Star Wars Obi-Wan

Star Wars Obi-Wan
by SVG Distribution

Star Wars Obi-Wan
Category: Video Games
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Product Summary

Platform: Xbox
Publisher: SVG Distribution
Product features:
  • Platform: Xbox
  • ESRB Rating: Teen
  • Genre: Action/Adventure
Accessories:

Video Game Reviews of Star Wars Obi-Wan

Customer Review: I feel the hate growing within me
Summary: 3 Stars

Obi Wan is a real embarrassment for LucasArts, similar to Bounty Hunter for the PS2 and Gamecube. How a major publisher could put out such a sloppy, buggy game with so little unique content is pretty shameful. Those condemnations aside, it has its genuinely fun moments.

The hallmark of George Lucas's career may end up not being the Star Wars series itself (he's tarnished that a bit with the prequels), but the creation of the lightsaber. This singular weapon is what makes Obi-Wan the game shine, and rescues it from total failure. The sound and visuals of the sabre ripping through droids and zinging scenery is just a joy from start to finish. Using the right analog stick to swing the lightsaber was one of the few sparks of creative brilliance by the developers. Obi's sabre is the essence of fun from start to finish. Every repetitive battle, mowing down wave after wave of Tusken Raiders and deflecting blaster shots back into droids, never ceased to amuse me. It's a testament to the brilliance of this mechanic that I trudged through the entire game.

As far as level design, the Naboo palace is the only bright spot in the game. It's colorful and fun to explore, unlike the rest of the drab uninspired game. Anything the developers created out of their own imagination, in other words outside of Naboo, is dull and lifeless. I could spend a page lowlighting all the various failures of the game, like the forgettable story, occasionally awful graphics, abrupt and unsatisfying endgame, choppy and sloppy environmental interaction, on and on. But there are 119 other reviews that have already done that well.

I only want to emphasize that as bad as the game is, and as disappointingly as it ends, the meat of the saber-swinging gameplay is such a pleasure that it makes Obi-Wan a worthwhile task.

Description of Star Wars Obi-Wan

A galaxy above the rest, Star Wars: Obi-Wan brings the world of Star Wars to dramatic life. Lightsabers and the Force assist Obi-Wan on his journey through more than 15 treacherous levels. The legendary Jedi Knight battles a villainous cast of new and familiar enemies, including Darth Maul, Tusken Raiders, assassin droids and a new mystery enemy. Obi-Wan takes the story from the depths of Coruscant to dusty Tatooine and beyond. Star Wars: Obi-Wan is cosmic action on an epic scale.
A long time ago, LucasArts established a sterling reputation with their classic X-Wing, TIE Fighter, and Monkey Island games. But recent efforts have varied widely in quality. Some games, like X-Wing Alliance, were outstanding. Others, such as Force Commander, were better left unreleased. Obi-Wan, LucasArts's first Star Wars: Episode I adventure game for the Xbox, falls firmly in the latter camp--the controls are poor, the graphics uninspiring, and the voice acting is embarrassing.

Obi-Wan chronicles the adventures of young Obi-Wan Kenobi across five acts as he battles the evil Trade Federation, the Black Heth crime organization, and other assorted baddies. The story is nothing new, and it's hampered a bit by the Episode I setting, which simply isn't as compelling as the setting of the classic Star Wars stories.

Since you play as Obi-Wan, the primary weapon in your arsenal is the lightsaber. Using a third-person view, you use the left thumbstick to control Obi-Wan and the right thumbstick to control the lightsaber. In principle this sounds fantastic, but in practice it's a mess--the camera constantly shifts angles, making it hard to see certain enemies, and planning a coordinated attack with the lightsaber is unnecessarily difficult, especially when multiple enemies are swarming in from all sides.

Graphically, Obi-Wan is lifeless. It fails to take advantage of the Xbox's fancy graphics hardware, and the environments are empty and plain. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, a game released for the obsolete Nintendo 64 system, features much more beautiful graphics. And playing Obi-Wan after playing Halo or Munch's Oddysee will make a Star Wars fan weep at the thought of how good Obi-Wan should have looked. Compounding the ugly graphics problem is the fact that the game will slow to a crawl at certain points, making jumping or fighting practically impossible. Almost as bad as the poor graphics is the horrid voice acting (Obi-Wan sounds like Mike Myers doing a bad Scottish accent), and the all-too-frequent cinematic cutscenes look like they were slapped together in five minutes.

There are some tiny diamonds in the vast rough, such as the ability to use Force powers to throw objects at enemies or pull weapons out of their hands. A feature sure to please fans of the dramatic saber fights in Episode I is the multiplayer Jedi Battles mode. This mode lets you and a buddy engage in fierce Jedi duels, using characters from the movie and game. Unfortunately, these few nice touches aren't enough to overcome Obi-Wan's bland setting and lame execution. --William Harms

Pros:

  • Force powers
  • You get to use a lightsaber
  • Multiplayer Jedi Battles can be fun
  • Great music and sound effects
Cons:
  • Foes parry Obi-Wan's lightsaber with clubs
  • Horrible graphics
  • Atrocious voice acting
  • Clumsy controls
  • Empty levels

Join the legendary Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi as he takes on the worst scum and villainy the galaxy has to offer in level after level of fast-paced action. In Star Wars: Obi-Wan, you'll call upon the Force and your powerful lightsaber as you face a mysterious new enemy, a droid assassin, and a devious plot that could dramatically shift the balance of power in the universe. Fight your way through an underworld trail of munitions dealers and crime lords--from the lowest depths of Coruscant and dusty Tatooine to the lush city of Theed. The Force is in your hands.

Wield Obi-Wan's considerable Force powers, Jedi agility, and lightsaber in more than 15 action-packed levels. Force abilities include Force attack, push, pull, throw, defend, and jump. You can also tune your skills in up to six two-player arenas, facing Jedi Masters such as Mace Windu, Ki-Adi-Mundi, and Saesee Tiin. An original story line brings you face-to-face with a host of new and familiar enemies, ranging from Tusken Raiders and assassin droids to the evil Sith Darth Maul.

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