Gaming Column: Star Wars Geeks will find paradise in Battlefront II

(andPOP) - A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away Lucas Arts released their most beloved Star Wars game to date: Star Wars Battlefront. This week I decided to rent the much-anticipated sequel. Star Wars games have always been great. My favourite used to be Jedi Knight II but this one is clearly the champ. Heck, even if you?re one of those people who dislike Star Wars ? well, you don?t realise it but you?re actually the nerd ? you?re sure to like this game.

This is just one of those titles that?s so good it?s hard to believe it exists. I?m not the biggest Star Wars geek out there but I still know the difference between a Tie-fighter and an X-wing. The concept is so impressive that it has to be good; a Star Wars game in which you can use virtually any character or any ship in an all out war.

If you didn?t play BF2?s predecessor I?ll give you the skinny: it?s third-person action and you choose your Star Wars faction, e.g., dark side, light side, gungans, trade federation, to begin a conquest that spans the galaxies. In levels, you typically have an infantry of more than a hundred at your disposal. Depending on the level there are often vehicles such as speeders and weapons such as turrets you can take advantage of. For the most part all you have to worry about is defending and taking over territories. In the main one player mode, you need credits, which are awarded when you are victorious, to make progresss and so that you can unlock new soldiers and upgrades.

For the most part they actually didn?t change the game all that much. There are some serious differences, such as the fact that the battles are not always on the ground. In the one player mode I found I often had to defend a fleet of my ships from an attack of another fleet! This meant hopping in a an X-wing, making it across a m?l?e of enemy fighters and missiles, infiltrating the master ship and then taking it apart from the inside out.

Another new feature that most people who were excited about this sequel are sure to be pleased with is the new playable characters. In the original, characters such as Darth Vader and Luke, would be there with you on the field fighting by your side but you couldn?t control them, no you?d be stuck with the regular soldiers of the infantry ? not anymore. Now you can use credits to buy a special character for a level. I found that using these characters could turn the tide on what might have been an unsuccessful battle. And let?s just face it, frying enemies with force lightning thanks to Darth Sidious is always a treat.

I played the Xbox version but I know this title?s also available for PS2 and even PSP. I should mention that whenever I have a choice of playing a game on PS2 or Xbox I usually go with PS2 version simply because I prefer the controller. Yet, clearly Xbox?s games always boast the smoothest graphics. The lush forests, the detailed planets and stars, the vast mountainous terrains, all were beautifully rendered. It had me thinking about what we are really in for with 360.

I don?t have a membership to Xbox Live but this game was just screaming for it. I was able to play two-player co-op and the human element in a game like this really made a difference. Mind you, the A.I. won?t disappoint in the one player mode.

If you?re a Star Wars fan and if you haven?t tried this one, then you are actually not much of a Star Wars fan ? so maybe you have a chance of having a love life. Seriously now, this title is a good investment: it will last you a long time, it?s easy for people to learn so it makes for good multiplayer sessions and it?s got the always important fun-factor.