Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire
Reviewed by Stryker
As the Nintendo 64 released, it needed a "Dream Team" to help it
grow. Mario 64, Wave Race 64, Pilotwings 64, Mortal Kombat Trilogy,
Crusin USA.... and Star Wars: Shadows OF The Empire. Unfortunately,
only Mario and Wave Race were 5-star material. Shadows is the example
of a company that refused to delay the release like Rare, Ocean, and
Nintendo did with Goldeneye 007, Mission Impossible, and Zelda 64,
respectively.
Graphics 5 out of 10
The graphics of Shadows are a small disappointment. The cinemas
showing Dash, Han Solo, Luke, Lando, and Chewbacca are sadly 16-bit
and are a far cry from the animation hoped for. Shadows is aptly named
the graphics are depressingly dark and dreary. The best level, ironically,
is the brightest. The Battle Of Hoth level is recommended almost
unanimously as the best stage of the game and the rest is a true
disappointment. The six Doom levels are lonely and frustrating. The game
loses its flavor when you begin to play the long levels over and over trying
to find the Challenge Points in each level. The dark, dreary graphics make
the game very boring.
Music and Sound 6 out of 10
Shadows highlight is a flurry of orchestrated music that, again, puts
a dark and lonely spin on the game. The slow, spooky music in the
Sewers, the high excitement of the Palace, the opera touch of the
Skyhook, and the fast-paced Mos Eisley biker race. Sound bytes are
more rare good points. The stormtroopers yell, "You there" or "Freeze!"
or "Halt!" and you can hear them scream as they fall off cliffs.
Game Play-Fun 6 out of 10
The most fun you can have with Goldeneye 007 is with the cheats.
Shadows has four built-in cheats for obtaining all 87 challenge points
on Easy, Medium, Hard, and Jedi difficulties. The cheats are very
unrewarding. You might as well just beat it on Hard for all weapons
and invincibility. The other prizes are helpful Wampa Ice Creatures,
changing ships in the Skyhook level, and an overhead, X-Ray map view.
Wow. Another damper on the fun, there are no multiplayer options. A
multiplayer could have been great, with all of the Star Wars guys plus
the bosses and Darth Vader. Speaking of bosses, that's another problem.
You're supposedly fighting Prince Xizor, but you never get the chance
to kill him. That's like never getting to defeat Bowser in Mario, or
forgetting about Ganon in Legend Of Zelda. When my friend slept over
for two days, we grew immensely bored with the game after repeatedly
trying to find the Challenge Points. I gave up and found the last three
on the Internet.
Frustration
Brace yourself here.
1. You never get to kill Xizor.
2. The cinemas have no movement and have a 16-bit feel.
3. The four vehicle levels are cool, but the six Doom levels are terrible.
4. No multiplayer.
5. It costs $69.99
6. Unrewarding cheats.
7. They refused to delay the game, and they rushed it. Note that all of the
major hits on N64 and Playstation were delayed numerous times.
8. Only six weapons. In Star Wars, you can just make up whatever weapon
you want, but they stuck with a puny six weapons.
9. Levels are too long.
10. The game erased itself. Then, after I hadn't played for a month,
my file reappeared like magic.
Replayability 4 out of 10
The levels become so boring, overdone, and lonely that I never want to
play it again. After playing over and over trying to get those Challenge
Points, the levels were pounded in over and over. I'd play it over if they
had multiplayer, more cheats, and footage of Han, Luke, Chewie, Dash,
and more in animation.
Game Value 3 out of 10
Never buy a $69.99 game. The best games are always $59.99. Remember
that. It worked for Mario, Blast Corps, Goldeneye, and it's gonna work
for Zelda 64.
Overall 48 out of 100
Please don't buy this game. Buy Duke Nukem, buy Goldeneye, buy Mission
Impossible, but don't waste your money on this pitiful little game.