Battle for Naboo

Requires: PII 233, 64 MB RAM, Windows 95/98/2000/ME, 8 MB PCI or AGP 3D Hardware Accelerator required, 16 bit sound, 4x CD-ROM, DirectX 8.0

Description:

Battle for Naboo is the latest title in LucasArts' extensive line based on the Star Wars license. This game has been described as a sort of prequel to Star Wars Episode One: The Phantom Menace. In actuality, the storyline runs parallel to that of the film. In Battle for Naboo, you assume the role of Lieutenant Gavyn Sykes, a pilot in Queen Amidala's Royal Security Forces. When the evil Trade Federation invades Naboo, it's up to you to defeat the army of battle droids and liberate the planet.

The gameplay in Battle for Naboo is a straightforward, arcade-style shoot-em-up that allows the player to pilot a variety of hovercraft, aircraft, and spacecraft, each with its own unique armaments and defenses.

Features:

• Battle the Trade Federation and save Naboo
• Fly 15+ missions on land, air, and space
• Includes 7 different vehicles
• Controlled using keyboard, joystick, gamepad, or mouse
• No "in-mission" save function

Technical Aspects:

The audio features a variety of sound effects straight from the film, including laser blasts, droids, starship sounds, etc. Voice-overs are good enough, although the dialogue consists mostly of clipped lines like, "Take out those turrets." The soundtrack music is excellent. Much of John William's score from the film is present. The overall audio quality suffers slightly, however. The game utilizes MIDI format files for the music. These tend to be a bit thin compared to the richer CD quality in many other games.

Report and Conclusions:

In addition, there are a few other factors that tend to detract from the game. I found it very difficult to navigate and aim using the keyboard and/or mouse. I switched to a joystick and had better success, but it was still sometimes hit and miss. One design flaw in particular is quite glaring. When piloting flying vehicles, you often find yourself running into an invisible barrier that marks the end of the "playing field." When this occurs, your craft is repelled and careens out of control momentarily as the computer compensates and aims you back in the "right" direction. More times than not, however, you find yourself disoriented and bumping into these barriers repeatedly.

The radar system is mediocre at best. Although you are in a 3D environment, the radar is a 2D display. This is particularly a problem in dogfighting situations, where the altitude of your opponent is not indicated, leaving you to head in their general direction and hope for the best.

Although somewhat simplistic, Battle for Naboo isn't altogether unenjoyable. It does manage to provide a bit of fun. Unfortunately, it's a rather small dose, which is probably the biggest flaw with the game. There are 15+ missions, but these can all be completed in a relatively short period of time.

All things considered, Battle for Naboo fails to deliver enough to justify its rather high price tag. If you are one of those hard core Star Wars fans I referred to earlier that will likely buy this game no matter what, you will most likely not be highly disappointed. For those of you who may be simply looking for a good game based on Star Wars, I highly recommend Star Wars Episode One: Racer as an alternative. Not only is Racer a more economical choice, it's great fun. Anyone who enjoyed the pod racing sequence from the film will love it. Racer also carries an "E" rating (for everyone), making it an all-around more family-oriented game than Battle for Naboo's "Teen" rating.