Star Wars Rebellion

Lucas Arts
PC

For years, Star Wars fans have cried out for a strategy game, and now Lucas Arts has produced this ripper.

Set after the battle of Yavin 4, where Luke Skywalker blew up the Imperial Death Star in the first of the movie trilogy, it is a departure from the action theme of most other Star Wars games.

Let's face it, X-Wing v Tie Fighter was just another flying sim and Jedi Knight was a Quake clone, albeit a good one.

Rebellion lives and breathes Star Wars, with seven main characters from the movies on each side.

Chewbacca, Princess Leia Organa, Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, General Dodanna, Wedge Antilles and Mon Mothma are with the rebel Alliance while the Empire has arch-villain Darth Vader, Piett, Veers, Ozzel, Nededa, Jerjerrod and last but not least, the Emperor himself.

Add catchy music from the movies and you really feel as though the force is with you.

Star Wars Rebellion is billed as a real-time strategy game, but don't be fooled.

This is no Command and Conquer but more an epic in the nature of Master of Orion or Pax Imperia -- a sort of Civilization in space.

However, it is a strategy game set in real time, which means you have to play at the computer's pace rather than make it wait for a turn.

This makes for an exciting if frantic game at times -- the message system is a serious source of stress.

Most of the game takes place in the command centre, from where you control a galaxy divided into 10 to 20 sectors.
Each sector contains 100 worlds or more, and management is complex to say the least.

The key to winning is building infrastructure, researching technologies and accumulating resources. The problem is that it's a vast game.

Once mastered, it is addictive with incredible depth -- the sort of game that seriously disrupts your social life.

There are two basic modes -- strategic, where you can manage planets and build ships and troops, or tactical, where you take control of your ships in battle.

Such fights are often fast and fierce and a good working knowledge of the control keys is essential.

The Empire starts with better big ships -- a fleet of huge Star Destroyers against the rebels' bulk cruisers -- so effectively that the good guys are out-gunned. But the rebels get better small fighters such as Y-wings and X-wings to even up the odds a bit.

You start each game with six planets to support you. You have to conquer the rest, or send diplomatic missions to enlist their help.

The game has some nice random touches. Just when you get a character fully trained, he or she may switch sides or be assassinated. Very frustrating.

And Luke Skywalker has an annoying habit of disappearing in the thick of things to do Jedi training. But like all good heroes, he always comes back.

Not a game for the faint-hearted but a must for Star Wars addicts.

Required: Pentium 90, 16Mb Ram, Win 95.

-- Tom Eley, 7DAYS, 12/11/98

PICTURED: Starship Troopers: Welcome to the command centre.