Star Wars: The Clone Wars for Xbox Live, published by Lucas Arts, hit stores during the last week of April. The game has been available for Game Cube and Playstation 2 since late last year, so we've already had a good taste of the latest addition to the Star Wars series of games. But we're especially interested in the new Xbox Live version because it offers a number of platform-specific enhancements such as higher polygon counts, a new multi-player game mode, and new maps which will be available for download soon after release. Gamers who have the Game Cube or Playstation 2 versions will surely be tempted to buy the Xbox version for these additional features.
ar Wars: The Clone Wars is a combat action game that picks up where the movie Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, left off. The game is not a retelling of events from the smash hit movie, but a continuation of the story. You lead the Republic army in the Clone Wars as Anakin Skywalker, Mace Windu and Obi-Wan Kenobi. Your objective is to prevent the Separatists from reassembling an ancient Sith weapon of mass destruction.
Most of the action in The Clone Wars takes place in vehicles in either close-range dog fights or massive multi-vehicle battles which look very cool. You can pilot different crafts including a Republic gunship, speeder bike, fighter tank, assault walker and a maru, while facing off against upwards of 30 combat units. The controls for each craft is not drastically different from one another, except in the HUDs, but the feel of movement in each one is unique and it's fun learn how to control each one.
Since Star Wars: The Clone Wars is Xbox Live compatible, you and up to eight other players can enjoy different modes of play such as Team-based strategy, Deathmatch, King-of-the-Hill, Co-op endurance, and Conquest. Conquest mode is probably the most interesting one of them all. Due to the added chat capability through Xbox Live and the additional ways of gathering real time info about battles, you and your team can instantly adjust and readjust strategy and tactics. If you do not have Xbox Live access you can't get in on multiplayer action, but there are sixteen single-player missions available. Unfortunately, the missions themselves are kind of predictable.
To top off the package, the game comes with a number of extras including a 3D gallery of the vehicles, interviews with the development team, and a making-of video. Don't forget, you can always brag to your Game Cube and Playstation 2 buddies about having the most advanced version of this game!
Is the Force with Star Wars: The Clone Wars on Xbox Live? Yes, for sure. You get improved graphics that are even better than what you find in the Game Cube and Playstation 2 versions, smooth animations, good frame rates on interesting maps--with more to come--and vehicles, vehicles, vehicles. With all of this and the replay value added by being Xbox Live compatible, Yoda said it best, "Begun, the Clone War has."
