THQ Star Wars - Episode II Attack of the Clones Gameboy Advance Action Review

Overall Rating
 2 of 5

Summary:
The first thing I have to say is that this game must have been made in the last minute or the makers of the game really spent no effort in the game. First of all, the level doesn't look bad graphicwise but after seeing the same building for about 15 minutes it really gets annoying and what's even worse is killing all the same enemies for the whole level. For example, in level 3 you chase Zam through downtown Coruscant. At first I thought you would corner her into a bar and encounter her there. I didn't expect such a repetitive and boring gameplay where you kill literally hundreds of green monsters for the whole level which is about 10-15 mins. Also, for anyone who played Star Wars Jedi Powerbattles on GBA, you would notice that most of the sounds are taken from the game. Sure, I understand if the lightsabers sound the same, but the way enemies scream when you kill them sounds exactly like the enemies in Jedi Powerbattles. This gave me the impression that the makers of the game really made the game in the last minute. However, the movie screenshot actually looks pretty good on GBA. The sad part is after I discovered the boring repetitiveness of the levels I only played to see more of the screenshots instead of playing for the sounds, graphic, and mostly fun. Sometimes, it even destroys one of the best moments in the movie. For example, in the level where you guide Anakin thruogh the camp of the Tuskins, Anakin was supposed to go on his rampage after he watches his mother die. After I beat the level, it says that he finds his mother but he was too late. After that screenshot, there was no desire for revenge because you already killed the Tuskins and thus this destroys one of the most emotional scenes from the movie. If you play this game expecting excellent gameplay, you will be sadly disappointed. However, I'm pretty sure many fans of Star Wars will be gladly satisfied with the screenshots from the movie.

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

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Price Paid:  $30.00 from Electronics Boutique

Summary:
Looking for a game where you can kill legions of Tusken Raiders without feeling any guilt at all? Or one where you can't play as Yoda when he fights Darth Tyranus? How about a game where Anakin Skywalker and Padme Amidala suddenly get married at the end without a hint of love in the rest of the game? No, wait! How about a game where the Clones in the title are nowhere in the game? If this gets your Jawa Juices flowing, then Attack of the Clones is the right game for you! Basically, the game starts off with Anakin Skywalker running for a Speeder on the roofs of Padme's apartment, I guess. These huge Mecha droids attack you and little probes drop bomb-like objects on the ground in front and in back of you. After the awesome intro that features the word scroll from the beginning of the movie and a great digitized score, this level is really lame. However, things get even worse as the game goes on. In level 2, you must chase Zam Wesell through the Coruscant city in a Speeder while avoiding other ships and huge rolling balls that fly at you. Looking at this level, it's hard to tell what you're looking at. The whole city is the same with a long corridor that resembles something like the Death Star Trench. And plus, the level goes on forever until Zam blows up. Oh, but she's not dead yet. level three has you chasing Zam through the streets of Corsucant while hundreds (literally) of green-faced goons attack you. This level is no better, with the same backgrounds except for an occasional view of some buildings in the city. Basically, combat in Attack of the Clones is simple: Move forward, enemies drop, screen stops. Swing your saber at enemies from either side of the screen until you can move forward again. The worst part is the controls. While they're not terrible, it would have been nicer if you could swing your lightsaber quicker or if you could at least run. The force powers are alright, with attacks like force push, a high jump, and this ultra attack that wipes out all enemies on-screen. The force powers are activated by moving the control pad in a specific direction while prssing the L button. Speaking of attacks, in order for your lightsaber to actually move, you have to press A and move the control pad. That's the worst part. Then there's also a block feature which is a little clumsy and works with the R button. Things actually get worse as Attack of the Clones goes on. Level four is set on the watery world Kamino where Obi-Wan Kenobi searches for keys to open the door to Slave I's landing platform where the level's boss, Jango Fett, is located. There are endless doors here. The only thing you need to know is that the big doors hold the keys in large boxes. Don't bother with the smaller doors. By the time you reach Jango, the Slave I is flying up and down in the same direction while little Boba shoots you from inside. It's all a matter of simply jumping when the ship moves down onto the screen. Then there's Jango: All you need to do with that goon is swing you saber at him when he approaches from the right of the screen. Not difficult at all. In the next level, which is set in the asteroid belt over the planet Geonosis, you pilot the Jedi Starfighter and chase Jango and Boba in Slave I. I was actually excited about this level, and it's not that bad. Basically, you manuever the ship around asteroids and shoot Slave I in front of you. The only problem is the level goes on too long with the same objects floating towards you and really no sensation of going anywhere. And, by my calculations, the ateroid belt is right around Geonosis...So why does the planet appear to be so far away in the backgound? The next level was the most annoying for me. Anakin is searching for his mother, okay? She's been kidnapped by Sand People and he ventures into their camp. Now, if I remember correctly, he finds his mother first, she dies, and he goes on a killing spree in the camp. However, in the game, you can just feel free to kill those Tuskens. By the time you find his mother, he feels no guilt at all, and what of the biggest moments in the movie is forgotten. The next two levels do not sink any lower. In fat, things begin to pick up here. In the following level, you play as Obi-Wan and climb steep rocky cliffs on Geonosis while Geonosian warriors attack. It's not really that bad a level, and in the next area, you'll be give the rite of passage to the best levels in the game. Playing as Anakin, you're on a conveyor belt in the battle droid factory on Geonosis. Basically, you must time yourself to avoid being squashed by presses. By the end of this level, you'll be playing as Mace Windu as he wipes out legions of droids and Jango Fett in the execution arena. Very cool. And then, you'll pilot a Republic gunship and chase Darth Tyranus to his hangar while a massive land battle wages underneath you. However, this is where I see a huge problem: where are the clones. Anyone who buys this game and actually reads the title should be asking the same question. All I can make out fighting below are super battle droids. The last level is where you fight Darth Tyranus. If you find yourself being zapped each time you attempt to kill him, here's some advice: Jump in front of him as Obi-Wan, hit him a few times, force push him, use the super force attack on him, then force push him again. From there, attack him with you saber until you play as Anakin. Do the same thingas him, and you'll be all set. This is where my second HUGE complaint comes into play (or not, actually): You can't play as Yoda. To me, evrything in this movie was leading up to Yoda's fight, and it's only present in stills from the movie. Really, though, this game isn't that bad. If you're a Star Wars fan and own a Game Boy Advance, by all means buy this. If you don't like Star Wars, you'll probably hate this game.