<p>To truly appreciate Star Wars Galactic Battlegrounds you’ve got to be prepared to forget the fact that it IS Age of Empires 2 in all but name, forget the fact that X-Wings and TIE fighters hover, the <br /> Galactic Empire can fight the Trade Federation and for some reason they chose to include the gungun race (ok you may have trouble with that one)! The fact is Star Wars always needed a slight suspension of disbelief, but for this, well it’s better just to forget about everything and just enjoy the game for what it is.<br> <br /> <br> <br /> Anyone familiar with Ages of Empires 2 will instantly be at home with SWGB, however basing the star wars license on essentially a medieval game is at times questionable. The similarities <br /> border on blatant plagiarism, the interface, the units, the resources, the tech levels, put it this way if you’ve played AoE2 you won’t even need to read the manual for SWGB.<br> <br /> <br> <br /> SWGB features six different races the Galactic Empire, the Rebel Alliance, the Wookies, the Royal Naboo, the Gungans and the Trade Federation. Each offer varied attributes, for example Jar Jar and his <br /> colleagues offer more of a naval based approach whereas the Galatic Empire take on more of a front on approach with their heavy arsenal.<br> <br /> </p> <br /> <div align="right"> <br /> <table border="0" width="20" bgcolor="#CCCCCC" align="right" cellpadding="2"> <br /> <tr> <br /> <td width="100%"> <br /> <p align="center"><a href="http://www.totalvideogames.com/tvg.php?gallary=true&amp;all=false&amp;newsid=379&amp;img_name=379-7.jpg"><img height="100" src="http://www.totalvideogames.com/webconsole/data/news/images/s_379-7.jpg" width="135" border="2" hspace="5" vspace="5"><br> <br /> </a><font size="1">Forget the discrepancies and just play the game.</font></td> <br /> </tr> <br /> </table> <br /> </div> <br /> <p>Thankfully AoE2 features one of the best evolving systems around which has been wonderfully copied. Starting off you’ll have access to limited buildings and units, however collect enough resources and build enough level 1 buildings and you can evolve to tech level 2, opening up the scope for improved building, units and technology. For example by reaching Level 2 as the Rebel Alliance you’ll be able to build a Jedi Temple, and be able to create Jedi Padawans, evolving to Level 3 will allow you to create Jedi Knights whilst the final level allows you to create Jedi Masters. The tech tree is essentially the same for each of the races, however there are subtle differences, only the Trade Federation can have any control over the market prices, whilst only the Galactic Empire can research into Walkers.&nbsp;<br> <br /> <br> <br /> AoE2 offered this well balanced tech tree that in my opinion has never been bettered, basing this into the Star Wars mythology occasionally highlights troubles but on the whole works well.<br> <br /> <br> <br /> SWGB does offer some new additions to the AoE2 engine; aircraft can now be produced, bringing in a whole new <br /> strategy to play. To combat this anti-aircraft units are introduced one tech level earlier then aircraft, so you can anticipate any air attacks. This new introduction is most welcome, increasing the scope of strategies available to the player, however seeing X-Wings and TIE fighters hover is something Star Wars fanatics will not be able to get used to.<br> <br /> <br> <br /> Stealth now plays a part, but unfortunately hasn’t been refined enough to make it a worthwhile strategy. Certain units such as Jedi/Sith Masters and some of the Gungun submersible boats can evade your opponent’s radar, opening up the opportunity to send them in for a calculated attack. However stealth is easily countered as building turrets and other GunGun boats can pick up stealth targets, leaving this one tactic that you’ll be leaving on the equivalent of the Tattoine cutting room floor. With a little more thought and refinement this could have become an essential tactic, allowing you to deceive your opponent into thinking all is well, however it just ends up being too much hassle to actually bother with.<br> <br /> </p> <br /> <div align="right"> <br /> <table border="0" width="20" bgcolor="#CCCCCC" align="right" cellpadding="2"> <br /> <tr> <br /> <td width="100%"> <br /> <p align="center"><a href="http://www.totalvideogames.com/tvg.php?gallary=true&amp;all=false&amp;newsid=379&amp;img_name=379-0.jpg"><img height="100" src="http://www.totalvideogames.com/webconsole/data/news/images/s_379-0.jpg" width="135" border="2" hspace="5" vspace="5"><br> <br /> </a><font size="1">Environments aren't always faithful.</font></td> <br /> </tr> <br /> </table> <br /> </div> <br /> <p>Other new introductions to the basic game mould are shield generators and the Jedi/Sith. Shield generators allow you to place any units under their arc to give the unit a regenerating layer of hit points, certain units carry portable shield generators. The Jedi and Saith units when fully advanced are deadly units, having a wide scope of <br /> Jedi moves and extremely powerful in melee combat, as witnessed when a pack of Jedi Masters took down 4 AT-AT’s! To combat these powerful units, each race is capable of producing Bounty Hunters, skilled in taking down the Jedi/Sith masters, which for some reason are available to every <br /> race!</p> <br /> <p>Therein lies one of the games biggest problems; there is very little difference between the games six different races. Which was ok in AoE2, but having the lineage that this license brings is asking for trouble, especially when we all know how intense Star Wars fanatics can get.&nbsp;<br> <br /> </p> <br /> <div align="right"> <br /> <table border="0" width="20" bgcolor="#CCCCCC" align="right" cellpadding="2"> <br /> <tr> <br /> <td width="100%"> <br /> <p align="center"><a href="http://www.totalvideogames.com/tvg.php?gallary=true&amp;all=false&amp;newsid=379&amp;img_name=379-9.jpg"><img height="100" src="http://www.totalvideogames.com/webconsole/data/news/images/s_379-9.jpg" width="135" border="2" hspace="5" vspace="5"><br> <br /> </a><font size="1">Something for RTS and Star Wars fans alike.</font></td> <br /> </tr> <br /> </table> <br /> </div> <br /> <p>The idea to use the AoE system is a good one in my opinion, it’s just a shame there wasn’t enough time spent on developing it, everything is copied right down to resource collection, instead of wood, iron and gold, you now carbon, ore and nova crystals. <br /> Instead of a warning bell to call your workers to safety, you now have an alert <br /> beacon, instead of peasants you now have droids, which for some baffling reason require food to produce!&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <br /> <p>The single player missions are little stories narrated by different <br /> characters; the Empire's campaign focuses on the time between the destruction of <br /> the first and second death stars; the Wookie campaign follows the adventures of <br /> Han and Chewie after the Battle of Endor; the Trade Federation features the <br /> battle between Naboo and the gunguns; the Rebel Alliance is told by Wedge <br /> Antilles; whilst the GunGun's campaign is Boss Nass' recollection of his <br /> ancestors' campaign to unite the Gungan clans, followed by his own battle <br /> against the Trade Federation.&nbsp; Each campaign has six-seven different <br /> missions, which when completed open up bonus missions, recreating famous scenes <br /> from the movies, can you save the death star or hold off the empire attack on <br /> Hoth.<br> <br /> <br> <br /> The games visuals look dated after all the games engine is over two years old, however they capture the look and feel of Star Wars well, you can believe that this is Hoth you’re fighting on and that is a TIE fighter. AoE2 problems with sense of scope occurs, so X-Wings look like their Micro Machine counterparts, whilst the AT-AT’s look like they could destroy the whole Rebel Alliance with just one unit.</p> <br />