Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire

by LucasArts

Product Features

• Video Game for N64

Product Details

• ASIN: B00002STFD
• Item Weight: 5 ounces
• Media: Video Game
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (55 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,885 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)

Product Description

GameSpot Review

There was a moment when I first began playing Shadows of the Empire when I actually believed I was a living, breathing participant in the Star Wars universe. The game's glorious first level (in which you take the controls of a snowspeeder in a gallant attempt to destroy evil Imperial Walkers, droids, and other machines on the ice planet of Hoth), is a flawlessly executed piece of video gaming: clear mission objectives, silky smooth controls, outstanding graphics, fantastic sound effects, and a true sensation of flight. I stared at the screen in awe as I made my first approach toward an Imperial Walker. Laser fire screamed past my ship as I angled to connect a tow cable to a Walker and wrap it tightly around its legs. And then it happened: The lumbering monstrosity seized up, its legs buckled, and the beast crashed to the ground in a huge fireball. I felt like jumping out of my chair and shouting to the world: "Yes! Yes! This is what video games should be! This is what I've been waiting for!"

Unfortunately, the remaining nine levels never even come close to matching the quality of the first. And perhaps it is the game's stunning first level that makes the rest of Shadows of the Empire such a letdown.

On the Star Wars timeline, Shadows of the Empire takes place during and after the events of The Empire Strikes Back. You play the role of Dash Rendar, a mercenary for hire who decides to take up the cause of the Rebellion. In a storyline that is never particularly engaging (due in large part to the rendering of the plot with still-life pictures and lines of text oddly reminiscent of the 16-bit gaming era), Dash finds himself knee-deep in the search for the frozen Han Solo, and in the company of Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia. Dash's ultimate mission is to unseat the Dark Prince Xizor, who is determined to murder Luke. While playing Shadows of the Empire, you control Dash as he struggles through ten levels of play, which encompass piloting a snowspeeder, doing battle in the Outrider (a ship resembling the Millennium Falcon), cruising on a speederbike, and running on foot through several levels of Doom-style, first-person shooting.

On the surface, Shadows of the Empire looks like a sure winner. But the game simply doesn't deliver the goods. It is difficult to control Dash's movements. The Nintendo's analog controller, so well-suited to Mario 64, does not perform well for the many levels of first-person action. Because it's difficult to move in a straight line, you constantly have to worry about falling off ledges or small platforms. Combine this faulty movement feature with the game's aggravating save system (like other LucasArts games, save points are few and far between), and losing a life from walking off a cliff becomes especially frustrating.

The camera angles are also a nagging problem. Four fixed views are available, though none of them is fully satisfying. The first-person view offers the best gameplay, but it limits your field of view; the second-person behind view offers a better view, but Dash's body squarely blocks your line of sight; the view from above has limited utility; and the view from in front of Dash is a throwaway. Finally, beating the game's several bosses ranges from difficult to nearly impossible, thanks in large part to the game's auto-save system. Being forced to begin a level from the beginning when a boss brings you down can turn the game into a tiresome chore.

In all fairness, Shadows of the Empire certainly excels in some areas. The game's ambiance is often remarkable; at times you truly feel you are lurking in the bowels of the Empire's darkest corners. Confronting lifelike Stormtroopers is a treat. The graphics, while at times oddly sterile (monotone gray hallways and endless sand-colored canyons abound), are still generally convincing. Many of the sound effects, such as ships' engines, laser fire, and explosions, are perfect. Moreover, the gameplay is varied - few games offer flying, driving, swimming, and first-person shooting all in one package.

If Shadows of the Empire had lived up to its first inspiring level, it would certainly have been in the running for game of the year. As it stands, the control, camera angles, and frustrating save feature keep it from reaching its full potential. Programming for the Nintendo 64 is reportedly a daunting challenge, and perfecting the use of a true 3-D environment and analog controller will certainly take some time. Hopefully, the next Star Wars title for the Nintendo 64 will come closer to what Shadows of the Empire aspires to be. --John Broady
--Copyright ©1999 GameSpot Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of GameSpot is prohibited. GameSpot and the GameSpot logo are trademarks of GameSpot Inc.

Product Description

This is the game Star Wars Shadows of the Empire for the Nintendo 64. This is cartridge only and is used or preplayed. All of our N64 nintendo games are cleaned tested and guaranteed to work. We stand by our products and offer a 60 day guarantee. If a game does not work within 60 days from the time you receive it we will gladly exchange it for you

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This was an AWESOME game, made when N64 was just a prototype, November 23, 1999

By A Customer

= Durability:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire (Video Game)

Any fan of the Star Wars Series will love this game. True, it's not quite as thrilling as Rogue Squadron, but at least Shadows of the Empire allows for difficulty selections, from EASY to JEDI (Jedi levels are impossibly tough, just for the record). Also true, there ARE still-photo sequences in between levels with text for the characters' speech, but understand this, this game was designed by LucasArts WAY before the N64 went into full production. The gang at LucasArts were rushed to make deadlines, so they cut a few corners. Besides, how can programmers realize a system's full potential on their first programming attempt? The graphics, music and stormtrooper cries of pain & girly-girl screams when they fall off of steep ledges alone make up for the in-between sequences.With that in mind, ignore the critics who slam Shadows of the Empire. Gameplay takes a bit of getting used to, but you'll get the hang of it within 5 minutes. All in all, Shadoows of the Empire is an AWESOME game & if you love Star Wars, you MUST buy it. You'll be glad you did.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best of all time, April 10, 2000

By A Customer

= Durability:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire (Video Game)

Shadows of The Empire came out back when the N64 just came out. It was the first great game that I played for the Nintendo 64. I had Mario 64 and MarioKart 64 and they're good games, but this one was different than them in a good way. I've always been a major Star Wars fan and at times in this game, I actually felt like I was a part of the Empire Strikes Back movie. This game couldn't have been much better, and it's still a lot of fun to play. It has great graphics, a storyline between each level, and it is a lot of fun. When I first played some of the levels, such as the corridor shooting level with all the Storm Troopers, the one where you have to ride the Phantom Menace like bike and kill all your opponents, and the level where you're at the bottom of a canyon and you have to make your way to the top by means of flying with your jetpack while shooting your enemies on your way, I thought it was the most awesome game I had ever played at the time. I was in awe when I first saw these levels because they were the first I've ever seen of that calibur and some of the most awesome effects ever put into a game. This game might not get credit for it, but it revolutionized certain aspects of action/adventure games. There are not many games where you can have corridor shooting, action/adventure, swimming, and flying in outer space all in the same game.

As much as I hate to say it, this game isn't perfect. The control is difficult during some of the levels and the camera angles are not the best. But other than that, this game is almost flawless. It's a great game to get whether you're a Star Wars fan or not.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hooked On Lucas !, December 13, 1999

By A Customer

= Durability:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire (Video Game)

This game is without a doubt, one of the best games I've ever played,(of any kind). The graphics are great and the adventure is very thrilling. The more you play the game,the more skilled (hopefully),you become. I would like to see the staff at Lucas Arts come out with a Shadows Of The Empire II. They would be "hard pressed" to top this one, but if we're lucky they would be up for the challenge! Rogue Squadron is also a great game.