Post by Fryguy64 on May 28, 2005 10:53:19 GMT -5
So, I've just picked up StarFox Assault and played through it. I read a lot of reviews that said it wasn't very good, that it betrayed the classic StarFox titles, and so on.
I have to disagree.
StarFox: Assault is not a classic StarFox title. You don't play exclusively in vehicles. You do have to get out and run around fairly often as you hunt for targets. But it still feels right.
The game is very cinematic, which has always been one of the series strong points. Very few gaming experiences have matched the escape from the Battle Armada mothership in the original StarFox, or the Macbeth boss battle as you sent the gliding beast careening into the weapons depot. The most memorable moments in the StarFox franchise are events brought about by your actions, rather than the actions themselves.
In this respect, StarFox Assault is no different. The story is enjoyable, the characters are excellent, and the best bits are those sequences you earn through gunplay. Suffice it to say, it's possible to play through the whole game with just your rechargable blaster in the on-foot sections (with the exception of one area which requires a specific weapon), but some of the other weapons available speed things up. I was especially fond of storming into an enemy-filled room with the machine gun. Few Nintendo games are this bold.
One complaint I heard a lot was the occasional repetitiveness of your allies' voice samples. This is perhaps a little annoying as it's a Gamecube title, but the voice samples are no more repetitive as they were in StarFox 64 - and not nearly as annoying as some people said.
There are no branching pathways this time round - instead you play mission after mission with a set goal in mind. While this does mean fewer available levels, it means a longer overall game with a much more airtight story. Your actions in one mission also do not affect your next, so if you are after a medal, you don't have to worry about the previous level's difficulty. This, I feel, is an improvement. Some people perhaps enjoyed not knowing if their character being shot down in one level would have an effect on the next, but I really thought it was an unfair restraint on medal collection (especially without a stage select - something that this game DOES have).
The only aspect I thought felt out of place was the brief excursion to "Sauria" - the setting of StarFox Adventures. The reasons for going there were a bit tacked-on, there was overplayed romantic interest between Fox and Krystal, and we once again get to meet everyone's most irritating triceratops, before we can continue with the main storyline.
All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed the game. I found myself concerned for my team, as well as the fate of the Lylat System. The story was exciting, as characters sacrifice themselves and old enemies join you to fight this new evil force (the Aparoids are suitable creepy). And the game itself was varied and interesting. Some bosses were familiar and others all new, and this stands as a delightful chapter in the StarFox saga... much better than the last one, anyway!
I have to disagree.
StarFox: Assault is not a classic StarFox title. You don't play exclusively in vehicles. You do have to get out and run around fairly often as you hunt for targets. But it still feels right.
The game is very cinematic, which has always been one of the series strong points. Very few gaming experiences have matched the escape from the Battle Armada mothership in the original StarFox, or the Macbeth boss battle as you sent the gliding beast careening into the weapons depot. The most memorable moments in the StarFox franchise are events brought about by your actions, rather than the actions themselves.
In this respect, StarFox Assault is no different. The story is enjoyable, the characters are excellent, and the best bits are those sequences you earn through gunplay. Suffice it to say, it's possible to play through the whole game with just your rechargable blaster in the on-foot sections (with the exception of one area which requires a specific weapon), but some of the other weapons available speed things up. I was especially fond of storming into an enemy-filled room with the machine gun. Few Nintendo games are this bold.
One complaint I heard a lot was the occasional repetitiveness of your allies' voice samples. This is perhaps a little annoying as it's a Gamecube title, but the voice samples are no more repetitive as they were in StarFox 64 - and not nearly as annoying as some people said.
There are no branching pathways this time round - instead you play mission after mission with a set goal in mind. While this does mean fewer available levels, it means a longer overall game with a much more airtight story. Your actions in one mission also do not affect your next, so if you are after a medal, you don't have to worry about the previous level's difficulty. This, I feel, is an improvement. Some people perhaps enjoyed not knowing if their character being shot down in one level would have an effect on the next, but I really thought it was an unfair restraint on medal collection (especially without a stage select - something that this game DOES have).
The only aspect I thought felt out of place was the brief excursion to "Sauria" - the setting of StarFox Adventures. The reasons for going there were a bit tacked-on, there was overplayed romantic interest between Fox and Krystal, and we once again get to meet everyone's most irritating triceratops, before we can continue with the main storyline.
All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed the game. I found myself concerned for my team, as well as the fate of the Lylat System. The story was exciting, as characters sacrifice themselves and old enemies join you to fight this new evil force (the Aparoids are suitable creepy). And the game itself was varied and interesting. Some bosses were familiar and others all new, and this stands as a delightful chapter in the StarFox saga... much better than the last one, anyway!
