rendar experienced a greater sense of speed when he mounted a swoop bike in Shadows of the Empire seven years ago. 

The two-player versus mode is similar to Star Wars Demolition, another past, failed licensing attempt, and the opportunity to connect a Game Boy Advance to issue orders to one's wingmen is a barely noticeable feature. But the two-player cooperative mode is a significant addition to the series, as it features every level from its predecessor, Rogue Leader - though some stages don't adapt well to multiplayer, such as the Death Star trench run. 

The graphics have supposedly been enhanced since Rogue Leader, though such improvements don't seem critical. Enemy fighters still swarm in impressive numbers, though noticing them against space's black background often requires using the targeting computer. The collision detection has some serious issues, especially in the automated cinemas, which feature ships flying through asteroids and into each other. These cinematics further display momentary black screens when switching from one cut to another — a discontinuity that interrupts the fluidity of the presentation. 

Star Wars games are often hit-or-miss; the Rogue Squadron series had been exceptional in its quality, but Rebel Strike finally succumbs to the license's curse. Developer Factor 5 proved their mastery of flight in the previous Rogue Squadron games; in this installment, they've demonstrated their ineptitude at most other styles, rebelling without cause from a proven formula.

---

This article is copyright (c) 2003, 2007 by Ken Gagne. All rights reserved. Not to be distributed without permission.

Original publication: Tech News, 18-Nov-03

Title	:	Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Platforms	:	Microsoft Xbox, Windows
Publisher	:	LucasArts
ESRB Rating	:	Teen
Game Rating	:	8.9
Review by	:	Ken Gagne

It is a time of civil war… but much longer ago than you'd expect. 

Four thousand years before Luke Skywalker would face Darth Vader, the Republic is under siege. Revan and Malak, heroes of the Mandalorian War, have seized control of the fleet to lead a Sith force against the Jedi Order. In this third-person role-playing game (RPG), players will explore the Force and decide the fate of the galaxy. 

Surprisingly, players do not immediately assume control of an all-powerful Jedi, but instead play a lowly scout, scoundrel, or soldier. Knights features a highly customizable character generation and progression system, rarely seen in console or story-driven RPGs. Attributes such as strength and dexterity, and skills that include demolitions, cybernetic implants, and persuasion, can be increased as suits the player. 

With such heavy overtures to a traditional, pencil-and-paper RPG, it shouldn't be surprising that the game talks about rolls and saving throws as though there were actual dice. If you're overwhelmed by such statistics, Knights will recommend progressions for your character, taking precise decisions out of your hands. 

Though the protagonist is human, players will meet and be accompanied by a variety of well-known alien races, including Wookiees, Twi'leks, and droids. Switching between each character is a snap, and is necessary to exploit each's strengths in various situations. A party member could repair a discarded droid to provide backup, while another hacks into a computer terminal to overload nearby power conduits. 

Each character can also play a different role in battle, where they attack with both ranged and melee weapons, including single and dual sabers, blasters, pistols, and grenades. Different accouterments offer a variety of bonuses and situational advantages, leading to much time spent in the inventory menu, changing one's equipment. Combat turns are transparent so as to appear to occur in real-time. Similar to Baldur's Gate, the action can be paused to issue commands and patterns to each combatant. It takes some getting used to to see a constant flurry of blaster fire, swordplay, and martial arts, and to not think of Knights as an action game. 

It is instead a role-playing game, as evidenced by the constant storytelling and the consequences of the player's participation. Different actions and responses can be chosen, some of which may produce the same outcome, but the illusion of agency keeps players involved; plus, one never knows when one will fall to the light or dark side. It is often easier and more lucrative to play a reckless, selfish mercenary, but earning Dark Points will transform the player into a force of evil, both physically and in capabilities. For example, the Force imbues only Sith, not Jedi, with Choke and Lightning powers, but such dark warriors are unlikely to illicit trust or friends, and will lead to the game's alternate ending. 

Should a fatal or unwise decision be made, it is easy enough to undo. The game can be saved anytime, the safety of the headquarters accessed from almost anywhere, and character "deaths" are only until the end of the battle. Despite these safeties, the game is no cakewalk, with many puzzles, side quests, and difficult encounters to overcome. 

Adding to that list of pitfalls, unfortunately, is variety of bugs which can freeze the game or disrupt the handling of equipment. Again, these can be worked around by saving regularly. It's something you should do anyway, as this game spans many worlds and many more hours, requiring a large investment of attention and energy. As the real-world days tick by, be sure to check Xbox Live, through which new items and accessories will be made available for download. 

Though the time is long before filmed Star Wars events, and during a war and with characters invented for this outing, the setting is still familiar. Technology has not changed, and players will return to the Skywalker homeworld of Tatooine and see for the first time the Wookiee world of Kashyyyk. Each world is bustling with activity and graphical detail, familiar yet alien. With so many characters with which to interact, and a limited number of models, many will begin looking identical, though small flourishes try to create originality. The camera is a flawless mix of automatic and manual control, ideal for an RPG. The biggest drawback is the occasional but severe slowdown in the middle of a busy battle. 

As with most Star Wars game, the aural component is important and impressive. John Williams' theme is evident, as are several original, subtle tunes that accompany exploration. All dialogue is spoken, regardless of the alien language, though foreign tongues say in ten words what subtitles say in two. Despite lacking an all-star cast of Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford, the quality is quite good. 

Knights of the Old Republic flexes the versatility of the Star Wars franchise with an offering that is neither the usual action game nor flight sim. Gamers who are accustomed to those genres and can't reconcile the far-off galaxy with careful character development and investigation may be put off by the relatively slow pace, but others will find the depth and breadth of this galaxy comprise a forceful adventure.

---

This article is copyright (c) 2003, 2007 by Ken Gagne. All rights reserved. Not to be distributed without permission.

Original publication: Boston Beacon, 01-Sep-03

Title	:	Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Platforms	:	Microsoft Xbox, Windows
Publisher	:	LucasArts
ESRB Rating	:	Teen
Game Rating	:	8.9
Review by	:	Ken Gagne

It is a time of civil war… but much longer ago than you'd expect. 

Four thousand years before Luke Skywalker would face Darth Vader, the Republic is under siege. Revan and Malak, heroes of the Mandalorian War, have seized control of the fleet to lead a Sith force against the Jedi Order. In this third-person role-playing game (RPG), players will explore the Force and decide the fate of the galaxy. 

Surprisingly, players do not immediately assume control of an all-powerful Jedi, but instead play a lowly scout, scoundrel, or soldier. Knights features a highly customizable character generation and progression system, rarely seen in console or story-driven RPGs. Attributes such as strength and dexterity, and skills that include demolitions, cybernetic implants, and persuasion, can be increased as suits the player. 

With such heavy overtures to a traditional, pencil-and-paper RPG, it shouldn't be surprising that the game talks about rolls and saving throws as though there were actual dice. If you're overwhelmed by such statistics, Knights will recommend progressions for your character, taking precise decisions out of your hands. 

Though the protagonist is human, players will meet and be accompanied by a variety of well-known alien races, including Wookiees, Twi'leks, and droids. Switching between each character is a snap, and is necessary to exploit each's strengths in various situations. A party member could repair a discarded droid to provide backup, while another hacks into a computer terminal to overload nearby power conduits. 

Each character can also play a different role in battle, where they attack with both ranged and melee weapons, including single and dual sabers, blasters, pistols, and grenades. Different accouterments offer a variety of bonuses and situational advantages, leading to much time spent in the inventory menu, changing one's equipment. Combat turns are transparent so as to appear to occur in real-time. Similar to Baldur's Gate, the action can be paused to issue commands and patterns to each combatant. It takes some getting used to to see a constant flurry of blaster fire, swordplay, and martial arts, and to not think of Knights as an action game. 

It is instead a role-playing game, as evidenced by the constant storytelling and the consequences of the player's participation. Different actions and responses can be chosen, some of which may produce the same outcome, but the illusion of agency keeps players involved; plus, one never knows when one will fall to the light or dark side. It is often easier and more lucrative to play a reckless, selfish mercenary, but earning Dark Points will transform the player into a force of evil, both physically and in capabilities. For example, the Force imbues only Sith, not Jedi, with Choke and Lightning powers, but such dark warriors are unlikely to illicit trust or friends, and will lead to the game's alternate ending. 

Should a fatal or unwise decision be made, it is easy enough to undo. The game can be saved anytime, the safety of the headquarters accessed from almost anywhere, and character "deaths" are only until the end of the battle. Despite these safeties, the game is no cakewalk, with many puzzles, side quests, and difficult encounters to overcome. 

Adding to that list of pitfalls, unfortunately, is variety of bugs which can freeze the game or disrupt the handling of equipment. Again, these can be worked around by saving regularly. It's something you should do anyway, as this game spans many worlds and many more hours, requiring a large investment of attention and energy. As the real-world days tick by, be sure to check Xbox Live, through which new items and accessories will be made available for download. 

Though the time is long before filmed Star Wars events, and during a war and with characters invented for this outing, the setting is still familiar. Technology has not changed, and players will return to the Skywalker homeworld of Tatooine and see for the first time the Wookiee world of Kashyyyk. Each world is bustling with activity and graphical detail, familiar yet alien. With so many characters with which to interact, and a limited number of models, many will begin looking identical, though small flourishes try to create originality. The camera is a flawless mix of automatic and manual control, ideal for an RPG. The biggest drawback is the occasional but severe slowdown in the middle of a busy battle. 

As with most Star Wars game, the aural component is important and impressive. John Williams' theme is evident, as are several original, subtle tunes that accompany exploration. All dialogue is spoken, regardless of the alien language, though foreign tongues say in ten words what subtitles say in two. Despite lacking an all-star cast of Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford, the quality is quite good. 

Knights of the Old Republic flexes the versatility of the Star Wars franchise with an offering that is neither the usual action game nor flight sim. Gamers who are accustomed to those genres and can't reconcile the far-off galaxy with careful character development and investigation may be put off by the relatively slow pace, but others will find the depth and breadth of this galaxy comprise a forceful adventure.

---

This article is copyright (c) 2003, 2007 by Ken Gagne. All rights reserved. Not to be distributed without permission.

Original publication: Boston Beacon, 01-Sep-03