Since the earliest days of Star Wars games - 3-d vector graphics Star Wars arcade, Jedi Arena, Empire Strikes Back on the Atari right through the Spectrum days, Nintendo N-64 and up through the original PlayStation - we have been waiting for this.  We've had practically all of the elements on show here before in separate games, but nothing has brought them all together quite like Battlefront.  And that's why this game should go down as a Star Wars games legend.

 

Booting up with its impressive graphics and stirring music you are drawn right into the game. Choose your era, your side and your character - after taking a name of course - and you are away, blasting Jawas in the Mos Eisley cantina or dodging battledroids on Geonosis.  The scope is tremendous, and the feel that each era, that being the Clone Wars and the Galactic Civil War, is fantastic.

 

In fact, almost everything about this game feels right.  I admit, I am no hardcore gamer and I am certain that a more experienced eye would find plenty of faults, that's only natural.  But to someone who plays only on occasion and isn't looking for the technical aspects to blow him away, this game impressed me from the very start.  Certain planets are murderous to play on, namely Rhen Var, Endor and Yavin IV.  Kashyyk is no cakewalk either, which makes it a challenge and a thrill to make some headway against the odds.

 

In short, Lucasfilm and Pandemic have crafted a game that's designed for endless replays and sessions, filled with recognizable Star Wars characters and flavour and have hopefully started a new game franchise that will see sequels a-plenty over the years. 

 

And just imagine when Revenge of the Sith is released, the additional vehicles and locations that will be available to tussle in.  Roll on 2005...

 

GRAPHICS 90%	GAME PLAY 95%
SOUND 90%	REPLAY VALUE 95%
OVERALL 93%