StarFox Adventures (GCN)
[ARCHIVE: This video game review follows the OldSchoolGamers website formatting.]
Content:
Basically child friendly, the game features basic close-quarters combat, huge dinosaurs and some space laser battles. The most objectionable part (and this is shaky at best) is the main female lead's objectification as she sports nothing but a bikini during her very rare appearences.
Suggested Age Level: 10+
Rating: 7.0 out of 10
Review:
Old Fox, New Tricks
Back in the heyday of the SNES, if someone said StarFox, one thought of a flight shooter with crappy polygon effects. Ahead of its time, the original StarFox was the first game to utilize the Super FX chip, an ineffective endeavor to somehow up the graphics power of the SNES. But behind the plain-looking objects and the midi-heavy soundtrack was a solid concept. The problem was that Nintendo didn't yet have a machine to properly present the forward-scroller. This was proven with the release of StarFox 64, the revamp/remake/special edition for the Nintendo64. Finally Fox McCloud was given a game with production values that would assure his place in console game history. StarFox Adventures is actually a retooling of another project, Dinosaur Planet, which was developed for the N64 but moved to the Gamecube. Not really a "true" StarFox game, it's primarily a third-person adventure in the Legend of Zelda vein.
Gameplay
You play as Fox McCloud, head pilot of the StarFox team. Dinosaur Planet is flying apart and you have to, well, put it back together. Easier/harder than it sounds. You must tool around the planet and its various orbiting islands, fighting baddies and collecting Spirit Stones which keep the planet together (apparently they don’t invest heavily in gravity).
Tacked onto the game are the flying stages you need to go between different chunks of the planet that have broken off. They play like a watered down version of previous StarFox games. No targeting, no charging and the scoring system is much different. Its functionally equivalent to the Gummi Flyer in Kingdom Hearts.
Graphics and Sound
Visually the game is solid. The computing power of the Gamecube really shines through in nearly every aspect of the game. The landscapes range from warm grasslands to charred volcanic caverns to powder-covered snow fields. All the colors are vivid and perfectly fitted. Plenty of attention has been spent on the little details, from the ripples in the water to the weather effects to the way Fox's ears move in the wind. Texture mapping has progressed to the point where pixilation only occurs during extreme close-ups during cut-scenes, all of which are in-engine. Illumination effects are handled quite nicely, playing from the appropriate light sources and tints. However the character designs take some getting used to. Peppy is really old now and Fox actually looks younger despite the fact that this takes place eight years after the previous game.
The sound is good in SFA. Familiar strands of the StarFox themes fly by during appropriate times. The sultry, sexy sax solo that is Krystal's theme is pretty hilarious since it's obviously trying to make her seem desirable (parents, make sure you have the furry talk if you’ve already had the talk). Anyway, the sound effects are deftly interspersed. Electric crackles, prehistoric roars, even self-rumbling mushrooms are nicely done. The voice acting is also pretty good. The actors aren't the same ones in StarFox 64, but they're close enough to be passable. Scottish and British accents are rampant among the dinosaurs, inferring I don't know what. The only time I winced was when Krystal spoke in "dino talk." Maybe it was because she was talking in a made-up language but she really didn't get any of the inflections right. But once you get your translators working and everybody is speaking English everything works out.
Control
Your main weapon is a staff which you can (supposedly) perform combos with by tilting the stick in different directions. There is a working but underdeveloped auto-targeting system in fighting. You can't initiate a lock-on until the enemy is close enough and you have your staff drawn. What's most troubling is the inability to switch targets. Once you're locked on to a guy you either have to defeat him or put your staff away.
An interesting feature is the use of the C-stick to access the inventory. By jimmying the stick you bring up your inventory and then scroll up or down through the objects. You can also assign one inventory item to the Y button for quick access. For ease, things are separated into three categories: supplies, special moves and sidekick commands (more on this later). Rather than just have a map onscreen, you have the PDA device which features not only a zoomable(!) map but also an information setting (for when you're near interactive objects) and a fuel cell compass which helps in finding, er... fuel cells.
At first glance, the coolest innovation is the sidekick commands. During your adventure you meet Tricky, crowned prince of the Earthwalker Tribe (a race of protoceratops). Once you rescue him he follows you around during your adventure. If you keep him well-fed, you can command him to perform tasks like dig up secrets or breathe fire (but it's useless during battle). He also serves as an early warning system, telling you where secrets are or when enemies are near. It boils down to just having another set of moves but its kinda fun to see the little guy following you around.
Flaws
The passing of time, although handled well, doesn’t seem to serve any purpose. In fact the only thing it seems to do is make things hard to see in the twilight. The combat system also a bit to be desired. Executing battle moves seems to be more about dumb luck than actual combos. Fighting is fun at first, but with limited secondary weapons you get tired of seeing Fox pull the same roundhouse swing repeatedly. The camera is also pretty limited. It vaguely stays behind you, but for cinematic and hinting purposes, it may stray. This can be both a good thing and a bad thing. The Arwing levels feel extremely nonessential, like they were added only so that the Star Fox label could be added to the title.
Lasting Appeal
On the whole the game is good if not memorable. I feel bad because it's a solid effort that will undoubtedly be forgotten. The action is par but nothing special. With the exception of Fox and Tricky, none of the characters stand out. And while there are secret features that you can unlock they are all achievable on the first play-through. The only reason to play again would be if you enjoyed the experience. But with so many similar but better games out there, there’s no reason to.
Kiddie Play
SFA is a nice game that kids would enjoy. The puzzles are on level with its contemporaries and the built-in hint system will keep them from getting frustrated. But to a parent I would recommend against buying this game. I might be tempted to if it was in the bargain bin but it’s only truely worth a rental or two. While the game presents a nice packages it’s nothing your kids will think of as classic.