Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (video game)
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| Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Big Ape Productions |
| Publisher(s) | LucasArts |
| Designer(s) | John Barnes Mike Ebert Dan Ross Eric Wilder |
| Release date(s) | PlayStation PC |
| Genre(s) | Action-adventure |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: Teen (T) |
| Platform(s) | PlayStation, Windows |
| Input | Keyboard & Mouse (Mac & PC) Gamepad (PlayStation) |
Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace was an arcade-adventure game released by LucasArts in 1999, contemporary with the release of the movie.
Visually the gameplay reminds 3rd-person 'over the head' view games like Tomb Raider, but such kind of actions, like jumping, climbing or pushing objects, is very limited, relying mostly on interaction and riddles. The player can control Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Padmé Amidala or Captain Panaka. The game offers also a variety of weapons.
Contents |
[edit] Plot
The plot closely follows that of the movie; although it expands on some minor events that could have been silenced or cut from the movie, or shows them from a different character's point of view (for example, it follows Amidala's 'adventures' on Coruscant during Anakin's interview in the Jedi Temple, something that is never shown or mentioned in the movie since it follows Anakin).
[edit] Levels
- Trade Federation Ship
- Swamps of Naboo
- Otoh Gunga
- Gardens of Theed
- Escape From Theed
- Mos Espa
- Mos Espa Arena
- Desert Encounter
- Coruscant
- Assault on Theed
- The Final Battle
[edit] Film and game plot differences
Much of the game's plot is significantly different from the plot of the film. Many sections will force the player's character to work alone. This is most evident in the first four levels, where as Obi-Wan, the player is either cut off from other characters (the player is cut off from Qui-Gon at the start of the first level and only regroups with him at the end of the second mission, albeit with Jar Jar) or sent to perform tasks alone. The third mission in Otoh Gunga sees the player travel through the underwater city and try to rescue Jar Jar. Similarly, the fourth mission is based around events which did not occur in the film (a bridge to Theed is destroyed and the player must fight through the Gardens of Theed to re-group with others). Some missions (such as the aforementioned second level in the Swamps of Naboo) make the player escort an NPC though a level (in missions five and nine the player is cut off from the rest of the group and must escort Queen Amidala to safety).
[edit] Weapons
- Lightsaber (Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon only)
- Blaster rifle
- Light repeating blaster
- Gungan Energy ball
- Proton missile launcher
- Thermal detonator
- Flash grenade
- Heavy repeating cannon
- Naboo blaster (Panaka only)
- R-65 heavy blaster (Panaka only)
- Droid stunner (Amidala only)
[edit] Bosses
- AATs -- Destroy with many explosives
- Neg's Monster -- kill with lightsaber, blaster, explosives
- Jabba's Champion -- kill with lightsaber, blaster, explosives
- Machinery Thief -- kill with blaster, explosives
- Darth Maul Battle I -- keep him away from hyperdrive and queen; fight with lightsaber
- Coruscant Mercenary -- kill with heavy blaster
- Nute Gunray -- any weapon will kill
- Darth Maul Battle II -- kill with lightsaber or force push him into the shaft
[edit] One-time Characters
- Barbo
- Jym Lang
- Captain Neg
- Tomo
- Vek Drow
[edit] Critical reception
On release the game received mixed reviews. GameSpot praised the quality of the game's sound effects (in particular the music and the "solid voice acting"). It also noted the action sequences, but pointed out that many of these were flawed. Two major problems pointed out were the third person camera perspective and the difficulty curve [1]. Many other media outlets highlighted similar problems.
In March 2004, GMR Magazine placed The Phantom Menace number 4 on its list of the 5 worst Star Wars games.
[edit] Trivia
- It is remotely possible to force push Darth Maul into the energy doors. Doing so does not hurt him at all.
- In the final level, throwing a thermal detonator at Qui-Gon's dead body will cause him to stand up again.
- Numerous "Dark Side" acts can be committed in this game without the player actually turning to the Dark Side. For instance, Obi-Wan can kill the entire population of Otoh Gunga (except for Jar Jar Binks and Boss Nass)
