Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith

Games set in the Star Wars universe tend to be hit and miss; for every Empire Strikes Back there are two or three Phantom Menaces. Released to coincide with the final episode of the saga, Revenge of the Sith follows Anakin Skywalker as he completes his journey to the Dark Side.

Closely mirroring the plot of the movie, the game casts you alternately as Anakin and his long-suffering mentor, Obi-wan Kenobi. The action kicks off with the pair in a desperate bid to rescue Chancellor Palpatine, kidnapped in a bold raid by the evil General Grievous.

While the path ahead is filled with hordes of battle droids, being a Jedi means you have a number of ways to even the odds. Along with your trusty light-sabre there are plenty of powers to play with, including force push, force grip and force jump, plus a number of visually impressive and devastating combination attacks to master.

The better you are in combat the more experience points you gain, which in turn can be used to upgrade your abilities between levels.

At first glance Revenge of the Sith has all the makings of a hit, and its fluid 3D graphics are backed by outstanding sound effects and music straight from the Lucasfilm studios.

It's therefore a real shame that the developers have gone for a fixed camera angle that restricts both realism and your movement; it's even possible occasionally to lose site of your character behind the scenery.

What's more, simply bashing the buttons can make short work of most battles across the first four or five levels. Even headline acts such as Count Dooku don't put up too much of a challenge.

The game uses cut-scenes from the film to introduce new elements and help move the story along. There's nothing wrong with this, but we did notice that the fight with Count Dooku has been censored, which is curious and disappointing given that the game technically carries a higher rating than the film.

That said, there are definitely some plus points. A hidden multiplayer bonus game lets you go one-on-one with characters including Dooku, Mace Windu, Grievous and even Darth Vader. It's not exactly Soul Calibur or Tekken, but it can be fun.

There's also a horde of unlockable concept art and other goodies to be enjoyed while you take a break from the action.

While the film itself is currently enjoying rave reviews, Lucasarts has taken a step backwards with this latest game. Star Wars fans looking to get their fix of force-powered entertainment should check out Knights of the Old Republic, Star Wars: Battlefront or Jedi Academy instead.

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