Customer Reviews

Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader

5 star:		(195)
4 star:		(63)
3 star:		(25)
2 star:		(18)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

In my opinion,Rogue Leader is the best GameCube launch title by far.I can't remember the last game that got my heart pumping like this one.My hands were even shaking after some missions,I guess it's the combination of classic Star Wars scenarios you go through all three movies here and an incredibly well designed,beautiful game.And it ain't no cakewalk,either.If your skills aren't up to snuff in any of the missions at least all but one exceptionally easy run near the end,anyway you'll definitely find yourself floating home.But despite the difficulty,it's almost impossible to put Rogue Leader down,and that's the sign of a truly great game.

I have to admit I did not think video gaming systems could get much prettier than some of the visuals on Playstation 2, but boy was I blown away by this game. The very first mission, the attack on the Death Star, was mind-boggling, lasers flying everywhere on a beautiful 3D surface. The cutscene before this was just incredible, though, it looked like it came right out of the special edition movie. The Battle of Endor mission is the most amazing, I mean it places you right in the game, especially because of the fact that about 300 TIEs are coming after to you. To say it concisely this game is incredible visually!

Moving on, you play as Luke for part of the game, but you also play as Wedge Antilles on many of the missions, like the Battle at Endor. Each mission has its on guidelines and rules, some you protect, others you attack, and on the Imperial Academy level you actually steal an Imperial ship. The missions are fairly simple, but achieving that coveted gold is not. The hardest missions are the final two, Battle at Endor and Strike at the Core. The bonus mission are a definite plus, I love shooting the quads on the Escape from the Death Star bonus mission. And its also great to shoot down some rebel scum playing as Darth Vader. Only one complaint, the Training level is extremely boring after the first couple plays.

The music is tranplanted from the movie and is great, it definitely gives it a classic touch. The little movie cutscenes between missions are also pretty interesting. Overall this is an excellent game and I can give it no less than 5 stars. Great launch title for the redoubtable Gamecube, let's hope we see more of this quality. Oh yeah, I also loved the first Rogue Squadron, though, that was a much simpler game.

I played this game at Cube Club on sunday, and let me tell you, it is the best game i have ever played PERIOD! The graphics are even better than the movies themselves! The framerate is rock solid which is a first for the Star Wars genre! The music is fully orchestrated, with a few extra soundtracks just to fit the mood in many other levels, and is presented in full 5.1 surround sound through Dolby Prologic II! AND BEST OF ALL, IT FEATURES THE BATTLE OF ENDOR, WHICH SINGLE HANDEDLY HAS TO BE THE BIGGEST AND BEST LEVEL IN VIDEO GAME HISTORY! IT IS UNBELIEVABLE!

Rogue Squadron II for the GameCube is one of the most impressive games I've seen. Visually, it rivals or may even best any Xbox title and definetly soars over the PS2. I haven't seen any high polygon counts on the Xbox that are even close to this game. Each ship, rendered with many texture passes (light mapping, dirt mapping, bump mapping, etc), consists of about 20,000 polygons. No other system creates this many on just a single object, not even a PC. Environments span to 120,000 polygons and at times there are 15 million polygons (per second) on the screen. All of this runs at a lightning fast speed of 60 frames per second.
The figures Microsoft boasts about its 120 million polygons are unreasonable. Sure it can create these without lighting, texturing, anti-aliasing, and so on. But what can it really do with all the features put into play? Probably the same or a tad bit higher than the GameCube.
While comparing this game to Dead Or Alive 3, a visual masterpiece on the Xbox, you really can tell the difference with the numbers. Rouge Leader II polygon counts are much higher. Lighting and texturing are all top notch even with the lower storage capacity of 1.5 gigabytes for the discs. The Xbox's power is great but until it can push farther that Rouge Leader II then it still is behind in the graphics department.
All in all this game is great for its gameplay and its stunning recreation of the Star Wars saga. The control and the speed in which your ships fly at are great. The speed had a vast improvement over the N64 version and it all accounts the power of the GameCube. With Nintendo's new system the Star Wars worlds can be recreated in a realistic and playable format. The game's sound and music were all recorded at a high quality. Its textures are beautiful and accurate. And the game itself is just a spectacular work of art. This is what a Star Wars game should be like.

Overview: As a long-time Star Wars fan, I've always loved to try the newest Star Wars game. From the original vector-based Star Wars Arcade game on, there's just something about being able to tap into an universe that you're already familiar with. Unfortunately, like many licensed titles, these have been hit and miss over the years, though the hits have been many on Nintendo consoles. Rogue Leader is no exception, setting a new mark for excellence in a Star Wars game. While fans of the more technical TIE and X-Wing shooters on the PC might find this a step down as far as gameplay is concerned, most Star Wars fans will come to the agreement that no game has captured Star Wars so well visually. No other early GameCube game comes close to the visual splendor to be found, and very few play as well to boot.

Graphics: 10.0 One word sums up Rogue Leader's graphical prowess: AMAZING! No game I've seen on any platform has caught me more by surprise than the graphical beast that is the Rogue Leader engine. While I suppose that I shouldn't be all that surprised, Factor 5 did some great work on the Nintendo 64 after all (Rogue Squadron & Indiana Jones & the Infernal Machine in particular), I suppose that I just wasn't prepared for the leap they were able to take from the Nintendo 64. Not only are the ship models extremely accurate to their motion picture counterparts (I've read specs that state that they're actually MORE detailed than the 3D models used in the Special Editions), but the textures are top-notch. The level of detail is also amazing. Not only have the environments from the films been effectively recreated (one might argue that some even look better), but the little things, such as stormtroopers running around and turbolasers firing in the distance as far as the eye can see, convince you at times that you are actually there. Via the GameCube, Factor 5 has basically accomplished in real time what fans have been wanting for years...a chance to PLAY the movie. Sure, I might be exaggerating just a bit, but I will not be guilty of underrating Rogue Leaders visuals; they are that good. Besides, as a long-time fan of the classic Trilogy (hey, I've played the Atari computer version of Star Wars Arcade!), you'll forgive me for that. Impressive...

Sound: 9.5 If you've ever watched a Star Wars movie, you'll know what to expect here. The sound effects, voice-overs and John Williams' trademark soundtrack are all here, and in fine fashion. Thanks to the mini-DVD medium, a Star Wars game on a Nintendo system has never been better. In the advent of the surround-sound home theater, Rogue Leader's ProLogic II surround sound is also welcome. While you have to have a newer receiver to be able to take full advantage of the format, it still sounds very good on my older ProLogic receiver, so good in fact that you can hear the TIE's coming up from behind. It's hard for a game that LOOKS this good to blow you away in the sound area, but let me be the first to say, that Rogue Leader *ALMOST* pulls it off. Most impressive...

Gameplay: 8.0 Where many licensed games fall short is the area of gameplay, and there has been more than one Star Wars game to fall prey to that trend. Fortunately, Rogue Leader manages to play extremely well: controls are well-laid out and responsive, while the design, which can be difficult, never seems that overwhelmingly difficult. That being said, there is very little new here. It's basically Rogue Squadron with better graphics after all. Right? Not quite... While the play mechanics of the original are basically unchanged, there are two areas that have been improved upon GREATLY: 1) SPEED & 2) AI. In Rogue Squadron, there were points in the game where you just felt like your X-Wing was literally CRAWLING across the sky. You won't have that sensation here. While your ship still never seems to move as fast as you need it to (remember, the TIE's are faster than just about anything the Rebellion has...even the A-Wings can't quite do it), the sensation of speed is there, particularly when skimming over the surface of a Star Destroyer or some other large-scale obstacle. As for the AI, I'm not so much referring to the forces of the Empire as I am your fellow Rogue Squadron members. You can't depend on them to do all the work, but their reactions to your commands are responsive, as you can actually see them doing the order you just issued.

Theme: 10.0 This is a Star Wars game, and if that says anything, it's that there are thousands of (rabid?) fans waiting for more realistic immersion into the Star Wars universe than games have allowed. While Star Wars Galaxies promises role-playing in the classic Star Wars universe early next year, no game captures the speed and epic scale of the space battles of the Star Wars films like Rogue Leader does right now. The scale of the game, the size of the Star Destroyers and Death Star, the swarms of TIE Fighters, it truly is one aspect of the Star Wars experience on a grand scale. With the space expansion of Star Wars Galaxies well over a year away, no other title puts you there like this. You'd need your own astromech droid for it to be any more convincing.

Overall: 9.5 While launch titles are almost never considered to be representative of what a hardware platform is capable of, it's hard not to think that Factor 5 has been able to tap into the GameCube's capabilities at an unrivalled degree. By staying with the formula that had proven successful on the N64 with Rogue Squadron (and the lest touted Battle for Naboo), Factor 5 has been able to refine the gameplay for a game that's ultimately very easy to just pick up and play, but difficult enough to master. Perhaps the biggest compliment that can be given to the game though, is that once you have mastered it, you might just want to take it for another spin, if only to take in all the beautiful scenery.

Star Wars: Rogue Leader (Rogue Squadron 2) marks the first time that Nintendo has launched a new platform without its main launch title being from the Mario family of games. While the initial set of launch games does keep the Mario series going with Luigi's Mansion, Rogue Leader is Nintendo's crown jewel for the GameCube and it plays like it. Some Star Wars games have show the tendency to be very mediocre and disappointing (Rebel Assault II comes to mind), but I was pleasantly surprised with quality and replay value of the original Rogue Squadron for N64. The challenge wasn't only in beating the game, it was in obtaining gold medals on each of the levels in the game. The challenge of obtaining the medals (bronze, silver, and gold) drove me to keep playing each board even after defeating it. It made me a more disciplined player and gave me a greater sense of satisfaction when I achieved the desired medal. I eventually got all the gold medals around the time that talk of the sequel, Rogue Leader, was getting started up. As soon as I got the GameCube for Christmas, I made sure Rogue Leader was the first game I bought. What an amazing game!!! The graphics are unparalleled on any game on any platform that I have seen (and this includes Playstation 2 and X-Box). Unlike Rogue Squadron, which followed a storyline in a time period independent of the movies, Rogue Leader's storyline runs parallel to the original trilogy. As a result, the gameplayer gets engage in battles above the original Death Star (including the spectacular trench run), Hoth, Bespin, Endor, and the second Death Star. Additionally, the other boards focus on events hinted at in the movies or literature about that time period in the Star Wars Universe (Vengeance at Kothlis is one of my favorites of that bunch). All told, there are 10 main levels, 1 Tatooine Training Mission level, and 5 bonus missions (which can only be unlocked using the points accrued by obtaining medals on each of the main levels and subsequent unlocked bonus levels). It should be noted that two of the bonus levels are fascinating alternate reality scenarios where you get to fly Darth Vader's tie fighter and destroy rebel ships above the Death Star and then destroy there base on Yavin. The final bonus level is the "Endurance" stage where you fight above the Death Star and have to destroy 99(!) waves of Imperial fighters. There's a little trick to do so and once you figure it out, the only challenge is just investing the time to defeat the board (it's taken me 4 hours, but a Gold Medal is all but assured if you defeat all the waves). The Tatooine Training mission is not required for any of the regular or bonus mission goals (though completing it during 4 separate time periods is required for unlocking ACE mode), but it is a very good way to get familiarized with the game controls and the types of techniques you can and will need to use during the regular missions. If I have any quibble with the game, and it's only a minor one, it's that Rogue Leader doesn't give you much (i.e. nothing at all) in terms of fanfare for achieving all the Gold Medals or all the ACE Medals. At least the original Rogue Squadron gave you a little fireworks celebration. But, I digress. It's a tiny complaint that cannot even begin to detract from overall superior quality of this game. Nintendo continues to get it right and continues to justify my support of them as the game system of choice.

Gameplay
It is mission oriented, as if you were in the movies. How did the rebels got to Hoth? You see Bespin, Endor, and Yavin.
Basically is the same as the Rogue Squadron for N64, but that is not necessarily bad. The controls are very intuitive and they allow you follow even the fastest TIE Interceptors (gamer skill required!). The game targeting computer only helps you in the level with the Nebula on Ison Corridor but you don't have to use it.
A word of caution, it may look easy at first but wait until you get to Razor Rendezvous where you have to destroy a Star Destroyer with a B-wing! You'll have plenty of blasting to get your gold medals.

Graphics

The game graphics are some of the best I have seen. Moving smoothly a 60-fps, but it slows down once in a wile. Wait until you see an explosion or the reflections of the AT-AT's on the water on Kothlis. I have never seen a better-looking TIE fighter.
Even the light that comes from the laser canons can be seen on the TIE fighters, on the walls of the Death Star trench,
Consider yourself lucky if you have a HDTV!

Sound

Every Star Wars sound is in this game. Every blast, boom, and laser fire. The music is as exciting as in the movies. And the dialogues from the character on the Endor battle are the same from the movies, which means that you'll be expecting what Lando or Admiral Akbar have to say. Pay attention to the instructions of your fellow wing mates. Wait 'till you seen hundreds of TIE Interceptor coming your way on the Endor Battle!

Overall

If you ever dream about flying into the Death Star trench, or blasting your way trough the snow on Hoth, or destroying the second Death Star this is the game for you.
I'm afraid that those of you that don't like Star Wars may argue that "it's the same N64 game with better graphics"... but give it a chance and you will enjoy playing.

This is an extremely addicting gameplay experience. You must completely master this game to unlock all of the special ships and levels, but mastering this will not be easy, young Jedi. On a scale from 1-10, 10 being the highest, I would have to give this game a 9 for difficulty. Don't get me wrong, you can still progress through the game fairly quickly, but getting all of the gold medals is going to be a definite challenge.

I guess the other big thing would be the graphics. You could say that the graphics are OK for the Gamecube, but that would be the understatement of the year. These graphics rival that of the film versions of the Star Wars universe, and in some cases surpass the film. This game is probably the best looking game on any system to date.

Since this is a Star Wars licensed game, nothing satisfies fans more than realistic gameplay experiences that allow them to become part of the galaxy far, far away. I have to give this game 5 out of 5 stars. The graphics engine alone makes this game a must buy for Cube owners, but throw in the top notch gameplay and Star Wars license and you have a winner. This is the launch game everyone should be picking up instead of Luigi's Mansion.

Its hard to describe Rogue Leader without using a long list of superlatives. The graphics in this game are so good that they're often distracting... seeing hundreds of asteroids in one level, dozens of tie fighters in another, its really amazing. The gameplay is excellent too, you really feel like you're flying missions straight out of the movies. Most of the missions follow scenes from the movies, though there are a few added to flesh out the game. Players have the oppurtunity to fly a variety of ships from the movies, and theres secret levels and hidden power-ups to search for too. Rogue Leader is not the longest game in the world, most gamers will finish the basic set of missions in 10-20 hours, though they can be replayed to improve your score and open bonus missions. I highly reccomend Rogue Leader to anyone.

Factor 5 has done it again! This game takes full advantage of the Gamecubes capabilities. I was blown away by the graphics. Never before have I seen such crisp and beautiful images on a game. I love the original Rogue Squadron but we all know that the dialog in some parts of it are pretty cheesy. Not the case in RS2. This Rogue Squadron has dialog in it that that is directly out of the movies. The music has been improved as well and sounds like the original soundtrack recording. A new feature added to the game is that you can have wing men who you can command, making you feel like you are more part of the enviroment. This in combination of improved graphics and sound quality make it no problem to get immersed into the Star Wars Universe. If you enjoyed the first one prepare to be blown away by Rogue Squadron 2.