About 3 months ago I finally got around to playing StarFox Command for the Nintendo DS. Perosnally, I was a bit weary of this title because I've found previous Stylus based installments of the major Nintendo franchises to be rather underwhelming and hard to adapt to (Super Mario 64 DS, Metroid Prime: Hunters, Phantom Hourglass builds). I also am a big fan of StarFox, and the last few installments, while exellent on the visuals, sounds and story, were missing great gameplay to complete the package. Many fans believe that since StarFox 64, there hasn't been a solid StarFox title to date. So, how does the DS installment fair?
StarFox Command is another major Nintendo franchise that completely reworks the tried-and-true control scheme found in previous installments. In Command, you navigate your vehicle entirely with the stylus. Using a grid interface on the bottom screen, which also displays your arena map, you use the middle square as a home point, and then touch one of the grids in any direction away from the home point, your vehicle moves in that direction.
Additionally, you can perform the now infamous barrel roll manuever by simply drawing a circle on the bottom screen. The direction you rotate your stylus will affect which way you barrel roll, but unlike previous installments, I never found turning right difficult while barrel rolling to the left. On the sides of the bottom screen are three icons - one for a summersault, one for a U-turn, and one for you bomb inventory. The first two icons can be pressed at anytime to perform the manuever, except when you are along the edge of the map, the U-turn is disabled. The bomb is very unique, and depending on your familiarity with the controls at the time of use, either remarkably intuitive or very clumsy. You hold down your stylus on the bomb icon, then drag it to a spot on the map where you would like it to detonate. It's a combination of timing and perceiving your enemy's path.
The other major component of the game is your ability to attack. While I mentioned the bomb tactics above, the laser weapons are pretty much straight forward. You use the D-pad on your left or anyone of the buttons on your DS (L/R/X/Y/B/A) to fire your lasers, which is a bit ackward for most at first while trying to use the stylus. In fact, the entire setup may turn off hardcore StarFox fans initially, and the game takes quite some time to get used to. Additionally, as far as I could discern in the options, there is no way to switch the control scheme other than reversing Up and Down, and disabling the rumble.
The game's basic premise is you take the role of Fox McCloud and his StarFox team members. You go, much like in StarFox 64, from planet to planet to wipe out enemy forces. Each level's completion offers you some options, just like in the N64 incarnation, which leads to a branching gamepath. The biggest difference from the previous StarFox titles is that once you arrive at each destination, you are presented with a map of the enemy forces and your forces. Much like a real time strategy game, you use the stylus to move your forces into position to take on the enemy. You plot a course, with the distance allowed dependant on your fuel guage, and try to engage enemies head on, or position yourself strategically according to your plan.
Your mothership,The Great Fox, is vulnerable at all times. If an enemy or missile reaches Great Fox at any point, the game ends. Additionally, if you run out of turns on a planet, or lose all of your ships, the game will ened. Luckily, the game saves your progress after each planet, but if you fail on any planet, you must restart the entire map over. To clear a map, you need to eliminate all forces. There are enemy bases where missiles and enemy squadrons appear from, which usually are the primary focus. Great Fox can also be used to take out basic enemy squadrons if there are missiles in your inventory. Besides enemy forces, there are energy rings and time spheres you can pick up along the way. Also, as you progress, maps will begin to have an overcast of clouds or other elements, which you can partially wipe clean with your stylus, or clear with your vehicles progress, though after each turn, it gradually covers the map again.
Some planets are extremely easy. Some will have you banging your head against a wall because they seem outright cruel. Typically, on the harder areas, you will find yourself retrying the missions over and over until you formulate a good strategy. Each mission on a planet is in the typical all-range mode, with the exception of the missile missions, which return to the attack-run style mode where your ship is basically on rails. Each mission has a time limit and an objective. For enemy squadrons, you need to take out the designated forces and collect stars left behind. Missile stages simply require you to take out the missile while manuevering at high speeds and flying through these square boxes. The eney base missions are essentially like the enemy squadron missions, except at the collection of all stars, you have to take out an enemy mother ship by flying through square boxes and then peforming a barrel roll as you crash into the mother ship.
Several of the planets climax with a boss battle. You have a set time to defeat the boss and collect its star while navigating an open area. On boss battles, you can attempt to tackle them with anyone of your members, and you can try with all if you keep failing. The boss battles range from insanely easy to unbelievably hard, though they progress in difficulty as you advance, so it is a nice thing to have.
Of course, no StarFox would be complete without the voice acting and branching storylines. In Command, it appears that after the StarFox team's victory in Assault, the team split apart (this seams to happen a lot) and it is just Fox and ROB now. One day, General Peppy, who has taken the place of General Pepper as the head of Corneria's forces, contacts Fox alerting him of an attack by the Anglar forces, which apparently derive from the planet Venom's seas.
As you travel from planet to planet, you are re-united with your teammates, some old, some new, and there is a love triangle of sots between Fox, Krystal, and another member. Between each planet, and sometimes during the missions, the storyline is brought to life through conversations between the chracters, accompanied by that same jibberish language found in StarFox for the SNES. However, one cool feature of this title is you can actually record your own voice and have the characters speak in variations of your tone.
Each decision you make along your way to the final outcome affects both the story you experience and the ending you get, leading to some heavy replay value. Nintendo even threw in a very unpredictable, yet laughable, initial ending for the first time you play through the game. Many players will feel compelled to play through again to get a much better ending. Also, not every planet is playable initially, and you must branch off in replays to experience each area. Of course, there technically, in some scenarios, is no forseable "destination" for the end of the game, whereas in previous installments, you knew the game ended on Venom or the Aparoid home world.
The game's story and experience is brought to life with some pretty decent three-dimensional work. The only real problem is you are so far away from everything in your default view, you never get to see stuff up close unless your putting yourself in harm's way. Thus, much of the game feels like you identify something on your map, and just hunt it down - a lot of the visual experience is watered down due to the small screen size and wide camera angle. The two-dimensional segments, though, look great, although some fans not like the designs of the characters compared to previous installments. The maps, however, are very simplistic, and it takes a moment to really take everything in, though the game does a good job of distinguishing what is what once you have a moment to idenfity everything.
The game does suffer from repetitive level design. I honestly felt like, besides the difference in air, land or sea planet settings, the arenas were all identical looking, especially the mother ship ones. Occassionally you come to a setting in a city that stands out, like on Corneria, but for the most part, the settings aren't something to write home about, but they don't detract from the game at all.
The sounds in the game are really good. The soundtrack itself consists of touched up renditions of classic StarFox songs, most from the StarFox 64 outting, as well as several new pieces. Sound effects are mostly derived from previous installments as well, but they're just as effective as before. My only complaint is the DS' speakers and how they really water down the effect, leaving some yearning for a console rendition like Assaults awesome pieces.
The final component of the game is the multiplayer aspect. Basically, you can fight in a battle royale against three other players, or go head to head with only one or two other opponents or friends. The multiplayer mode adds laser upgrades and a stealth item. The action takes place in a variety of locales such as in space, in an open field, or within a city. Being able to get power-ups first, as well as precision with the bomb and good barrel roll timing are crucial. Unfortunately, even though this game hasn't been out too long, I have yet to be able to play a full four-player battle royale. All of my matches consisted of head-to-head battles with one other opponent.
There is a key problem with the multiplayer mode, as well as with all the other missions in the game - when you destroy your enemy, you do not "win" - you must collect these stars to complete a mission or get a point for your kill. Three times I've had stars appear in place of my defeated opponents online in spots I could not reach. Very frustrating and very needless. I also found that getting the bomb and steal automatically made you have too big of an advantage. It seems the stealth mode is too much for the combat, and multiplayer battles would be more fair without them.
Of course, the rampant disconnecting is back. I've yet to fight somebody who would stay online long enough for me to obtain my victory on my record. Nintendo included a "drop out" stat for your rankings, but of course, you don't get a win for your opponent doing that, so there is no way if everyone disconnects to raise your ranking, which is something the game factors in for matching you with others. If would be nice if Nintendo would begin to not just track disconnectors, but allow users to set a limit on dropouts an opponent can have in order for them to fight you. This would allow people like myself to screen out cheaters and fight only people who would play fairly.
Overall, StarFox Command is a fun title with a good spin on the classic StarFox formula, though it may take some time to get used to all of the changes. The game is not for everyone, as I can see many getting very frustrated with the stylus controls and the difficulty of later areas (including the Anglar final boss, which was just a miracle I beat that after several attempts). The multiplayer had a lot of potential, but unfortunately due to lack of interest and apparent lack of honest players, most people will drop it within a day or two. There's also a ton of replay value in this game, so the apparent short length of some play throughs is not accurate of the entire game because there's so much you've missed. Lastly, the difficulty is nice on some of the harder branching missions, really rewarding those who are sticking it out for the long haul. I definitely recommend the title, and if somehow the multiplayer mode picked up, it would be a sensational title.
Gameplay - 8: Nice blend of action missions with real time strategy. Controls have a steep learning curve, especially for veterans, though they become much more natural with time. Multiplayer mode had a lot of potential, but ultimate feels shortchanged due to lack of interest and fair players.
Visuals - 8: Very nice two and three-dimensional work, though the three-dimensional visuals are hard to appreciate due to the scope of many of the areas. Terrains do varry, but after playing for hours, they become a bit repetitive.
Audio - 9: Lots of reused and touched up pieces, though a good variety of new tracks. Sound effects are also rehashed, but they were pretty good to begin with.
Challenge/Replay/Story - 10: Verry good level of challenge that progresses nicely with the game (who should be able to beat any game in one attempt). Some of the harder areas will simply stump average players. The game simply can't be played one time, there's so much more to do and see with additional play throughs. Storyline isn't as strong as Assault or Adventures, but it is very unique in its multiple outcome design.
Final Score: 8.75 out of 10.
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