Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace

This latest Star Wars game for the Playstation, for several reasons, lives up to all of its hype. The two greatest aspects of The Phantom Menace are its gameplay and atmosphere. When you wield your lightsaber as Obi-Wan or Qui-Gon, you imagine yourself grasping the Jedi weapon; the dual shock controller rattles and vibrates with every precise slash, and jarring parry. You see as well as feel all the damage you inflict on your enemies. Also, the stunning music score by John Williams added to the high-quality sound effects and talented voice acting makes this game an unrivaled console experience for any Star Wars fan. Another factor that makes this game great is the combat (the analog joystick gives you fabulous control of your character). It is challenging and satisfying. You cannot simply hold down the attack button and watch your foes whither before you. You must carefully plan your means of approach and engagement (this gives the game extensive replayabilily). And yet the combat isn’t too hard as to be frustrating. The rolling dodge is a simple and useful maneuver, and force push is very handy in a melee as well. Blasters are tricky at maximum range, but once you master them you’ll be much more effective. Lightsabers can be used to dissect near by enemies or deflect unfriendly fire back to its source (you perform this blocking yourself and timing can be difficult, but it’s well worth the effort). Another praise-worthy feature of this movie-based masterpiece is its color and design. The levels (especially the “Gardens of Theed” mission) are breathtaking. The expertly crafted vegetation and architecture greatly add to the beauty and enjoyment of this game. As with all games, TPM has its own set of shortcomings. The camera view is too high, and being directly above the character disallows the player a glimpse of up-coming challenges (this can be somewhat countered by jumping). Also, the idea of playing as non-Jedi characters was a poor one. As a Star Wars fan I purchased this game strictly for the lightsabers and Jedi, and if I want something different I can buy James Bond or Syphon Filter. Despite these few faults, The Phantom Menace is a riveting and enjoyable game that I highly recommend buying . If you are a Star Wars fan and love Jedi and lightsabers, then this game will hold you captive for hours on end.
Rating: 5 / 5

My brother and I got this game as a gift for who-knows-what. He was all hyped up about it, I was not, and I have good reason to be. This game, though it has incredible graphics and scenery, as well as 3-D looks, lacked in speed. The movie sequences were poor in quality and they were choppy, many times the sound wasn’t timed correctly with the picture. In the actual game though it was very fun, but VERY hard. If you want to buy this game you had better have the cash to buy the Gaming Guide to it too. Some of the puzzles were so challenging, and some sections so difficult, that we had to take advantage of errors in the game to beat them. One section, when Qui-Gon has to defeat a monster in a courtyard was nearly immpossible, until we discovered that the monster could become stuck in the wall, through a glitch in the game, and be killed easily. Also, if you’re a Star Wars fan and are looking to buy this game so that you can follow the movie in the way of Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan, don’t bother. The game is nothing like the movie. It strays away from the plot entirely, making it “better”. It isn’t. Some would find this game interesting, but, for my part, I found it lacking in the normal zeal of the LucasArts name.
Rating: 3 / 5

I’ve played this game many, many times. But unfortunately, it’s one of those games that you will either love or hate, which you can tell by the reviews here and I love it.

This game is pretty lengthly, gives you a choice of things to say in response to questions and is overall fun, especially since you get to play the entire movie. I recommend this game to die hard fans, but like I said, don’t be surprised if for some reason you don’t like it. Some do, some don’t. Simple as that
Rating: 5 / 5

I bought PlayStation for this game, and wasn’t in any way disappointed. I liked the movie–unlike some people–and thought the game would be good. I found this to be true, but only with a couple problems:

Pros: You get to play as 4 characters: Obi Wan, Qui Gon Jinn, Queen Amidala and Captain Panaka. Also, the game has great music and good special effects between levels. The levels are fun enough, but don’t be turned away. There are only ten, but most are very long, especially the one where you wander around Mos Espa. From start to finish, and knowing what to do, it takes you about 30 minutes. The Duel of the Fates music video is also included, and is not a cheat, so you don’t have to unlock it. I watched it quite often before the film was released on video.

Cons: While playing as Qui Gon and Obi Wan, it does take some getting used to with the lightsaber. And mostly, there are are limited moves with it. Also, when battling Darth Maul, it is almost impossible to defeat him without the invincibility cheat on. He is just too fast and you cannot repel his attacks without getting frustrated. Another thing I didn’t enjoy was the graphics. They are not terrible, but are noticable enough that you wish they were better. Third, as Queen Amidala, you start with a stun gun which does nothing other than fry a few droids before you’re killed yourself. It took me several tries to advance on the levels with her.

So basically, those are the pros and cons of the game. You may find your own throughout, but right now, those are the only main ones I can think of at this moment. The voice acting is pretty good in the game–Jar Jar sounds realistic enough, and so does Qui Gon. Obi Wan sounds okay, and Queen Amidala is just plain bad. I actually found it quite funny because it sounds nothing like Natalie Portman, the actress who played her in the film version.

My final opinion is that if you have the PlayStation and you enjoy Star Wars, pick it up. It’ll keep you occupied for longer than most people think, and it does have some replay value, too. If you’ve got N64, you most definitely should have Rogue Squadron. Although they are based in two different times and differ greatly in plot, ‘Rogue’ is the better of the two.
Rating: 4 / 5

I’ve read many negative reviews about this game, but when I got it and began playing it I found those reviews to be inaccurate. I think the levels are incredibly well designed, and the game play is very true to the movie. Although it is a bit difficult at times, it is without a doubt an addicting title. The ability to talk to other characters along your path makes the game play that much more realistic, and much more challenging. I give this game a definate 5 stars in every category. So do yourself a favor and purchase it now!
Rating: 5 / 5