                     |
 THE LEGEND OF ZEL... WHAT, THIS IS A STARFOX GAME? STARFOX ADVENTURES Written By Shaun McCracken StarFox Adventures really doesn't have anything to do with the StarFox series established in the past. Basically, Nintendo must have thought that adding a known character to an unknown game was a great way to sell copies of the title. While it's not a bad thing, those expecting an arcade-like shooter like the series has established in the past will be heavily disappointed. SFA play a lot like the Zelda series, and luckily it doesn't suffer from botched game play mechanics. On the other hand, the logic side of some things is baffling. SFA was more or less the showpiece the GCN finally needed, showing off facial animations, expansive levels, lighting effects and more. It was also a great high note for Rare to leave after it's being acquired by Microsoft. Originally dubbed "Dinosaur Planet", StarFox Adventures is pretty much that same design with StarFox characters. Fox, after many years of retirement, is asked to go to Dinosaur Planet after receiving a distress signal. Also, pieces of the planet have broken off and are now orbiting the planet. Fox must go there and right the wrongs. On your quest to save what's-her-face, you come across every possible problem each dinosaur has on the planet. You're pretty much asked to do everything for them other than wipe their own ass. Things such as re-lighting beacons, saving dinosaurs, looking for roots and so on. While most things that are asked of you to do are explained, there are some moments where you could be wandering for an hour of what to do next. If you can keep with what's going on (or know what to do next), game play time would be a lot shorter. When I finished this game, I had a total time of 24 hours (like Metroid Prime). I'd say a couple of those hours were result of mindless wandering. If objectives were better stated, it might have been a bit more enjoyable. It's not to say I didn't have a good time, I played it through start to finish. But I can tolerate only so much frustration. Graphically, SFA is a nice looking package with only one real complaint. The character facial and body animations are great, adding some real character to the game. The lighting effects are excellent, including time of day changes. The fur effect also works really well. Everything looks great except for the texture quality. While they are good from a distance, up close they look compressed, much like Metroid Prime. This game could have benefited from some bump-mapping. But then if we had that, the smooth frame rate would surely drop. The sound is good. It comes close to great, but some of the music seemed a bit generic at times. The voices and effects, are great. I especially love that "whap" sound when you hit Tricky (he has it coming). The game play design is nothing new. It borrows elements from Zelda: Ocarina Of Time so often, that the game feels like more of a Zelda game than a StarFox game. I do not like the uninspired fighting design implemented here. Basically defeating enemies is a one-trick pony. You pretty much beat everyone out of submission. Only boss battles shift the design of fighting. This is probably the weaker element of the game. Luckily, the interaction with everyone saves the game. StarFox Adventures is not exactally the most original title to come out for the GCN, but it's one of the best looking games so far. There's enough meat on this game to keep you going for two weeks or longer, but when you're done, you're done. The game follows a fairly linear model, but it sure does show some lovely sights along the way. Worth buying for those who love platform action titles or have a liking towards the Zelda series. It's a great way to show off what this system can do. . . |
  Published By : NINTENDO Developed By: RARE Year Published : 2001 Players : 1 ESRB Rating: TEEN  OVERALL
SCORE
8.7
While the design is clearly ripped off from the Zelda franchise, this is a decent adventure that's actually pretty long.  Sphinx Grabbed By The Ghoulies  Legend Of Zelda: Wind Waker Beyond Good And Evil Ratchet And Clank: Going Commando |
