Star Wars: Rebel Assault II - The Hidden Empire

The Good
It's Star Wars! Any game with a spaceship shooting lasers at other spaceships and things is awesome.

The Bad
Maybe this is just my CD but the Tie Training level freezes and then starts back up again. I like the game style of Tie Fighter and X-Wings better because I like to have the freedom to choose whichever level I want to instead of going in order. Plus there are only 15 levels compared to 150 from X-Wings.

The Bottom Line
You fly in a spaceship and shoot tie fighters or maneuver through tunnels. There is also a level in which you are in a building and you have to take out a bunch of guys with white helmets (can't remember the name) with your laser gun by taking cover behind a wall and then spinning around to shoot at them.

The Good
Games classified as 'interactive movies' are not always favoured or welcome, but this one can attract your attention.

First of all, this part of the series is infinitely better than R.A. I in every aspect.

The game follows the same recipe, shot everything you see, or avoid obstacles not to lose health. This is however interwoven with a nice plot and scenario. After the classic old Death Star, this one branches away the classic elements and establishes an original story: The Empire has devised a technology of invisible starships that can fly unseen and appear only to strike.

As a story, it is well developed and narrated, like a movie. At first you hear about a threat but you don't know what it is about. The missions will lead you to more elements which will make you know the existence of those ships until you proceed to the main plot of capturing one. The acting is not perfect but this is not bothering since we are talking about a movie-game hybrid.

The graphics are consisted of actors layered over a wonderfully done CGI environment (the blue screen trick if you haven't figured out yet). These two tie together smoothly and often you won't be able to tell the difference. I was surprised when I learnt that the cockpits are not actual props (I wondered how did they find them) but CGI matched to the pilots' movements. These techniques have been used in cinema only recently. The image quality of course is not impressive nowadays (low-res with high compression) but it was breathtaking back then.

I liked also some small tiny bits the director added, like zooming on the cockpit screens showing accurate diagrams of TIEs and other 3d rotating stuff surrounded by the Aurebesh letters.

Speaking of props, it's nice also to know that the costumes and other props that the actors carry, are actual props of the classic Star Wars trilogy! Who knows? Maybe the Stormtrooper armor your two protagonists are disguised with, are the very ones that Hamill and Ford wore on the Death Star!

Overall, I think this is a game (or tale, as you prefer) that catches well the old Star Wars feeling, better than its predecessor. Sometimes it's like watching a lost Star Wars episode.

The Bad
As a game, I think it is satisfying. The main reason not to like it, is hating Interactive Movies, although I still think the game is recommendable for Star Wars fans. But if you don't like I.M.s why bother anyway?

The only thing I didn't like in this generally excellent production were the ship explosions. You just see an explosion growing before the ship, which then fades out. No debris, no parts or wings thrown here and there...

Oh, and now that I think of it, what good is Star Wars without the Force and Jedi? Yes, this is a space flight shoot-em-up but if they wanted to, they cold fit it somewhere.

The Bottom Line
Definitely better than the first, and your only way to relive the classic Star Wars trilogy after ROTJ. I think it has some of that 'magic' and the general feeling of it. All in all, a very good production, with a nicely-told story, actors, effects and props.

The Good
I liked most things, the fact that all the stages were FMV's and the acting was good. Incredible graphics for its time, and I still find myself comparing its graphics with the newer games. I also liked how it had an in-built difficulty level editor.

The Bad
The ground shooting stages were too short, and it was too easy. Thats about it.

The Bottom Line
If you see it for $10, buy it. Its worth it. Even if you see it for $20.