good game. really it is a good game........
Players are given a variety of customizeable characters to choose from, and having a balanced squad is key to being successful in tougher missions. The game does a good job of providing you the necessary information to play strategically - matching certain attacks to certain enemies makes the job a lot more efficient. With six attacks/capabilities readily available, players can develop an optimal mix of abilities to deal with certain environments. The number of menus can be daunting, but this is overcome once players devote a few hours to the game. In general,, the interface is set out pretty intuitively. The online menus and interface are also pretty complex, but again, this is necessary given the number of options available at any one time.
The game looks good in general - special effects are bright, distinct, and colourful. Character models also have a decent amount of detail, as do some enenemies. While it can be said that the game doesn't take full advantage of the Xbox, it's always aesthetically pleasing. The camera can be problematic at times, but at least it can be adjusted manually. Depth-perception is never an issue, which allows close-range weapons to be effective.
The music and sound effects are pretty standard - good, never annoying, but not spectacular.
The necessity for an Xbox Live account, even for off-line play, seems odd, and will undoubtedly make the game inaccessible to a number of people. This is a shame, given the quality of PSO, which can even be played in 4-player splitscreen. People with Live ould do well to try it out - even if the monthly subscription seems out of the question, the off-line game provides plenty of value.