Star Wars Episode III Revenge of the Sith (DS)

Following the film's plot closely, the game follows Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker as they struggle to bring an end to the Clone Wars, and the tragic twist that leads them fighting fate. We're not wanting to spoil the plot (but you shouldn't even be considering buying this game if you haven't seen the film yet!) but it is powerful stuff as you play up to that last epic duel.

 

You can choose between the two Jedi, Anakin and Obi-Wan, and follow their different paths through the game, and each plays slightly differently, with their own unique Force skills. Obi-Wan has defensive Force powers, with healing and the ability to block laser fire for a few seconds, while Anakin is mostly offensive, with the ability to increase his attack power and the classic Vader choke as examples. Both have the traditional push and pull techniques thrown in and it quickly becomes second nature to combine the force with strikes from your trusty lightsabre. The lightsabre is used in all the ground based missions, and the freedom in which way you use the weapon is varied. Low and high attacks, blocking and reflecting blaster fire

 

The boss fights are equally as demanding and tough, whether it be someone brandishing a lightsabre or a menacing tank that takes up half the screen. Without spoiling it, Anakin gets all the best fights (wink, wink). Pitting you against the likes of Count Dooku, you find yourself in a tense and fast flurry of high-energy slashes and special moves which you have to block and get your own moves in.

 

With the relative ease of controls, the varied enemies and the different bosses, the game avoids the trap of becoming a mindless bash-fest, but I noticed something strange while playing the game for this review; there is very little difference between the DS and GBA versions of the game, aside from surprisingly good, fully 3D spaceship combat levels. These levels see you take down specific targets such as enemy ships or satellites, whether it be above a city or in an asteroid field. There's even a trench-run style run through the tight city corridors of Coruscent, and the ship controls handle quite well, with the bottom screen showing engine temperature, a 3D map, missiles, and a shield allocation which allows you to back up your front or rear shields should you be charging in headfirst or getting chased. This is the only real benefit, aside from the multiplayer, from the GBA version, but it is clear that the extra push of the DS is there, despite the N64 style fogging and sparse, jagged environments. It does raise the question of whether developers are actually ever going to overcome seeing the DS as an experimental gimmick, but I digress, this is a game review, not a base for speculation, although the point remains open.

The visual and audio effects on the game are nothing groundbreaking, with character sprites that echo the cartoon series Clone Wars, and fans will notice a few moves that were inspired by the animation. The music however... is amazing. The moving and instantly recognisable scores are there, from the Duel of the Fates to music taken from the Trench Run, and it doesn't sound digitised like most handheld games are, so another testament to the hardware capability of the DS, and a nice treat for those still buzzing from the new film.