Star Wars: The Best of PC
I don’t normally like posting reviews for games that aren’t new releases, but I picked this up and figured it would be a good idea as a Christmas present for the Star Wars fan in your family. It contains five of the (arguably) best Star Wars games in the last several years. The price may vary depending on where you buy it. I got it for $39.99, which is an amazing deal considering the content.
1. Empire at War
This game lets you take command of large armies on either side of the conflict. Any real time strategy veteran will instantly feel right at home. It doesn’t really try anything new, but the chance to take charge of the war during the original trilogy cannot be passed up. Battles take place both on ground and in space, making this the most complete Star Wars war game experience. There is some fleet management from a galaxy map between missions that feels a little unnecessary and slows the game down a bit, but the battles are intense and definitely have a Star Wars feel. The did have a cool take on creating units from buildings. When you purchase a unit from a structure, they are air-dropped in instead of simply appearing out of the building like in most other RTS games. I thought this made it seem more realistic than other games where, during the course of a level, you could potentially have hundreds of units walk out of one small building. The graphics are fairly good, even for a game that isn’t brand new. When a lot of units are on screen, the game had a tendency to bog down on my system, even with the graphics turned down. On the whole, though, the game impresses and is a great addition to this collection.
2. Knights of the Old Republic
In my opinion, this is the crown jewel of the collection. Considered by many to be one of the greatest RPG’s, this game offers everything a role player and a Star Wars fan could want. It is made by Bioware, who is the same company behind Mass Effect. The two games play nearly identically. After a cool opening level, the game takes a little while to get going. It is almost necessary for it to have a slow start so that you can get comfortable with the gameplay mechanics. The battles are in real time, but you can pause the action to issue commands to your party. As you progress through the game, not only does your character become a Jedi, but you will come across other Jedi to join your party. After a while, it almost feels like a waste to have non-Force users in the party. The game also give you the opportunity to pursue the Light or Dark side. The story plays out differently based on your choice and both ending are incredibly satisfying. This game also contains my favorite character of all time in any game, HK-47. Think of what C-3PO would be like if he were evil and you basically have this character.
3. Battlefront
I didn’t play this game much. It is primarily an online game, which I am not really into. To the game’s credit, it is a very good online game that many people are still playing. The single player experience is a little shallow, but still fun. It is also a bit on the short side. This is a game that is meant to be played multiple times. Actually, the single player experience is probably meant to only be a warm up for the multiplayer. If you are an online fan, this is one of the best. Otherwise, this one is worth a look but won’t hold your interest too long.
4. Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast
This game is the best way to step into the shoes (boots? sandals?) of a Jedi and really just go kick ass. Forget the fact that in the original Jedi Knight the main character just suddenly became a Jedi with no training. This game has a much better narrative and shouldn’t be faulted because of it’s predecessor. The controls are very intuitive and you will be Force-choking and electrocuting enemies with ease in no time. Well, maybe not no time, since the first few levels don’t allow you to use the force and are a little boring. Once you regain your lightsaber and your powers begin coming back, the game is an awesome experience. Using the Force to pick up enemies and fling them off cliffs will never get old for me. You also have the choice of following the Light or Dark side, although the endings for each aren’t as satisfying as in Knights of the Old Republic. The graphics haven’t held up as well as some of the other games in the collection, but they are still satisfactory. This is the best way (aside from this game’s sequel, Jedi Academy) to really feel the like an all-powerful Jedi.
5. Republic Commando
I had heard several bad things about this game, but I was very impressed by it. The game allows you to play as a Clone Trooper from the moment they entered the battle during Episode II. The action is intense and there is an incredible amount of detail in the game. You truly feel like you are in the middle of a galactic war. The guns aren’t as accurate as many gamers like, but I thought it brought more of a sense of urgency to the battles. Your squad members are far more useful than in many other games. They still have a habit of getting in your line of fire, but you can also rely on them to watch your back when the enemy gets the drop on you. Issuing orders to them is as easy as looking at what you want them to do and pressing one button. It is simple, but allows for many different types of orders. There are a couple of segments that are unnecessarily difficult and rather frustrating, but the bulk of the levels are awesome. The graphics are quite impressive. Explosions look good. The character models look like they were pulled right from the movies. When you kill an enemy at close range, their blood (or oil if they are a droid) sprays onto your visor and a wiper blade automatically sweeps across to clean it. Those types of little details, which there are a countless number of in this game, are missing in many games today and really made me love this one. I also didn’t expect that clones would be the funniest group of violence loving soldiers I have ever come across. They are constantly making remarks about the in game action that you cannot help but smile at. The action takes a little getting used to, but there is a lot to like about this game.
None of these games are too old, and bought separately would cost well over $100 (Empire at War alone is still going for around $35). This bundle is probably the best value in gaming I have come across in a long time. Action junkies will enjoy everything here and it is a must buy for any Star Wars fan that doesn’t already have these games.
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