"A graphical breakthrough"

The all too familiar concept of Star Wars can be viewed at with a Polaroid camera.

Snapshot: The familiar Star Wars introduction flooding onto the screen as the yellow text fades into the stars.

Gamers then witness the advanced graphics that the holy Gamecube was built to display.

Snapshot: Highly detailed X-Wings flooding the screen in a realistic Death Star setting...familiar, yet advanced from its predecessor on the N64.

Battle begins, the player barks out commands and guns down numerous towers and amazingly detailed Tie Fighters.

Snapshot: The Death Star blowing up just like in the movie...

We then advance and a few missions later, it turns somewhat tragic.

Snapshot: Unclear mission objectives display the screen and out of the numerous enemies on screen, a certain one must be destroyed.

The screams of prisoners rise as the player becomes infiltrated with frustration, towers that are aiming at Wedge are somehow apparently killing off a train of prisoners.

Snapshot: Wedge is tailed by 5 Tie Fighters while his Squadron of autistic pilots forget that they were told 5 times to save their leader.

Welcome to Rogue Leader, the next generation in console graphics. Now if only we could fix some minor problems.

Game Play-7
---------

In a perfect world, you would know what the hell you should be targeting/saving BEFORE it was too late to do anything about it. Yes, there is a brief mission description before the level but it's not specific enough to give you the knowledge that you'll need to get to your destination. The radar will save you from impossible situations such as finding all of the gun towers in the Maw Prison. To the uneducated and clue less gamer, it may sound like I'm bashing the game due to the difficulty. I am not. I still enjoy this game but I find that the fun lessens as missions are repeated until the goal is clear of what you must be doing.

Graphics-10
--------
No complaint here whatsoever. This is the most beautiful console game that I have ever laid eyes on. The laser fire, the detail of the ships, the cinematic scenes, the Death Star exploding, it's all too real and if George Lucas isn't careful, he may have a problem with making Episode 2's special effects live up to this game. It's a true feast for the eyes.

Sound-9
-------
What sealed the deal here was Han Solo's enthusiastic burst at the end of the Trench run, straight out of the movie. Obi Wan's voice is also a positive addition to the voices of the characters. The actor that played as Wedge in the original trilogy even said the lines directly for this game!

Rent/Buy/Avoid Factor
--------------------
Unless you have a problem with the Star Wars series or flight simulations, Gamecube owners should buy this game. The graphics alone should give reason to own it.

Overall-9
--------
Despite the lack of support from the Rogue Squadron, the lack of detail in the mission objectives, and the repetitive commands that you can give your fellow wing men, Rogue Squadron is a fantastic experience and proves to be one of the biggest games of the Gamecube's launch.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 11/23/01, Updated 11/23/01