Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron (PSP) (PSP)

For the latest installment of this usually massive online gunfight, the Rebels are finally letting you fly solo.
1/31/2008 12:00 AM | 0 Comments | Page 2 of 3

But while these modes are not driven by classic Star Wars lore, and are thus less interesting from a narrative standpoint, they're actually crucial, as the Campaign just isn't very long; one good afternoon and it'll all be over. Plus, this really is a game best played against other people, which you can do against 15 other warriors via infrastructure or seven via ad hoc -- a big improvement over 2005's model, which only featured four-player ad hoc. People connecting via infrastructure can also upload scores to online leaderboards and make profile pages to display their medals, though this just reminds us of something Yoda said about Jedis craving attention not.

All of which might sound good -- and it is if you're a fan of Star Wars, the original two Battlefront games or sci-fi third-person shooters in general -- but there's a problem: the controls. Though improved over the PSP version of Battlefront II, you still use the lone thumbstick to move, which takes a bit of getting used to, but even then the controls aren't as good as on other third-person PSP shooters such as the Syphon Filter series, which uses the front buttons as a de facto second thumbstick. As a result, you turn around about as easily if you were steering an 18 wheeler, especially when you're trying to move at the same time.

Thankfully, the controls work better in space, where the lack of a second thumbstick isn't a problem. They've also upgraded your ships' systems with an autopilot function, which can be quite handy when you're trying to locate your target in the vastness of space. Once you do, though, keeping it on takes away the challenge of trying to outfly your enemy, so unless the Force isn't strong with you, you might want to trust me and switch it off, Luke.

The game also doesn't boast the best graphics we've seen on a PSP, while the enemy artificial intelligence in the single-player modes ain't that intelligent, either. Sure, we know Stormtroopers bump their heads a lot, but some of the ones in this game act like they could've used another week in the cloning tank.

In addition, some of your weapons run out of ammo way too quickly, while the blasters on the X-Wings seem to overheat rather easily. Granted, this might be historically accurate, but it's just not that much fun when you're either far away from your GNK or have finally lined up that particularly squirrelly TIE Fighter.

There are also some minor technical glitches -- disappearing sound, clipping issues, the usual -- but these are more just signs of sloppy programming than any real hindrance.

Oh, and I don't want to be 'that guy,' but when your character runs -- which you can make him do by holding down the Sprint button (thus using up some of his rechargeable stamina) -- he kind of looks like a doofus. I'm just saying.

Ultimately, Renegade Squadron is a fun, though hardly perfect, third-person shooter for the PSP. It doesn't work as well some, but it more than makes up for it with great multiplayer mode, a great (albeit short) story and all the goodness that naturally comes with being a Star Wars game. We just wish they'd aped other third-person shooters a little more.