Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace Overview (PS1)

Speaking to StarWars.com on the twentieth anniversary of the primary Star Wars prequel movie, George Lucas was clear that, “The movies have been designed for 12-year-olds.” Massive Ape Productions mustn’t have gotten the memo when creating PS1 Star Wars Episode I – The Phantom Menace although, as a result of a steep issue curve, and bewildering design ensures that its 1999 sport shouldn’t be household pleasant for a Nubian noob.

You management Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Queen Amidala, and Captain Panaka throughout 11 movie location missions spanning the Commerce Federation Ship to the Swamps of Naboo, all constructing in direction of an Assault on Theed conclusion. Following Massive Ape Productions’ work on 1997’s Herc’s Adventures, and proving that there is all the time a much bigger fish, a 12-hour completion time might shock players anticipating a fast blast, as the sport Drive pushes journey parts to enhance the top-down motion.

Door swap puzzles, and push/pull crate conundrums end in the same ‘Con’ to Push Sq.’s PS1 Syphon Filter evaluate — a sport that additionally launched in 1999 — because it’s “simple to get misplaced and lack path”. There’s additionally a complicated Mos Espa podracer elements buying and selling part with Watto on Tatooine. Sadly, escort missions the place you shield an NPC present the worst issue spikes, since poor AI compelled us into an infuriating mission restart after Queen Amidala turned trapped inside surroundings and refused to be kidnapped on Coruscant, because the plot development necessitated.

The one-player motion’s not a patch on PS2’s 2005 Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, nevertheless it’s price studying further lightsaber manoeuvres in opposition to bosses like Darth Maul, so attempt leaping and spinning your blade, as a result of that is a very good trick. Droideka destroyer droids are a frustratingly formidable foe, prompting the usage of a wide range of weapons together with a Proton Missile Launcher, even when Obi-Wan usually thinks blasters are so uncivilised.

Massive Ape Productions’ presentation is lovingly respectful to its movie supply with deliberate particulars, and superb John Williams’ music compositions, together with dialogue decisions by way of a mixture of unique and a substitute voice forged that have an effect on minor gameplay occasions. A distant digicam depicts Otoh Gunga and out of doors Coruscant in a extra beneficial mild, however close-up chunky fashions and uncanny valley CGI have been hit with the 32-bit ugly stick.

An absence of co-op is arguably Star Wars Episode I – The Phantom Menace’s greatest missed alternative, since 2005’s PS2 LEGO Star Wars: The Video Sport demonstrated that the prequel movies are nice materials for multiplayer motion video games.