Caleb's Star Wars Rogue Leader: Rogue Squadron II review brings up several valid points in regards to the titles beautiful graphics, lack of story and unoriginal missions. While I agree with his assessment for the most part, I feel a few points weren't stressed enough or overlooked.
The lack of originality in the titles missions is what really kills it. As Caleb brought to light before, there were a few levels that mirrored the previous Nintendo 64 installment and several classic Star Wars battles, but I feel this point should be stressed more. I just don't understand why they couldn't have created a few more original missions for this title. There were a couple exceptions, but only two at most. The most disappointing thing about the new missions is that they are really fun. They offer players the chance to switch up craft in flight and even use the GameCube's internal clock to determine the time of day for levels located on planets. Had this kind of creativity been present throughout the title, it would have pushed this game above average.
Something I feel was missed in the previous review is the length of Rogue Leader. With several of the Nintendo 64 titles levels making a return appearance, the game felt incredibly short. Had there been a few more original missions offered on this title it might have made a difference. However, I had already played these missions in the previous installment, and I was left wanting more.
Caleb also failed to mention the overwhelming difficulty in the final few stages. The game starts on a simple difficulty curve that skyrockets as you near the end. The sheer amount of ships that must be destroyed, or the daunting task of keeping your craft in one piece is very aggravating. Now I am very adamant about not using codes to complete a game but I broke down and had to use an unlimited lives cheat just to complete the title.
Like Caleb, I feel that LucasArts titles are either an expansion on the Star Wars universe or just another rushed product to beat the merchandising horse. I was expecting Star Wars Rogue Leader: Rogue Squadron II to be similar to its predecessor by expanding George Lucas' wondrous universe. However, Rouge Leader is nothing like its predecessor. It may have a couple innovative ideas, but there's not enough to make this title shine.
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