Preview

Platform: PSP
Developer: TBA
Publisher: LucasArts Entertainment Company
Previewed by Justin Fassino on 2007-07-15

LucasArts knows how to run a booth. At E3 (both this year and last), they provided a comfortable, movie-like environment to showcase their upcoming games. One of those titles is a new episode to the Star Wars: Battlefront series called Renegade Squadron. It will follow the exploits of Han Solo's rebel strike team that he assembled in Return of the Jedi.

While it may appear that this PSP-exclusive game is just a quick port with a new coat of paint to entice buyers, that is not the case at all. Renegade Squadron will be the most full-featured Battlefront to date. To start with, the game has a brand new single-player campaign, if that's your thing. But it also has a robust multiplayer mode, including up to eight players locally, or up to 16 players online. And best of all, its portable, so if you need your Star Wars fix on the go, it's right there for you.

The multiplayer mode also has a new character creation system not found in previous Battlefront games. You can pick an existing class and look, or you can make your own by choosing from hundreds of options that pertain to outfit, species, weapons, and abilities. If you want a wookie dressed in pink that plays like a tank (which the LucasArts team did), you have that freedom. If you create something that just isn't your cup of tea, don't worry; you can stop by any spawn location on the map and re-customize your character, which means that pansy wookie you just killed might come back as a stormtrooper seeking revenge with the ability to run faster than ever. You'll also be able to choose how much health or ammo you can carry, or you can choose to capture command posts faster than normal.

Also new to the series is an auto-lock feature, which will automatically show you where the closest next target is in space battles. You can disable this if you would like, though. Space battles have also been made easier to navigate; enemy capital ships are now placed directly across the battlefield so there's no getting lost, while the developers also added more periphery objects, like non-interactive space cruisers, to help orient players. And for those who could never seem to guide their ships into the hangar bay without blowing up, there's a one-button auto-dock feature that will let the computer take over to fit you into even the most snug of star destroyer docks without scratching the paint. And that's paint you won't want to scratch either, because the ships that you fly will match in color and theme to the look of your character, making you identifiable no matter where you are.

Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron is due out on October 9 of this year. If you don't own a PSP yet, you're in luck; Renegade Squadron will also be available through the new white PSP bundle. The game will come with a PSP system which has Darth Vader's face on the back to contrast the polar beauty of the handheld.

If all goes according to plan, Renegade Squadron might end up being one of the best multiplayer games on the PSP.

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