There's too many of 'em!

During the long months of waiting for the GameCube's launch in November of 2001, this was the one game that I wanted to play the most. All of the high-res screenshots on the web drove my anticipation to a fever pitch, and this was the very first game I played on my shiny-new 'Cube once I got my hands on it.

And Rogue Squadron 2: Rogue Leader didn't disappoint. I will start with what is obviously this game's strongest point, its graphics. First of all, the environments are insanely detailed. From the heavy industrial environment on the surface of the Death Star to the wind-swept plains of Hoth, this game easily puts you in the Star Wars universe. The vehicles are equally well-detailed. Every major Star Wars ship, fighter, and droid is represented, including the X-Wing, Y-Wing, A-Wing, B-Wing, Millennium Falcon, and a whole horde of TIE's. Not to be left out are the capitol ships, which include the Mon Calmari cruiser and even a menacing Star Destroyer. All of these vehicles, even the large ones, benefit from high polygon counts and sharp textures. If you fly  too close to one of the big ships, for example, all you get is a face full of clean-looking texture. A final element that makes the graphics of Rogue Leader so memorable is the weapons effects. Your ship's blasters and torpedoes leave accurate reflections on nearly everything in sight. Just fly down the Death Star's trench, fire your blasters, and look to the side. You will see what I mean!

So, I've established this game looks very good, but how does it play? Well, to put it succinctly, Rogue Leader plays like a dream. Missions are based on various events directly from the movies as well as a few that were created for the purposes of the game. Depending on his or her performance, the player is awarded a bronze, silver, or gold medal that can be used to unlock a variety of secret missions and other features. The Rogue Squadron series, for those who aren't familiar with the it, is an arcade shooter that sacrifices some depth and realism in favor of fast-paced action. It is hardly a flight simulation in the same way that the X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter series for the PC is. That being said, Rogue Leader is still a very challenging game that will require you to become "one with the Force" or something in order to win the medals needed to unlock certain features. One new element this game introduces is missions that take place entirely in space, which is a departure from the N64 games where all missions took place on a planet with a horizon.

The sound of Rogue Leader is just as good as its graphics. John Williams' original score is used quite a bit, and is also supplemented with some original compositions. The result is a soundtrack that really helps to root Rogue Leader firmly in the Star Wars universe while at the same time giving it its own unique feel. The sound effects are like-wise ripped directly from the movies, as are many of the voice samples used. I honestly almost choked when I heard Alec Guinness's voice tell me to "Use the Force, Luke!" in the first level (I know, I am weird like that)! This game uses sound-alikes for many of the main characters such as Luke Skywalker, but a neat side note is that Denis Lawson (who played Wedge Antilles in the original Star Wars trilogy) reprises his role in this game.

While Rogue Leader is a great game, and in my opinion, the best of the GameCube launch titles, there are a few problems with it. For one thing, some of the missions are harder than the bread served for lunch in King Hall. Also, there is a distinct lack of a multiplayer mode, either death match or co-op. However, making up for that are a number of DVD-like extras that include producer commentary for each mission and even a fascinating "making of" documentary.  This is a really neat idea that I think more games should feature.

In conclusion, if you have a GameCube, have ever seen Star Wars and sorta liked it, or have a pulse, there is no excuse for you to not play Rogue Leader. Even now, a year and a half after the GameCube launch, this game is still one of the best on the system. As of right now, it is also my current favorite Star Wars game. Go. Play. NOW!

By Andy Rucker