"The
Phantom Menace"
For Playstation
Submitted by Jody Reeves
Published 9/21/99
Images from Prima's Official Strategy Guide
"Hello. My name is Jody and I cheat at video
games."
"Hi, Jody!"
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The latest video game title from LucasArts is a PlayStation
version of The Phantom Menace, which until now, has only been available for the PC. I've
been scouring the Internet looking for cheats to crack this puppy, and have had no luck.
My GameShark is too old to handle that set of codes, so I'm waiting for the upgrade to
come in the mail. Until then, I'm going to continue getting killed half way through the
fifth level in a vain attempt to get the Queen to her ship so we can escape from Theed.
When I first heard that a PlayStation version would be released, I was interested. See, I
still have a dinosaur of a 486 at home, and the minimum requirements needed to play the PC
game are pretty staggering. I downloaded the demo at work, and even using a Pentium
II/450, it still ran choppy for the lack of a 3D-accelerator video card. So, the news of a
PlayStation version was welcome. The game was to have originally launched in the early
summer, but production tweaks pushed it back until September. And having picked up my
copy, I'm glad they took care of the problems in order to release a quality product.
The gameplay is very straightforward and parallels the plot of Episode I, the film. You begin the game as Obi-Wan Kenobi, who with Qui-Gon Jinn, must escape from the Trade Federation's flagship. For the first time that I've seen in a game, you have a character running with you serving as back-up or guide. In the first level, for example, it's Obi-Wan's job to open doors and facilitate the escape. However, Qui-Gon watches your back and fights with the battle droids while you look for the next clue. The downside to this is that some characters are there for you to protect. In the second level, the Swamps of Naboo, you're charged with keeping Jar Jar alive long enough for him to show you where to find Qui-Gon. Needless to say, Jar Jar has an annoying habit of running into the middle of a group of battle droids. Queen Amidala isn't as sociable, but every time I turn my back, some battle droid sneaks up and gets her.
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Depending on where you are, you play as one of four
characters: Obi-Wan Kenobi, Qui-Gon Jinn, Captain Panaka, and Queen Amidala. Like other
LucasArts games (Grim Fandango, Curse of Monkey Island), you're doing much more than just
running amok waving your lightsaber about. On occasion, you will encounter auxiliary
characters who either hold clues you need or impart advice. When approaching one of these
characters, a dialogue appears at the bottom of the screen. You choose the line you want
your character to say, and the gameplay adjusts accordingly. It's up to you if you want to
have a meaningful conversation with Jar Jar, or just get to the point and find out where
Qui-Gon is located. You even get to use the Jedi Mind Trick here, very helpful when trying
to get past bossy Gungans or street thugs.
In addition, solutions to problems are not as obvious as in games in the past. You find
that you're thinking things through more carefully - in one instance, Amidala is
confronted with the problem that the switch to a door is far above her head. The
ever-resourceful Queen finds that by pushing a table over to the wall, she is then able to
jump high enough to activate the switch. It's always a good idea to see if you can push or
pull various objects to help you in the quest.
The final goal of the game is to get the Queen back into power and to defeat the Sith
Lord, Darth Maul. Now I'm going to admit right here and now, I haven't gotten this far. I
understand from people who've played the PC version that killing Maul is darn near
impossible. So, until I get the update CD for my GameShark, I'm not going to get there - I
want Maul to deal with me while I'm in god mode. Since the ending is the same as the
movie, there's no surprises, unless you manage to kill Maul on the first try!
The Phantom Menace has a save feature, which is a blessing. It requires a Memory Card,
which is available at most software or game stores. The game is also compatible with the
Dual Shock controller, which is pretty cool to have shudder while you're deflecting laser
blasts.
Granted, as with any game that is made for both the PC and PlayStation, the PSX version
doesn't shine as brightly as its computer cousin. But, if you're willing to trade sharp
graphics and fast loading of levels, the PSX definitely holds its own. I like the
interchangeable characters, the variety of weapons you get to use, and the fact that it's
a Star Wars game. The music is right from the soundtrack, and comes through in clean
stereo. The backgrounds are beautifully rendered, and the characters look great. I was
having too much fun letting Obi-Wan tread water in the Naboo swamp, it was pretty cute!
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The voices used in the game are not those of the original
actors, but they come close. But, while helping the Queen escape, don't step on the hem of
her gown. She'll let you know in uncompromising terms that you're pretty rude for a Jedi.
In fact, during some marathon play in trying to get the Queen to her ship, I found that
the cries of "Help me!" and "I need more room!" got rather annoying. I
really admired Amidala in the film, and I'm a little disappointed that she came across as
rather whiny in the game. My mom, who was overhearing me play, thinks that I should've
left the ungrateful Queen behind to her own devices...
My only additional complaints about the game are the inability to choose difficulties, the
overhead aspect of looking at the gameplay as if you were a god in the heavens above, and
the awkwardness of the control settings. I prefer using a keyboard for games such as
these, and it's a hard transition to using a game console control - it took me about half
an hour to quit running into walls and destroyer droids. The viewing aspect was troubling.
I'm very accustomed to the first-person view that you get in games like Jedi Knight and
Quake II, so seeing myself as a teeny Jedi was a little disconcerting. At least I know
that Obi-Wan hasn't developed male-pattern baldness yet...
Overall, I like this game, though I would much rather play the PC version in order to use
the keyboard. LucasArts has done a fine job translating the PC version to PlayStation, but
I think it boils down to a matter of preference; some gamers like the consoles, others
prefer pounding on a keyboard. I happen to fall in the second category, but I know that
trying to play this game on my dinosaur will cause it to crash before its anticipated
expiration date of January 1, 2000. So, until I can convince someone to donate me a
PIII/600, you'll find me using the PSX control and trying to keep Obi-Wan from running
into walls in the Theed Palace...
Grade: B+ Great game if you prefer consoles, but others may want to sell a younger sibling
to get a 3D-accelerator card to play the PC version.
(When not slaving away in America's own version of the Imperial Senate, Jody Reeves can be found avidly hunting down nude photos of Harrison Ford on the internet. Authenticity matters not.)
Purchase "The Phantom Menace" for Playstation
Purchase Prima's Official Strategy Guide
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