Xbox

Star Wars: Obi-Wan

This game is not as visually impressive as Star Wars Starfighter, but, of course, that was a different genre for the Xbox. While this program might not be as intense as Halo, it will be a definite delight for Star Wars fans, and should even satisfy those who are RPG fans.

There are 20 different levels for you to battle your way through as well as 8 different Jedi battles in between them to help develop your skills. Multi-player is fun, but all you do is have Jedi battles with your friends. There are not any other game types other than that, but overall Obi-Wan has about 12 hours of game play here for you to enjoy and now, since it is only $20 as a platinum game, it should be worth the money for you to add it to your collection.

The atmosphere this game arouses is perfect, but will only be savored by Star Wars lovers. The force was not so strong with this game, despite the fact the light saber combats is the most fantastic battle mode I've ever played.

Aside from the horrific voice-overs and bizarre "force-resistant" material some of your enemies possess, the lightsaber mechanics and force abilities are inspired. Is it worth picking this game up? Only if THX-1138 means anything to you.

Un titre au gameplay prometteur mais qui souffre de trop nombreuses imperfections pour finalement convaincre. A réserver aux inconditionnels de Star Wars et aux collectionneurs. Obi Wan devrait rapidement tomber dans l'oubli tant son action se veut répétitive et sa réalisation pas franchement du niveau de la Xbox.

I could write a novel’s worth of material covering the discrepancies and annoyances embedded within this game’s coding. If you didn’t care for the mindless action in Jedi Power Battles, you’ll absolutely despise Obi-Wan. On a different note, if you managed to find some thrills within Jedi Power Battles like I did, you’ll find this release, though graphically superior, just doesn’t stack up in terms of intensity or execution of gameplay.

What was originally supposed to be a game that centered around story, some non-linear gameplay that let you explore and enter side quests, and using your head, ended up having you mow down wave after wave of moronic enemies in mediocre-looking environments. The story is nearly non-existent, the AI is that of a two-year-old at times, and the voice acting is the most annoying I think I’ve ever heard. But in all honesty, the game can be a good amount of fun at times. I can’t recommend it, but if you can get by its rather major flaws, I think you’ll be able to enjoy yourself. Don’t buy it without renting it, but if you’re a Star Wars fan who liked the PC Episode 1, you might want to give it a go.

Overall, I have to admit that I really enjoyed playing Obi-Wan. It is when I took a closer look at this title that I began to see that the quality that I have come to expect from Lucas Arts was lacking in this game. If you're a big fan of all things Jedi, and you want to take a bunch of bad guys using a light saber and lots of cool force powers, then you should really pick up this game, it is a lot of fun. However if you're a stickler for good graphics and a game with a really deep plot, then you should wait until this summer where I hope LucasArts will take the time to put out some really great games that complement Episode II.

All in all, if you like Star Wars and enjoyed the Jedi Knight computer games, you should try out Obi-Wan. Although it seems that the developers were in over their heads a bit, Obi-Wan will quench your thirst if you, like me, always wanted to be a Jedi.

The cool parts of Obi Wan are very cool. There are moments where you can handle entire rooms full of enemies with a force push here, yanking a weapon there and a few well choreographed lightsaber swings. It can end up looking like your own custom created movie scene. The problem is Obi Wan doesn't facilitate this often enough for the gamer. You end up interacting with the game in an entirely different way. Put it this way, there were powerups I wouldn't go after simply because they were at the end of narrow walkways and I knew I couldn't align the camera properly to make it there and back. The Xbox is not the place for defensive gaming.

Firmly holding Obi-Wan from ever taking off are its flaws. LucasArts fails to harness the Xbox's raw processing power. At times the frame rate plummets when numerous enemies are on screen or even when turning on or off the lightsaber. This would be almost understandable had Obi-Wan featured some spectacular graphics, but they're nothing short of average. Most areas and characters are mildly detailed with drab colors and pixilated shading effects giving the game a bland look. Clipping problems are fairly common. While throwing objects or enemies around, players will notice these problems that I can't imagine the testers missed.

Star Wars: Obi-Wan plays in the same mindless hack-n-slash vein as Jedi Power Battles, only with slightly better visuals and cooler Force powers. In fact, Obi-Wan boasts one of the best representations of the Force to ever grace a console?and having the freedom to toss enemies, disarm them, or hurl inanimate objects at them will inspire you to come up with creative ways to destroy them.

Something bad clearly happened when Obi-Wan was turned into an Xbox game. It doesn't run very well on the platform, and its rather decently designed control mechanics don't save it. In this form, only the most ardent Star Wars fans will want to check it out, though anyone who picks it up for a few moments will likely find its control interface somewhat interesting. Closer inspection, though, will reveal a disappointingly sloppy piece of software. The light multiplayer mode helps a bit, but no one is likely to spend too much time with it, given the huge number of superior games currently available. Do yourself a favor and wait for Jedi Knight II.

All things considered, Obi-Wan is a big disappointment. While there is potential here for a great game, it lacks the depth, production values, and fun associated with a quality Star Wars title.

One of the more interesting elements of the game is the Force. By holding down the left trigger players can enter Force mode, and then press any of the buttons on the pad to execute Force manoeuvres. Enhanced jumping, Force push, Force pull, Force throw, Force view and lightsaber throw are the basic ones, with a stronger force lightsaber attack available to the Jedi with a full power bar.

Its not the only thing, as Star Wars: Obi-Wan is a massive let down, and a much needed to slap in the face to developer’s who think they can acquire a popular license, and then proceed to sit on their hands while the game makes itself.

Still, nothing can save Obi Wan's tepid gameplay. There are annoying glitches, frequent hiccups in the framerate, and lengthy load times. The collision detection is suspect and the jumps are hard to judge. The voice acting is reminiscent of Hans and Franz from SNL, and the two-player mode is appalling. The force is not strong with this one; Obi Wan is a major disappointment.