Jedi Starfighter entertaining

THE WASHINGTON POST

Originally published Friday, March 29, 2002

-Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter, LucasArts, space-combat game based on next "Star Wars" movie.

-Cost: PlayStation 2, $50 (Xbox; Win 95 or newer due soon).

-Details: Jedi Starfighter, a sequel to last year's Starfighter title, fast-forwards the action to the upcoming "Episode II: Attack of the Clones," featuring spacecraft and characters from the new movie. That alone would make this game little more than a $50 trailer for the flick, but Jedi Starfighter happens to be solid entertainment in its own right.

The game switches between returning character Nym, who flies the slow but well-armed and well-armored Havoc, and Jedi Master Adi Gallia, whose sleek, triangular Jedi Starfighter will show up in "Episode II." Adi's highly maneuverable craft is the more interesting of the two, equipped with lasers as well as a variety of offensive and defensive weapons based on the Jedi's use of the Force.

Unlike the first game, which limited two-player action to bonus levels, this one lets you play through the entire game in a cooperative split-screen mode. Jedi Starfighter's controls work well, and its game play is deep, with a few one- and two-player bonus levels to add to the replay value. But if you own a PlayStation 2, you may still want to sit this game out: The PS2 version suffers from lackluster graphics and sluggish screen redraws. The Xbox and PC editions, which look better in test versions, should remedy those flaws.

-Bottom line: The Force seems strong in this game.

The Olympian Copyright 2002

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