of Star Wars The franchise has churned out five movies and five TV shows since Disney purchased the beloved intellectual property from George Lucas, not to mention numerous novels, comics, video games, and merchandise. , is present everywhere today.
But things were different in the late 1990s. At that point, the last major film had been released over a decade ago. Fans were thrilled to see Lucas return to a galaxy far, far away, writing and directing the prequel trilogy. Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace However, the film disappointed after receiving a lukewarm response from the fandom, who were expecting it to focus more on pure action than complex political intrigue.
However, there were two memorable scenes in this movie. A podrace with a young Anakin Skywalker, and a lightsaber duel at the end of the movie between Liam Neeson's Qui-Gon Jinn and Ewan McGregor's Obi-Wan Kenobi against the evil Sith Lord Darth Maul. .
new thing Star Wars Everything from toys to clothing was manufactured and sold to promote the film. From the late 1970s onwards, video games were still an emerging field when the original trilogy was released in the early 1980s, but many games were made based on video games.
However, with the prequel trilogy, gaming has come a long way and technology has made the experience more immersive and exciting.Therefore, in the first movie, gamers received a video game adaptation phantom menace It put them in the shoes of Jedi Obi-Wan.
The game may have had just as many flaws as the movie, but it did establish certain ideas that have been explored in games for years to come.
Defeat enemies by wielding a lightsaber
Originally developed for the PC and ported to the original PlayStation, the game had the same name as the movie and featured a promotional poster on the cover. This made it clear what buyers expected from the game: a first-hand experience of the events of the movie.
The game begins exactly like the movie, with Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon being ambushed as they fight off killer droids and escape. Right off the set, the game is thrilling as it challenges players to defend and attack with a lightsaber.
The biggest difference between movies and games is not the work itself, but the audience that consumes it. For most children and young adults in 1999, this game and the movie it was based on were their first introduction to gaming. Star Wars franchise. By then, the original trilogy may have seemed outdated to emerging millennials. The prequel trilogy opened up new avenues and allowed us to experience something fresh, with new concepts that stimulated the imagination.
And the kids saw this movie and knew what they wanted to do. It's about becoming a Jedi and wielding a lightsaber. This was a big selling point for this game, and considering it's a tie-in game, it worked. As background, most video games made as movie tie-ins were not expected to be great by fans either, as they usually exist as promotional tools rather than independent works of art.
But it's more than just a duel, and the game progresses through the events of the movie, but mostly simplified for younger audiences to understand and grasp. It does not necessarily discount itself, but rather makes the politics of taxes and trade routes easier to understand.
promise of better games
Unfortunately, while the game may have been fun, it wasn't good enough to warrant positive feedback upon release. However, reviewers were still able to find areas of potential.
what phantom menace The success of this game was in the lightsaber battles, and it became an absolute necessity for lightsaber-focused games to be played regularly. That's exactly what happened for the next 25 years of his life.
And the standard and quality of these games continued to improve. By 2005, a third game tie-in was made; Episode III – Revenge of the Sithgave fans a much more sophisticated lightsaber-wielding experience.
There is also. knight of the old republic The series remains a fan favorite for its dynamic and brutal lightsaber combat.
Recently, Jedi: Fallen Order and Jedi: Survivor It brought lightsaber gameplay to the cutting edge and gave players the opportunity to have an incredible adventure. Star Wars Explore the universe and fight the most powerful enemies.
verdict
The tide has begun to turn phantom menace Once dominated by children of the 70's, the film's fan base has now become a generation of children who grew up in the 90's, and the film has been reevaluated and is now openly loved by many.
Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the game. With its addition to PlayStation Plus' library of classic games this year, it's clear just how popular it is. Star Wars On a positive note, the game has improved over the years.
The controls are archaic and not at all agile, and the graphics are blocky and sometimes ugly. The camera doesn't follow the characters from behind, but looks down at them from strange angles.
However, the game does a good job of following the events of the movie and putting the player at the center of the action. Another advantage is the game's voice acting. The voice actors bring the characters to life and add fun through their jokes and witty remarks.
After all, play is phantom menace Today's games foster nostalgia in the hopes that you'll remember the fun you had playing them in 1999, rather than looking at them through today's advanced gaming goggles.
Updated: May 10, 2024, 6:02 p.m.
