If you've played Shadows of the Empire for the N64, you'll no doubt remember the game's
first level, where you participate in a Rebel attack on Hoth, flying around the ice world
in an X-wing fighter, shoooting down probe droids and wrapping tow cables around AT-ATs.
The rest of the game after that was pretty hit or miss, and many gamers were actually
quite displeased with what Lucas Arts attempted to market as a third-person shoot-em-up.
What happened to the edge of your seat action after that epic air battle?
Looking back on this, LucasArts decided to wise up and use hindsight to their advantage,
called upon the expertise of Factor 5 studios, and put together a real gem of a space-age,
air combat shooter.
This is Star Wars Rogue Squadron, and this is exactly what video games were created to
be.
In real life, you can't just wake up in the morning, sense a disturbance in the force,
climb into an aircraft, and make a beeline for battle.
This game will make you feel exactly that way, and this time, it's not some fake ass
Dash Rendar character who no one's heard of until now.
The hero, as it always should be in the Star Wars trilogy games, is Luke Skywalker, and
you will use his excellent flying skills to lead the Rebel Fleet against the Imperial
scum.
Every time you fire this game up, you'll get a feeling of excitement as you anticipate
the battles you must fight, and the more efficient you are with your X-wing at the beginning,
the sooner you'll find out that it's not the only method of mayhem.
Earn bronze, silver, and gold medals in each level, and your reward is access to each ship
in the Rebel Fleet, from the heavily armored workhorse Y-wing, to Han Solo's pride and
joy, the Millennium Falcon.
Being able to fly the Millennium Falcon is an exceptional experience, blasting away at
TIE fighters and ground targets with lasers and seeking missiles during the assault on
Kile II.
During each mission, you'll come to appreciate all the superior production quality that went
into the making of this excellent Star Wars title.
The quality of speech in each mission is unparalleled, a line of communication being kept between
the Rebel forces that is essential to the full experience, as much as chasing down bombers
and protecting a supply convoy.
The mission sequence has an excellent mix to it, keeping the gameplay exciting and unpredictable.
One level you'll be assaulting an Imperial base, and another you'll be aiding in the
rescue of a downed Rebel cruiser from both ground and air opposition.
You'll notice that each ship has different range of motion, and Star Fox references notwithstanding,
the barrel roll is a favorite maneuver of the X-wing.
The A-wing's zippiness will make it easier to get to rendezvous points faster, and the
Millennium Falcon is somewhat bulky when you are trying to navigate through a labyrinthine
cavern, but a ship with hyperspeed capability certainly won't lose a race to an Imperial
satellite array.
Lastly, the addition of the Expansion Pack to your console will ensure the best quality
gameplay, smoothing out rough spots as you tackle each mission in enhanced resolution.
These facts alone are the reason that Rogue Squadron is arguably one of the greatest games
ever to be released for the N64, let alone LucasArts.
As I've said before, this is the way video games should be, a chance to really be immersed
in a world where you are the hero, the mission hanging in the balance between good and evil.
The only thing missing is Ben or Master Yoda's voices before each battle, wishing you good
luck, and may the Force be with you.