StarFox: Assault

[taurusnipple]

Huh.

Been anticipating this for some time now. When I heard on Friday you can rent the game two weeks before release I was over the moon! I've since been shot down. What's wrong with it? Somethin aint right, at first I was like 'wow' this is just like the N64 version. Whats lacking, and what quickly becomes apparent is the lack of...intensity that was found in the originals. Everything hits you so smoothly, but it lacks the soul, and for fans of the originals (myself LOVING the N64 version, even to beating SOME of those scores appearing in N64 magazine, some feat that too!) it's noticable.

Visually like I said, is as smooth as a babys butt, looks great. Problems though. Bosses go through a couple of transformations, here though the transformation gets in the way of the gameplay, you go through a phase where theres a lack of action due to dialogue. And a loading from the disc. Breaks the gameplay like I say.

Sound wise, the music is spot on, lots of tunes you recognise and I'm not dissapointed with the score. However, sound effects...are lacking. I'm expecting to hear the roaring of boss contraptions flying pass me, but theres not a single sound! Certainly detracts from the impact. I'm just hearing explosions, shots and the spin of your shield. The vocals aren't much different than the N64 either.

The trademark of the Arwing is there, charge up shots etc etc. What's going on with the Landmaster though? What did they do to it?! Looks the same but...the firepower is SLOWWWWW, very different than the N64 version. Oh yeah, the spin is allocated to one shoulder button now, screwed me up, the right shoulder is slow, the left (w/douple tap) is spin, and the 'X' button I think boost. 'B' is bomb and 'A' shoot. Yeah, I'm not finding it intuitive at all.

So yeah, things better pick up because at this rate I ain't buying it on the official release.

[Mephistopheles]

I must say your post was upsetting for me to read. Not because of you personally but rather due to your impressions of the game. I, like yourself, am I massive StarFox fan, having loved to pieces the SNES and N64 iterations. It will be hard to swallow another disappointing StarFox game on the Cube and see what was once a brilliant series degrade itself to a merely good or even mediocre one at the hands of third party developers.

Anyhow, do indeed let us know if things do in fact pick up! Fingers crossed they will!

[taurusnipple]

Hey, I hope so too! Not read any reviews, but managed to read something in the Headlines thread bout' it getting alright scores. Maybe it will pick up, I'll play more after dinner!

[AllYourBase]

reviews all seem favourable for the new starfox game, i hope with more play taurus can report better things in store for us, so far it's not sounding promising!

I won't cancel my preorder though, I think it is worth seeing for myself!!

[Leon Retro]

I know it's going to be tough living up to the N64 version, but I have faith it will at least be a decent game. Taurus' post has given me some cause for concern, but not too much to dampen my enthusiasm for this potentialy decent title.

[SunLolly]

I'm kinda dissapointed to hear about there being to many clunky foot missions (why did they do this ???) and very few arwing missions. I will wait for some more impressions, but so far all signs are pointing to a "wait for a price drop unfoutunatly"

[stormbreak]

i heard there is only one path(quite disapointing) but its is 8 hours long(good good) but there is NO CO-OP! maybe its an unlockable, please!

[Bleeders]

Hey, look on the bright side, it can't be much worse than Starfox Adventures.

I'll still get it just for some Arwing and Landmaster action.

[JibberX]

EIGHT HOURS!!! for an onrails shooter? What kinda crazy universe is this?

[Saurian]

EIGHT HOURS!!! for an onrails shooter? What kinda crazy universe is this?

It had better not be! Please no!!! - they would'nt....(Saur they wouldnt!!! >_<) - Please tell me you still have full control over the Arwing's banking, I love the way it feels in Starfox64 and flying sideways through all the gaps adding spins where you really shouldnt was so much fun!

If this is watered down, drawn out Starfox for n00bs I'll cry -

[Kevvy Metal]

After Reading some of this and the impressions at IGN i have knocked it of my preorder list. it still may turn out great but i'll leave it abit till it is out longer and it quality has been properly revealed.

[Spatial]

This is a little depressing. I was hyped for this yesterday but taurusnipple's harshing my buzz

As I never actually played Star Fox on the N64 maybe this will 'wow' me still

[taurusnipple]

I'm so sorry fella's, I played more last night and I've had more time spent on tedious on-foot sections than I have in either the Arwing or Landmaster. God, I want to love the game, but it just isn't a patch on the originals! Wheres the action?! And the controls! Argh! Remember how we got 'free range mode' on the N64? Same applies in this game, though control of loops and flips is allocated to the 'C' stick. It's taken time to get used to that, seems pointless too, why not keep the original setup? It worked perfectly, the controls flowed naturally, but now it's so clumsy! Urgh.

Positive note, the music is the aces, it gets better with some original scores getting updated. Very nice.

That's another thing actually. You can get in Arwings/Landmasters and procede on foot at certain stages, but all this does is break up any consistency in the game. And the Arwing stages are too short! Far, too short. OK, the draw distance. Forgivable on the N64 (because it's a brill game and doesn't detract from the experience) but on the GC? Enemies slowly fade into the action, but with there not being much on screen, you'd figure we'd have a nice draw distance. No. Collision detection sucks too. I flew out of my station and was trying to dock back in with it, I hit the station wall however and what happened? I slowed to a crawl and stopped dead. There's no expected 'crashing' sound effect ( as seen in prior versions) just a complete full stop on the action and pace. WTF! Then, trying to wriggle myeslf out by moving up and down, I finally managed to move up and forward and I blew up! Just like that. I wasn't taking any damage to my Arwing, no warning my ship was in danger, just blew up. This aint Starfox.

What happened? I thought Namco had turned this game around? I can't wait for somebody else to play it and prove me wrong, tell me something...positive and make me love the game...gutted.

[SunLolly]

Yes, it is kind of deppressing.

I don't normaly listen to reviews (I will try it for myself) but all of the feedback for this is really dissapointing.

The main reason I was looking forward to this was for "on-rail" Arwing,tank & sub (or something new) missions with multi paths. Not three arwing rail missions (yes, there is only 3!!!!!!) and free-roam on foot crap. How long was this in development again ? 2-3 years wasn't it ?

I don't get it. Why would the developer team ace (ace combat team) experienced in this genre break the flow of the game with on-foot missions.


BAH

[Saurian]

I dont understand where they are coming from with this game - Starfox is Nintendo's only shoot em up franchise and I've been waiting years for them to update the system I love so much, but it seems to have been thrown away. What's going on these days? Is it execs demanding changes to the game or is it the narrow minded audience who have no idea what shoot em ups are all about forcing the dev teams a certain way?

There's so much demand for things that simply detract from the Starfox game system rather than add to it, the multiplayer aspect of the N64 version was the weakest part of the game, it was absolutely nothing compared to the main game (infact simply flying the Arwing in the N64 version was seriously deep!) but this doesnt stop people moaning about no online or co-op modes - how would you implement Co-op into Starfox anyway? There is only one way I can think of which wont detract from the urgency and excitement of the game - but I bet a system like this would be slated as it's on rails.

Why do you need these modes in the game in the first place if it's such a solid shoot em up? Game length aswell I find shocking - OK the N64 version can be finished quickly, but if you have love for the game you end up playing it and finishing it through quickly daily for ages - years even in my case. 8 hours worth of play isnt something to get excited about, it's sounds like you get a single route 8 hour show which you sit through once and that's it, with a game that takes 30-40mins to finish you play a hell of a lot more ennit?