Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader (GameCube) Review

Just like the N64 original, the game focuses on the Original Trilogy, giving you the chance to relive your favourite parts of the films, including the Death Star attack in a New Hope, and the Battle Of Hoth from Empire Strikes Back, and other parts featured in the game, that weren't actually shown. The game goes across ten levels, with extras to unlock, giving you the chance to pilot many different ships, including the A-Wing, B-Wing, X-Wing, Y-Wing, and even a Tie Fighter. When you first start to play the game, getting used to the controls may take a bit of time, but once you have gotten the hang of it, the game gets into full swing. The game, isn't as loaded with features as other flight games, but that isn't what Rogue Leader tries to be. You get to use two views, one inside the cockpit, and the other from outside your ship. One of the few problems the game has is frame-rate when things gets loaded with action, but this isn't really that big of an issue, and another is getting the Tie Fighters, as when they come too close, trying to chase after them is near impossible as the camera won't allow you to go over it, meaning it takes longer it catch every Tie. The other main problem is, if you strip away the Star Wars licence, this game is just a flight game that won't appeal to people who have no idea about Star Wars or care not for flight games.

The graphics are stunning, simply stunning, not just for a launch game title, but one of the best ever. Everything is right, the Ties, the ships, and running down the Death Star at full speed is one of the greatest gaming moments in history. When the first level starts, you are knocked back by the graphics, nothing has been done like this before. The graphics also do what they are meant to do: make you think you are in this situation, that you are the one helping the Rebel Alliance bring down the Empire, and that you are the one with a Tie firing some green stuff at your behind.

Factor 5 has a reputation for sound, and this game keeps that up. The game's used sound bites from the films, and with John Williams soundtrack playing through the game, Rogue Leader also has some of the best sound ever in a game. All the enemies sound right, with every fire that you and your enemies make, you get more enticed into the game, and at full blast, this game will show other developers how it should be done.

The game's biggest problem is replay value. If the game hasn't impressed you so far, then you may as well put it down now, you won't be playing again probably, but for fans of the game (how could you not be) there's so much to unlock, extra ships, DVD like extras, and extra levels, there's a lot to get. The game works by earning medals, that you get from your performance in the game, and medals bring points, bronze-3, silver-6, and gold-9. So what happens if you have done all of that, well it's up to you, if you loved the game so much, you will probably keep playing, just for the hell of it.