Playstation Network Demo impressions 2 (Stephen Gillespie)

Today we have to interesting games, both movie based (well Clone Wars is more TV based but it's based off a movie franchise), both based on CGI products and both very different from yesterday's demos-they were really good.

Now in order to start this off its important to point out that I am a massive Star Wars fan. The Empire Strikes back is, factually speaking, the greatest cinematic achievement of all time and if anything has Star Wars in the title I am automatically interested. So, obviously, when I see a demo for the latest Star Wars game on the PlayStation Network I think, 'AWESOME!' This was a huge mistake, this game is an insult to Star Wars. Let me start with the good however... the series it is based on is fantastic. The bad is pretty much everything, you get the choice of a Jedi level or a Clone level so to start with I chose clone (the infantry battles in star wars games are usually the most fun, Battlefront 2 anyone?). Soon my television screen was assaulted by bad graphics and what is pretty much a top down shooter, but not quite, with an absolutely terrible control scheme. Moving around was confusing because your a darn clone and you all look the same, and when the camera is not focused on you you could be any of them. Also the demo seemed to randomly make me swap characters, maybe it was me doing it but it was bloody confusing. The controls make moving feel awkward and are just really unresponsive, clones are supposed to be tactical soldiers but all that happens is that you run around in circles whilst being gunned to death by droids who just stand there. You can try and shoot them but the aiming is just so bad that you will get hit way more than you hit them. The cover system is really odd also, you crouch behind a random obstacle and you are pretty much exposed from the waist up. You can shoot over the cover without moving yet the enemies can't shoot you, really quite odd. So the camera, graphics, controls and general game play is just so terrible. Also the attempts at story, now I know it is a demo but at the end of the level it tries to do an emotional scene which is yawn inducing, predictable and falls flat on its face. Avoid this at all costs.

But of course there are Jedi levels, are they any better? No, apparently Jedi can take control of droids if they double jump on their heads. No they cannot, they have a freaking light saber. Also they can block blaster bolts but not reflect them, that is half the fun! Also once again the camera, controls and level design are so bad that you may find yourself falling off when trying to execute a precise jump. The camera is put at a really weird place which makes even simple platforming a nuisance.

Honestly, this game is pretty much pure awfulness. Avoid at all costs! Lucas Arts have betrayed me for the last time [initiate force choke!].

Worth a download? Not even if they payed you! This game will offender any gamer but being a fan of the franchise makes it even more heart breaking.

PS3 graphics? Really?

Up is quite hard to write about because the problem with it is, it is just so unremarkable. Nothing stands out, the gameplay is repeitive and overly simple, you will solve the same stupidly simple puzzle many times and just generally stroll around a boring looking environment in a bored fashion. The game is just very bland and will provide no challenge for anyone. This may be a good thing because it is obviously a very co-op focused game, good for you to play with the kids. But admit it, you don't have kids! You're reading a gaming blog! Even if you do though your kid will even get bored, the game got repitative in the demo and I looked up a review of the full 360 version which said pretty much the same thing about the whole game. More rushed out bland movie games, it will sell alot and it really shouldn't, not worth a look.

Worth a download? No- boring, easy and plain. Exact opposites of what a good platformer should be.

The characters faces sum it up, even being stalked by a giant water snake is boring in this game