Disclaimer - I will concede that I played the N64 version of this game in the 90s and have a lot of affection for it. I have tried to leave this aside and review the game objectively. I believe this game truly stands up. Granted, there are elements of it that are simply awful and at times it is staggeringly frustrating, but as an overall experience it is satisfying. Why? First and foremost, given the technological constraints on this game's development I think it is genuinely ambitious and impressively realised. The mix of gameplay styles is not entirely successful - the first level on Hoth has been rightly highlighted by other reviewers, and the game never matches this with later vehicle levels. That being said, the combination of gameplay styles contributes to the 'epic' feel and also provides a narrative function in explaining how you progress from one level to the next, etc. The bulk of the game takes the form of a third person shooter with some platform elements. This is generally well done. The controls take some (a lot) of getting used to, and the jumping mechanic is woeful. Dash will occasionally lose traction and simply slip off a ledge without warning. This is frustrating. Unbelievably, this version represents an improvement on the N64 version in this regard. I played the game using the 8BitDo SN30 Pro + which was a superior experience. Time setting up the bindings is not wasted (tip - bind 'free look' to clicking down the left analogue stick, it makes various things much, much easier). Any 'dual shock' style controller will work. This version can also boast significant graphical improvement, which makes the game look surprisingly crisp for its' age. For me, the best thing about the game is its overall atmosphere. Lest we forget, this was in some ways the last gasp of the old 'nerdy' Star Wars. The dark, grim Empire SotE captures was lost and never regained with the release of 'The Phantom Menace'. For this alone, it is worth buying.
