While not directly related to the console versions of the same game,
Episode III carries over many of the same elements. You take the roles of Obi-Wan and Anakin and play through the events of the movie as well as some areas that expand on off-screen action. The game is a pure brawler similar to SNES/Genesis-era games like
Golden Axe; the only difference is that instead of swords and axes you’re using lightsabers and the Force.
The game follows a linear path through the movie with a divergence after the first level where each character plays through their respective adventures, only to meet up in the end. Level flow is very basic and doesn’t change much between levels. Some are timed or feature a “forced scroll”, but never stray too far from the core element of just beating up sets of enemies as they appear on screen. The lack of variety will hurt the game in the eyes of more “current” gamers who expect variety, while old-school fans will appreciate the return to basics.
Obi-Wan and Anakin share similar basic move sets, as well as the ability to Force push and pull, but still play differently. Obi-Wan is a more elegant fighter and relies mostly on defensive moves, while Anakin draws from the more aggressive Dark Side. These differences are hinted at in each Jedi’s fighting style, though the real differences show up in the selection of Force powers available to each. Obi-Wan’s powers revolve around healing and damage prevention and Anakin has access to Force Choke and powers that enhance his damage output.
Each grouping of levels ends with a boss encounter, usually against a lightsaber wielding enemy. Here the game takes a more unique twist. Instead of charging in and trying to do as much damage as quickly as you can, lightsaber duels require more finesse and planning. Before attacking, enemies will telegraph what type of move they’ll perform, to which you have to respond by choosing to block high, low or center. Successfully blocking an attack leaves them open to counter attack. Fail, and you’re in for a lot of pain.
I really liked this method and thought it added something different to the game. But, like most things, it’s not as well planned out as it could be. The most noticeable, and frustrating, aspect is that once you choose a block stance, you’re dedicated to it unless you release the block button and reset your stance. This went against natural instinct, which was to hold the block button and allow thumb to follow blows by pressing up and down on the D-pad. The flaw becomes even more frustrating in later duels where it becomes a little harder to determine what type of attack is coming.
3D space shooters periodically break up the 2D areas. These areas put the DS’s capabilities to slightly better use, but are still a disappointment. The primary use of the touch screen is as a radar. It also acts as a way to pull up mission objectives, which is really lame since the only goal is to destroy everything. Shields can also be adjusted by touching either the forward or rear panels on the display.
My biggest problem with the flight areas was that they feel forced. With the exception of maybe one or two areas, the flight portions never feel like they have a place. What’s even more confusing is that the areas don’t appear in parts of the story where they would actually fit. You’re also forced to play these levels – even if you’re playing as Anakin you’ll be forced to play through one of Obi-Wan’s flight levels, which makes no sense other than to show off a “neat” element and artificially lengthen the game. It is also pretty clear that these areas were simply tacked on to certain levels since the auto-save never acknowledges that you actually completed these levels. In fact, they don’t even show up on the level tree.
