As someone with a lot of concerns (Force LongPost!)

[BlackDragon]

Well, finally, I have finished the game!

 

My thoughts...in a word - marvellous! I haven't enjoyed a game like that since JK1! (well, nearly!) All my concerns about the game prior to release which are well documented in these hallowed forums were put to rest and it was all in all, very, very satisfying!

 

Comments:

 

Scale! Brilliant - felt huge and I was constantly surprised at the sheer expanse of the levels. I can't think of a game to date where I've felt that the levels were huge (with the possible exception of unreal which had some nice outdoor levels - or maybe that's nostalgia!)

 

Graphics - great. Raven did a great job studying the source material for textures, models, effects and the rest. Same goes for sound.

 

I had plenty of concerns after EF that the game would suffer from the same faults - too obvious a set of corridors followed by rooms with bad guys, the loathsome rechargers, the fact that you could hide behind your invincible colleagues, other stuff (but of course I knew it wasn't going to suffer from the "Being Star Trek" problem!) But no! The rechargers worked well (although I would have liked to have seen a med droid here and there), your allies could get killed if you weren't careful and the layout and enemy positioning was very well done.

 

So what, if anything, was wrong with it?

 

IMO, there were a couple of things missing - namely civilians. That was something I enjoyed in JK1 (and games like Deus Ex) - innocent passers by who got caught up in the action. There were one or two areas (like Nar Shaddaa and Bespin) where civilians would have worked well.

 

Also missed the set pieces that MOTS and DX had too (in case you hadn't guessed - I loved DX!) where you had loads of allies shooting it out with the bad guys.

 

I also thought that most of the weapons were superfluous once you had got the lightsaber - don't think I ever used anything but that, the E11 and the Disruptor rifle for occasional shots (and the DEMP for other stuff). The lightsaber was excellent and the lightsaber battles were superb - very well done. Force powers worked well and were handy. Couldn't help but miss things like Force Seeing though.

 

So where to now?

 

Well, I can't wait for the influx of user created levels and am intending to set up a review site provided I find any time in the real world to do so.

 

Also looking forward to an expansion pack (go on Raven, you know you want to) along the lines of MOTS (rather than EF Expansion Pack!). My thoughts: there could be some additional MP levels in it called Bespin Air Vanes, Hanger 72, Ceremonial Chamber, Lightsaber Training.... (or not. Anyone else noticed these?)

 

And where was this level?

 

And why were all the Hoth textures included?

 

Hmmm, there could be so much more going on than we know!

 

So, all in all, great, superb, excellent. A job well done Raven, and thank you.

 

Dragon.

[BCanr2d2]

I think that picture answers both of your questions... Look at the background of the outside scenery, snow covered, like Hoth. I think that perhaps the Hoth level was more of a test level for those guys at Raven, rather than one that would be released.

Perhaps it was a level that had snow falling, and they couldn't quite get that right, although they could get it right for Yavin 4.

Perhaps just being lazy when getting rid of all the traces of pieces of the game only created for testing.

[S!TH!NAT0R]

AMEN to that BlackDragon! JK][ is perhaps the best SP&MP FPS I have played in a long while as well! It's very rare these days that a FPS gets it right so many ways with both SP and MP! Usually, it's one or the other with games these days. For Example....RTCW= Mediocre SP but kickarse MP & MOHAA= kickarse SP but mediocre MP. <<Perfect Example!

-I had a *eval-version* days before it came out but still went and bought the $64 Collectors Tin. Simply because this is one great game and Raven deserves my hard-earned $$$ for the love&sweat they put into this superb game! Finally, a rockin' SW game I can write home and rant about!!