*** Official "Rogue Leader" Review & Discussion thread (1 Viewer)

[Dean DeMass]

I finally got to play my copy of Rogue Leader that I have had now for a week. I played the 1st couple of missions and it is Star Wars. If you ever wanted to be in a Star Wars film, this is the closest you can get without actually being Ewan McGregor.
I only played up to the Hoth mission and so far I am in awe. The Nebula mission is easily the greatest looking thing I have ever seen in a video game. The game moves very fast and I have yet to notice any hiccups in the frame rate. The controls are just like Rogue Squadron, so veterans of that game will be able to jump right into this. The controls do feel a bit more refined for this version. The targeting computer is a very cool feature and the cel shading used for it is very nice. I love the way you issue commands to your fellow Rebels.
I don't have Pro-Logic II, but the game sounds phenomenal in regular Pro-Logic. Ties scream from behind you and there are some nice panning effect in the front soundstage. The music sounds very good and as usual, all of the authentic Star Wars sounds are there. You are going to be in for a treat when you get to hear this baby in Pro-Logic 2, Dan B.
Halo was a system seller for the X-box, and I believe that this game and Luigi are both system sellers for the Cube. So far, I couldn't be happier with my new purchase. I can't wait to play Monkey Ball and Wave Race next.
-Dean-
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My HT Equipment
"I've seen you and you are not cool."

 

[Jeffrey Forner]

Dean;
Battle of Endor.
The Ison Nebula Ambush is nothing next to this.
You have not seen cool yet. Keep playing.
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-J.Fo
"He represents all that is soulless and wrong... and you slept with him!"

 

[Romier S]

I gotta say I'm thoroughly impressed with Rogue Leader. Excellent graphics (I was drooling all over myself in Hoth) good gameplay. Everything came together nicely. I do have some gripes thus far though. I hate having to press a button to bring up the targeting system. It makes it a bit of a pain to fly the ship and fire. I haven't looked at the instructions yet so I dont know if there is a way to lock yourself in that view so this may be a moot point. The targeting system should have been made a selectable view instead of a button action. Just my opinion though.
Another complaint although this is more about the Gamecube controller is the D-pad is soooooooooo small I have a hard time getting to it. I would hate to play a game like Street Fighter on this thing (I do have big hands though so take that into account)
All in all I am happy with the game and look forward to playing through it. I'm Gonna pick up Luigi's mansion and Project Gotham for the Green and Black Behemoth (X-box) tommorrow so there is even more enjoyment coming for my two new toys!

 

[Jeffrey Forner]

Romier;
The instruction manual states that you can earn a tech upgrade for your ship that allows you to lock on the targeting computer. This upgrade also allows you to highlight specific enemies you want your wingmen to attack.
I was going to mention this as well in my review of the game until I read this.
And no, I have not found that tech upgrade yet.
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-J.Fo
"He represents all that is soulless and wrong... and you slept with him!"

 

[Dan Brecher]

Behold, the official Rogue Leader thread

Dan (UK)

 

[Romier S]

Thats good news Jeffrey! If that proves true that will alleviate the only major contention I have with the game.

 

[Jeremy Illingworth]

I've only done three levels but I have no trouble holding down the targeting computer and firing. I use the end of my thumb on the computer and the middle of the thumb to fire. The controller feels (to me) like it was designed to do just that.
jeremy

 

[Jeffrey Forner]

Well, since this has now been deemed the "offical" Rogue Leader friend by our friend Dan, I might as well move that review of mine over here, just in case you didn't get to read it before. Enjoy!
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Star Wars: Rogue Leader has quickly become the most anticipated title for the U.S. launch of the Nintendo Gamecube. Since it's unveiling during the 2000 Spaceworld show, Star Wars fans have been eager to immerse themselves in the universe of the Classic Trilogy to a degree not yet seen in home console gaming. Now that the game has arrived, the question is not "Will it be good?" but "How good is it really?"
The Facts

• Play as Luke Skywalker and Wedge Antilles
• 11 Missions in all, not including several bonus levels
• Fly classic Star Wars Vehicles, Including the X-wing, Y-wing, A-wing, B-Wing, Snow Speeder, and several others.
• Game faithfully recreates the battles of the Original Trilogy, including Battle of Yavin, Battle of Hoth, and the Battle of Endor

Controls
If you are familiar with developer Factor 5's previous Star Wars games, Rogue Squadron and its follow-up, Battle for Naboo, Rogue Leader feels familiar and comfortable. Like its predecessors, Rogue Leader focuses on fast-paced, action oriented game play in the classic arcade tradition, rather than trying to be a flight simulator set in the Star Wars universe.
The controls are relatively simple and should take no longer than a minute to figure out. The left analog control stick steers your ship. The A button fires your primary lasers while the B button fires your craft’s secondary weapons. The L and R buttons brake and accelerate respectively with the extra clicks used for tighter turns and speed boosts. The X button (to the right of the A) toggles between an outside view of the craft and the authentic in-the-cockpit view, and the Z button allows you to roll your ship.
Two features new to this series are controlled by the Y button and cross pad. First, the Y button activates your ship’s targeting computer system. Basically this is an overlay you can use to locate enemy ships in the heat of battle. Bad guys will appear with either a bright red or yellow highlight around them, with enemies in yellow being your priority.
The cross pad controls your wingmen. At various times during the level the game will prompt you to give commands to them and you must do so wisely in order to complete the level. You may also give commands whenever you would like, simply by hitting the cross pad (anywhere will do) and then selecting the command you wish. This feature adds a good deal of depth to the game and truly does make you feel as though you are the commander of the force (no pun intended). Best of all, your wingmen actually will help you out and take out Imperials when you tell them. These aren’t just some background ships that fly around and make the level look pretty. They do indeed help you out.
The only problem I see with the control scheme has to do with the click on the R button (the accelerator). With ships like the X-wing and the B-wing, you get a speed boost, but you also close the S-foils on your craft, making it impossible to fire your lasers. Since the tendency is to push the button down all the way to get the most speed, it takes a while to learn to not do this. Fortunately, once you get going, you can release the accelerator and still maintain your speed.
Gameplay
The game is divided into 11 main missions total, including a training level. Each level asks you to complete a certain set of objectives that are clearly defined and explained before the mission starts. In most cases, the objective is to simply take out the Imperial forces on the level. The problem is, the game throws too many bad guys at you in order for you to take down by yourself. You must pick your targets wisely and take out what really needs to be destroyed before time runs out.
As in the Original Rogue Squadron and its follow-up, Battle for Naboo, Rogue Leader features a medal system that awards you for completing missions within a certain set of parameters including time, firing accuracy, and lives lost. Whenever you earn a medal, you receive points that can be redeemed to open up bonus missions or the right to use different ships on certain levels. The medal system gives the game a bit of replay value, since earning every gold medal (and thereby opening up every option in the game) is quite a challenge. You can also find ship upgrades well hidden throughout the game that will not only improve the performance of you ship, but also make those medals easier to earn.
As I said before, Rogue Leader feels very familiar and comfortable if you have played through its predecessors. However the similarities between this game and its predecessors may be its greatest weakness. You can't help but get the sense that this has already been done . If you hope to find groundbreaking innovations in the shooter genre, look elsewhere. You won’t find them in this game. That said, Rogue Leader is still amazingly fun and does the shooter genre very well.
Graphics
Rogue Leader's strongest selling point is obviously its graphics. If you have seen screenshots, downloaded movies, or have had the good fortune of seeing the game in person, you will agree that this game recreates the Star Wars universe better than any other console game to date. Every minute detail you can imagine from the decals on the X-wing to the bumpy surface of the Death Star to fully rendered Storm Troopers and Rebel commandos give the game an utterly true sense of reality. This is Star Wars.
The most impressive aspect of the game’s visuals though, is the sense of scale and size you get while playing the game. Rogue Leader has captured the big-ness Star Wars with the size of its levels, the magnitude of the huge command ships, and the swarms of enemies thrown at you in every level. At first it can be overwhelming as you try to attack every fighter onscreen, but doing so only wastes valuable time needed to complete certain objectives. Nothing about this game feels limited or confined. Factor 5 has gone all out to make this game as big and grand as possible.
The only flaw in the graphics is an occasional, momentary hitch in the frame rate. Usually this happens on the planet side missions, and occurs so quickly that its over before you realized it happened. Thankfully, because they happen so rarely, and are so quick, it never interferes with game play. Otherwise, the game runs at a perfectly smooth frame rate, which should make you all very happy.
Sound
Even though the sound effects of Rogue Leader equal the quality of the visuals, not much attention has been paid to them. Perhaps the reason for this has to do with the fact people expect great sound in a Factor 5 game. After all, not only did both Rogue Leader and Battle for Naboo boast some of the best soundtracks of any N64 games, but Factor 5 also developed the software tools for the Gamecube’s sound chip, suggesting they should know how to get the best out of it.
That said, this game—ahem—hits all the right notes. The sounds of every ship’s engine, every laser shot, and every explosion can be heard in this game. Best of all, the added storage space of the Gamecube’s min-DVD format have allowed for the use of John Williams’s real score, rather than relying solely on synthesized orchestrations like in the other games. Oddly enough, the game does use both types of music. I guess Factor 5 just couldn’t resist incorporating their very own arrangements into the game. The only problem is, when placed next to the real thing, the synthesized music sticks out and doesn’t work. It would have been far better for them to use one method or the other, but not both.
I should also mention the game’s use of Dolby Pro-Logic II to create a 5-channel sound environment. Since I only have a lowly DPL system, I can’t comment on this aspect of the game. (Whatever happened to the good old days when having Dolby Digitial and DTS was enough?)
Final Thoughts
I went through a lot of trouble to get my hands on Rogue Leader early, and spent more money than I probably should have. Thankfully, I am very pleased with the results. Some minor flaws and a lack of originality don’t stop this game from being a lot of fun, especially for devoted Star Wars fans like myself. Of all the Gamecube launch games I’ve played so far, this one clearly has the most panache. Rogue Leader has been called the first killer app for the GCN, and rightly so. Highly recommend to anyone in search of a great game.
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-J.Fo
"He represents all that is soulless and wrong... and you slept with him!"

 

[Morgan Jolley]

I know that you shouldn't compare them, but which is better: Halo or Rogue Leader? I'm just interested.
Has anyone had the problems with RL on domestic GCNs like others had on import ones?

 

[AndyVX]

Morgan,
It's not that you shouldn't compare them, it's that you CAN'T compare them. They are two totally different games. Buy whichever one you are interested in more. It's that simple.
Andrew
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ICQ# - 119869807

 

[Camp]

I can compare which one I'm having more fun with. Despite all my issues with Halo (see other thread) it's a lot more fun than Rogue Leader.
Rogue Leader looks fantastic but is the same flawed game that was Rogue Squadron. If you liked playing the same level 50 times over to "get better and earn medals" in Rogue Squadron then you'll love Rogue Leader.
I have a bad case of unimpressive dual console launch. I need a Miyamoto game badly. Pikmin better be my savior.

 

[Lou Sytsma]

Camp - that's too bad. I was hoping that RS2 would have incorporated some new gameplay elements instead of a mere graphical overhaul.

 

[Andre F]

Overall I would say this games is great! This has been worth the price of admission for Gamecube alone. I'm very happy with this purchase. Now if I only had more time to play...

-Andre F

 

[Richard Kim]

I have a Pro Logic II reciever, and I must say that RL's audio is impressive. In the audio test when the TIE flys around, you can hear it pan from the front to the surrounds, and can even hear it pass from left to right surround! I only got 4 hours of sleep, that's how addictive this game is.

 

[Chuck Mayer]

Hey all,

I bought a Gamecube for this game (and the future Zeldas and Metroids)! I agree that it is similar to RS (VERY similar), but the upgrades and graphics are incredible, and it is a better experience by far. I am not the most medal-winning guy you'll meet, but the levels are not so long that I don't enjoy replaying them. I have a feeling this will consume me for quite a while.

Take care,

Chuck

 

[Mike__D]

I noticed severe slowdown on the training level. It was the one that tells you to bring up your targeting computer. I think the game slowed down to ~5fps... of course that's just a guess, but it was EXTREMELY slow.

Other than that, I haven't noticed any other slowdown, but I'm only on Hoth right now. And yes, the DPLII sounds great on my Onkyo 595. You can hear Ties to the left rear and right rear of you.

 

[LarryDavenport]

I'm impressed at how far you guys have gone in the game. I got my GC home around noon yesterday and played until about 10pm. Maybe if I had only played RL I would have gone further (I fooled around with training and made it as far as fighting Vader in the trench*).

But I also played 4 games of Baseball and played Luigi for a few hours (I got up to the second boss).

*I do not recommend playing Rogue Leader stoned. It's pretty to look at, but the trench run will freak you out!

 

[Morgan Jolley]

From what I understand, RL has better graphics and more features, not changed gameplay. RS was successful, so they really didn't need to change the gameplay.

 

[Jeremy Illingworth]

The gameplay is basically the same but there are several minor improvments that I love. When you go into bombing mode in the Y wing the camera now moves up a bit so you can fligh higher while bombing. AT ATs are now easier to rope, which is good because I sucked at that in the first game. The targeting computer becomes a necessity with the improved graphics. TIEs blend in with too many backgrounds. The midlevel ship switching seems like they added it just because they could. Playing one level with a ship never seemed to be a problem before.

jeremy

 

[Dean DeMass]

Man, "Razor Rendevous" is kicking my ass. I have played that level two days now and I cannot get past it. There is just too much fire power coming from that Star Destroyer.

Any advice guys?

-Dean-