Jedi Starfighter Preview

Cluster bombs are as devastating as they look.

One thing that everybody can pretty much count on in a Star Wars title is great sound and music. Jedi Starfighter sounds like it will uphold that tradition, with selected themes from Episode I, as well as new music, presumably from the Episode II score.

As far as gameplay mechanics are concerned, Jedi Starfighter doesn't stray far from the first game's gameplay. The button layout has remained largely unchanged, and the physics feel the same. The changes are mostly felt in the presentation, as well as in the introduction of a wider variety of secondary weapons. In the first game, Nym had bombs at his disposal, in addition to his basic-but-effective laser weaponry. In Jedi Starfighter, his bombs are still available, but three more-specialized weapons will round out his new arsenal. For the more intense aerial battles, there are short-range cluster missiles that have a limited homing ability. These are especially effective when enemy ships are flying in formation or when groups of droid fighters are emerging from frigates or bases. One well-placed volley can literally wipe out entire squadrons. One of the complaints about the first game was the unavoidable need to locate large targets such as Trade Federation frigates and pelt them with laser blasts for an abnormally long period of time. This annoyance is remedied with Nym's power missiles--a trio of projectiles that causes a large amount of damage on impact. Nym also has a stationary but similarly powerful mine that will detonate when an enemy collides with it. Players will get used to these new additions rather quickly, and they'll be able to use them to devastating effect in the right circumstances. The basic bombs will recharge fairly quickly, but the other weapons recharge at a much slower rate. This makes selective use a must, and it forces players to think out their method of attack, rather than flying in with all their weapons blazing.

The game's framerate seems to flourish most when there are fewer enemies onscreen.

Not to be outdone by her pirate counterpart, Adi Gallia also has her own powerful arsenal. Unlike Nym, who generally uses missile weapons, Adi has the power of the force on her side, and she can manifest that power in four different ways. These abilities are not all available from the outset--when you start the game, Adi has yet to master the power of the force, but by the time you reach the latter portion of the game, you'll be using all four abilities off and on throughout each mission. The first power available is most effectively used in the game's dogfights. Force lightning, as it is aptly named, does exactly what the name might imply. Triggering this weapon while in range of an enemy causes a bolt of lightening to arc from Adi's ship and strike anything nearby. The lightening will also jump from enemy to enemy if they are in close proximity to each other, making it a powerful weapon to use when in close-quarters combat with a number of foes. The drawback to this is that only a few enemies are susceptible to damage from this attack, primarily the smaller attack craft such as droid fighters. Heavier craft are essentially immune, as they are larger and therefore more insulated.