Star Wars Battlefront II (PS2)

Of course in Battlefield 1942 "various vehicles" meant jeeps and tanks, in Battlefront II it means X-wings, TIE Fighters, AT-ATs and, for the first time, Episode III vehicles like the BARC speeder, Jedi Starfighter II and V-wing.

The biggest change to the game, apart from the new vehicles, is space battles with several of the levels taking part aboard giant space cruisers which you can exit in starfighters, have a dogfight in deep space around and then pilot back to for a bit more on foot combat. Levels include the Blockade Runner from the beginning of A New Hope, the space battle above Coruscant and Utapau and Mustafa from Episode III.

Another long awaited addition is playable Jedi, although you can only be one for a short time so as to not unbalance the gameplay. Although the emphasis is on online play the single player mode has been beefed up with better artificial intelligence and a proper story linking all the missions. "Star Wars fans, like this, they will", as Yoda would say (if he was real and wrote game previews instead of being a Jedi Master). -- Harrison Dent

This preview is based on an incomplete version of the game; features or problems mentioned above may not appear in the finished game.

Its got a great single player game which isn't easy, but because its not easy, its very rewarding to win a battle. I've played it pretty much every chance I get (that and fifa 06), and I've found that you get sucked into the game and truely belive you're winning a battle!

Best Bits -

1. Jedi - enough said, this is an excellent addition to the game.
2. Characters from films - There is plenty to keep you occupied. If you get bored with clone war fighters, play some old school Stormtroopers vs rebels.
3. Story line - Definate plus with the 501 troopers.

Awesome Game basiclly, if you loved the first one, you'll adore this one. Buy it!


An excellent sequel   April 22, 2006
GHV (Southampton, UK)
14 out of 14 found this review helpful

Unlike Battlefront 1, this sequel's major selling point is that it allows you to experience warfare in the completely new environment of space. Command posts are not used in these space battles, but instead you play until a certain amount of points is reached. Points are earned in several ways and are distributed according to the method you have earned them. For example, although killing a foe provides you with just one point, destroying one of the enemy capital ship's vital systems earns you 20 or more points.
These vital systems can be disabled on both the outside and the inside of the ship and include its engines, sensory relays, life support systems and the command bridge. During space combat, you spawn in your capital ship's hanger where a variety of different spacecraft are stationary and awaiting a pilot. This game offers slow, powerful bombers like the Y-Wing and Tie Bomber, fighters (good all-rounders) like the X-Wing and Arc Fighter, and small speedy interceptor craft such as the Droid Tri-Fighter and A-Wing.
During space combat, you can choose to either dogfight in space or you can infiltrate your enemy capital ship's hanger and plant devastating time-bomb explosives to blow apart the vital systems inside. Either way the space battles are a nice new addition to the game.

There are still many land battles to be fought however, and this game introduces several new land maps as well as keeping some of the classics from the first (such as Hoth, Mos Eisley and Kamino). These include the hazardous Jabba's Palace, with armies clashing in the gloomy corridors and even in Jabba's expansive court- some falling prey to the rancor lurking below. The murky Dagobah map is also a new addition, featuring Yoda's hut and a familiar X-Wing half-submersed in the swamp. The Jedi Temple on Coruscant is added, as well as a fiery Mustafar map from the latest film. The Death Star is also a welcome new addition, with violence ensuing down its clean corridors, hangers and even the prison facility as seen in Star Wars IV A New Hope. These however, are just some of the new maps and others include Utapau, Mygeeto, Polis Massa, Leia's Blockade Runner and a few more.

Also a new feature is the ability to play as your faction's heroes. To be able to access this, you must first reach an amount of points during a game. Like with space battles, these points are given due to certain actions performed (killing foes, capturing enemy's command posts, etc). Hero units include Chewbacca, Han Solo, Yoda, Leia and Luke Skywalker if you are playing as the Rebel Alliance. The Empire has the deadly Boba Fett, Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine. Yoda, Mace Windu, Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ki-Adi-Mundi and Aayla Secura are the Republic's heroes. And finally, Confederacy heroes are Count Dooku, Jango Fett, Darth Maul, Sidious and General Grievous.

Overall, this game has many improvements over the last. The space combat, the new maps, the ability to play as heroes and the upgraded Galactic Conquest system are all examples of improvements within Battlefront 2. I feel that this game does its excellent prequel justice.


A great sequel but are you getting value for money?   November 24, 2005
josh menham (England, United Kingdom)
11 out of 13 found this review helpful

Finally, the long awaited sequel to the "best STAR WARS game ever" when i first heard that there was going to be a Star Wars Balltefront 2, i was delighted!

Having played the game for about a month and a half now, i can say that SWB2 has kept it's position on the top of the interactive Star Wars hill. It has taken the things that made SWB1 great and sucessfully converted then over to SWB2. The gameplay is still as normal, an easy to play shoot em' up that involes taking sides with your favourite faction from both eras of the Star Wars saga and annilatethe enemy team. Althought, there are a variety if new improvements that has made this game better than the last.

Firstly, its all good and well being able to hop into any vehicle ore turret that you find on the battlefield, but this game boasts an even wider arrangment of vehicles and turrets. They have still kept the GREAT vehicles out of SWB1 like the AT-AT and the Snowspeeder, but they have included some even bigger and better vehicles like the Rebel Allience ARC 147 and the Yavin power turret. Having seen the review writen by Lukeeeen, i agree with some of the flaws in this game. One of the most obvious ones is the floor in constantly moving for some reason, not only is that annoying, but it sort of "takes" you out of the realisticness of the game. Also, the new edition "Space Battles" have a problem. It really pisses you off! Not only do you get shot down by something as soon as you take off, but if you are lucky enough to get into a dogfight, it feels slugish and "Un Star Wars ish." And the way that troops just spawn in out of nowhere looks a little silly as well.

BUT, don't let yourself be put off by this, this is a great game and it has earned it's rightfull and deserved place on the Cristmas and Birthday lists of children all over the United kingdom. Very satifieing indeed!


brilliant game   November 12, 2005
10 out of 18 found this review helpful

i think this is the the best star wars game ever! apart from the revenge of the sith makeover for each one but it is amazing 5/5
lucasarts