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'Star Wars: Starfighter' flies high on PlayStation 2

	GALLERY

February 26, 2001
Web posted at: 2:13 PM EST (1913 GMT)

By GamePro reviewer
Air Hendrix

(IDG) -- Set in the time of "Phantom Menace," "Starfighter" follows the adventures of a motley crew of fighter pilots who all have a grudge against the evil Trade Federation.

Each of the 14 missions unfurls another layer of "Starfighter"'s tale as the trio eventually meets and teams up against the Trade Federation. The missions range from defending Queen Amidala's ship from an attack in space to fending off a full-scale droid invasion of Nym's pirate base.

The game's only serious flaw is the multiplayer action; there's no split-screen dogfighting, which would have rocked. Instead, you get a couple of decent two-player mini-games that are unlocked by beating the 14th mission. Pursuing the secrets is a blast, though, as each mission has three bonus objectives, and you can replay missions anytime until you accomplish them.

The PS2 didn't live up to the circus of hype surrounding its launch, but "Starfighter" is one of those titles that helps you remember what all the fuss was about. It has its share of minor flaws, but "Starfighter" stands tall as one of the best PS2 titles in early 2001.

Graphics: Visually, "Starfighter" puts on a fantastic light show, filling the screens with billowing explosions and crackling laser fire.

Sound: The audio is one of "Starfighter"'s top guns. The familiar strains of that grand "Star Wars" music fill the background, while the searing zaps of laser fire and explosions really bring the dogfights to life. Some of the cockpit chatter gets pretty cheesy, but it keeps you focused on what you should be doing next.

Controls: Mastering "Starfighter"'s controls will take some practice, but once you become comfortable, these craft are a joy to fly. One outstanding innovation is the zoom button, which zooms your perspective in on distant targets, making aiming much easier.

Fun factor: The action is fast and furious, packed with epic amounts of dogfighting and brief story interludes that are not exactly the greatest "Star Wars" story ever told, but get the job done. All in all it's a good time.

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