Star Wars™: Rebel Assault 1 + 2

A word of advice to anyone buying these games: TURN DOWN THE FRAME RATE. On a modern system, the default framerates will have you getting blasted to pieces before you can blink. Turning them all the way down gets the game about to where it would have been when it was first released. Also, USE THE MOUSE. At least in my case, the joystick constantly pulled to the center, making it too slow and imprecise for the games' demands. Unfortunately, Rebel Assault 1 was still unplayable after all that- the controls are ultra-sensitive, which, combined with the way the game jerks the crosshairs around to lock on targets, makes it impossible to aim. I got as far as the Star Destroyer level (ironically, one of the easiest levels from back when I first played the game) before giving up. I remember this game fondly and it was never this frustrating back in the day- it just didn't quite make the jump to newer systems, despite my tinkering and GoG's work. I give it 1 star, sadly. Luckily, Rebel Assault 2's controls are much more fluid and responsive, and I was able to play through on standard difficulty, losing only a couple of lives (my fault, not the game's!) The controls don't jerk over to lock onto enemies and are generally less sluggish, making the game quite enjoyable. The gameplay is fairly simple and there's not a lot of replay value, but it's exhilarating and fun while it lasts. The combination of live actors and CGI backgrounds holds up surprisingly well, the acting is actually better than I remembered, and I was a little surprised how well this game captures the fun feeling of adventure from the first Star Wars (no, not THAT first Star Wars, damn it)- it's not very deep, but it's lighthearted, swashbuckling and has a sense of humor. It's also the only Star Wars game to make me feel sorry for the stormtroopers, who are constantly getting yelled at, falling down pits, getting shot, getting vaporized(!), and generally having a bad day. I give this one 5 stars.

I remember modifying firing up my 386DX/33 CPU with a double speed CD-rom and sound blaster 1.0. and modifying my Autoexec.bat and Config.sys files like crazy to get the first Rebel Assualt to work on my system. I remember seeing the looping demo(no playable levels) for it at a friends house which I went home and with paper route money, ordered it though the LucasArts catalog. Three impatient shipping weeks later, I finally had my game! I used a CH Flightstick, which was pretty good for X-Wing series/F117A Flight Sims and such. I loaded up the game, awesome title intro, loved the sound and onto the first level where i am informed that beggars canyon is a simple run. Then I took control.....right into the canyon wall, then the next wall and over and over into death explosion....awesome. This game kicked my butt and after multiple tries, I went into the options menu to see if I had inadvertently turned on the "Your Ship is a Rubber Band" option. Nope, none to be found. This game is hard. Overtime I learned to not steer so hard, still it was a tough game. Today I tried it again for the first time in decades, still Holy krap is this game hard, especially Rebel Assault 1. The first Rebel Assault game was something ahead of its time when it came out and showed just WHY it was important to own a CD-ROM. The game did so well as to spawn a sequel (Rebel Assault II) in which i also enjoyed years later on my upgraded Pentium 90mhz machine. Are these games for you? If you are looking for a sim that is something just like X-Wing/Tie Fighter series then this isn't it. But if you like Star Wars and can forgive the pixel heavy/rubberband bouncing pre-rendered levels. Then you will have fun with this. A Joystick is a must, as the mouse can be tough to control. As for me, Nostalgia has been satisfied, and I now have the opportunity to pass it to my sons, so they can cuss in anger as they smack against the canyon wall time and time again, just as i did all those years ago.

Well this game has some fun moments, there is no denying that. However there is some serious control problems that really could of been fixed for this release. Certain missions in this game fail hard due to extreme sensitivity and in my experience random drifting. This problem will cause endless game overs and plenty of frustration. However the levels that do not involve this third person perspective are quite fun and very enjoyable. I wouldn't recommend it until it is cheaper.

If you want to get so ticked off, scream, punch your monitor, throw the PC, and to tell your kids to leave the house? This is the game for you! I have the CD version of Rebel Assault 1 and 2 (haven't played yet) but let me tell you some pointers. Use a joystick, (CH Flight Stick kind not the push button types) the game responds better, the mouse is useless and not fast enought. Horrible controlling action. Honestly you can fly better drunk! Most game play action is on a specific path and you just control a limited range of movement. Some levels are just finding the proper range of motion and had eye coordination and well, luck. I did complete the game and nearly destroyed a CH Flightstick (still the best!). There is tips on the internet. Good luck!