Star Wars: Rebel Assault II: The Hidden Empire
PlayStation
I have to admit something to you. As I sit down to write this review, I really don't know how things are going to go. Even I can admit to myself: this is a terrible game. But at the same time I still have fun playing it.
The game's story line is probably a big part of that. This game debuted back in 1995. I would say I played this probably somewhere around '96 or '97. I remember being completely in awe of this game's story line. Back then, only the original movies had been released. The prequels were nowhere in sight. Star Wars was considered over and done with. This was the closest thing to a sequel or spinoff we were ever going to get, or so I thought at the time.
The story is told through various FMV (full motion video) sequences. As you play through the quest, you will follow the story line as your character discovers (and must eventually destroy) a hidden Imperial space station where TIE Fighters are being developed with cloaking devices. When activated, these cloaks render the TIE Fighters invisible. Hence then name of the game: The Hidden Empire.
The story isn't too much to get worked up about, but back in 1996 or whenever the hell I played this first, it was a real treat. The acting is pretty terrible in parts, but I consider that part of this game's charm. Really, the best way to look at this game if you are playing it for the first time in the modern era is to come into it with an open mind. Don't take it too seriously. It's fun and it is hokey. Don't expect a great game, but expect to be entertained.
When you are not watching cutscenes advancing the game's story line, you are playing in one of its stages. There are a wide variety of stages in the game, but controls are basically the same. For example, one level has you flying in a straight line and blasting away at TIE Fighters until you make it to safety. The next level has you flying through an asteroid belt, blasting away at enemies and trying to avoid getting smashed between giant chunks of rock.
Basically, all you are doing is blasting away at enemies and slightly steering your ship where it needs to go. Other levels have you navigating your ship through tight quarters. The controls are the most challenging thing about these types of levels. The game likes to randomly make your ship veer off course. All you can do is try to compensate against the game's forces and stay in the middle of the screen. Don't compensate enough and you smash the side you are on. Compensate too much and you can go violently caroming off from one side of the screen to the other.
I really hate those levels. Expect to utilize a lot of trial and error when making it through them. I don't know why they have to make flying the ship in a straight line so difficult.
One level has you riding a speeder bike through a forest, Return of the Jedi style. Another has you navigating a TIE Fighter through a tight canyon.
The game does have levels where you progress on foot. Your character stands in the foreground. You use a button to duck and use cover. You can pop out of cover and fire at the storm troopers who are trying to kill you. Keys to beating these stages are taking advantage of the cover system and not taking unnecessary damage when popping out to fire at your foes.
Although there are many different styles of levels in the game, they all really boil down to the same thing: shooting or flying. Or both. Shooting AND flying.
You don't really have too much control in the game. You can only slightly move your ship in some of the action based stages. Other times all you are doing is navigating your ship down its predestined course to the end of the level. But for the most part all you are doing is moving your cursor around and firing away at anything that moves.
To say that this game is pretty much an interactive movie wouldn't be too much of an exaggeration. The game is very heavy on FMV cutscenes. Pretty much all of the levels move down a predetermined path where you have very little control over what happens on the screen, aside from blasting at enemies and trying to not crash into stuff.
The game's difficulty can be steep depending on how good a shot you are and how good a pilot you are. I recall struggling when I played this game a few years ago. This time, I made it through the game pretty easily. I was extremely lucky though, passing several stages with only the smallest sliver of health left. I wouldn't say the game is too challenging overall, but it does have its moments. Expect to have to use trial and error at several points in the game. Eventually you get good at it and you move on.
Judging the game's music and sound effects, I have to give it props. Pretty much every Star Wars game excels in this category, and this game is no exception. Graphically, things are pretty simple. Many stages you are flying through what look like looping FMV sequences. The effect is odd, but it is not unpleasant. The game is of course a bit outdated visually but again, you have to look at that as part of its charm.
When we put all of the pieces together, we're looking at a very mixed bag. Hence my initial dilemma at the beginning of this review. It really is not a good game. It controls horribly. It is repetitive. You can't say that anything about the game play is innovative. Everything is outdated by today's standards. Even in the acting department. Especially in the acting department.
But as I said, the game has its charms. Perhaps it is just a sentimental feeling because I remember playing this game back in the day when there wasn't any extra Star Wars content outside of the movies. I thought it was amazing back then. Of course some of that sentiment is going to carry over into my thinking when I look back on this game.
When I play this game, I see its flaws and I recognize them. Even as I play the game and realize that I am not playing a very good game, I forgive these flaws. Everyone has a guilty pleasure, and for some reason Rebel Assault II is one of them for me. I like the game. I always have a fun time playing it. Even as I am playing the game and realizing that it actually kind of sucks, I still have a good time.
I don't know if that says something about me or something about the game. I think die hard Star Wars fans, especially the ones that remember the era I was talking about (when this game came out) will understand what I am saying.
Clearly this game is not one of the all time greats. But it is something I can always turn to when I know I want to have a relatively fun time with a short, not so great but kinda entertaining game. While I am at it I could eat some pizza and drink straight from a 2 liter of Coca Cola as I play this game. It would be like I'm a 14 year old kid back in 1996 again.
Overall:
B-
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