Battlestar Galactica Screenshots   The Final Say! Gameplay 8.8 Graphics 8.7 Sound 9.0 Value 8.6 Battlestar Galactica - reviewed by Andrew B Review Date: April 2003 Review Score: 8.7/10  Distributed By: Vivendi Universal

"An old classic TV series returns to the XBox"   The latest space shooter from Vivendi Universal (Battlestar Galactica) is based on the cult science fiction classic that the majority of gamers will probably not remember. Fortunately I was one of those lucky individuals to actually be brought up with this amazing science fiction series that featured a battle between good versus or evil... or more specifically the last remnants of humanity versus the nefarious Cylons, a civilisation made up of deadly artificial life-forms.   Although the series hasn't been shown on free-to-air television in decades, a new mini-series in the United States has once again rekindled this amazing saga and with that, the first official and only game that gives plenty of fan service to the original series that is available on both the XBox and the PlayStation 2.   Although this current version of the saga is based 40 years before the original television series, gamers get to play the role of Adama, a young heroic pilot. For those that are interested or know anything Battlestar Galactica, Adama is not an original character but in actual fact was from the series and was played by an aging Lorne Greene who was the commander of the Galactica. Adama must now take control of his blue wing division squadron and face improbably odds against the deadly and powerful Cylon space military.   The gameplay behind Battlestar Galactica is similar to game such as Wing Commander or Star Wars Rogue Squadron where players must engage in a variety of space-orientated missions and defeat a plethora of enemies. Missions contain the stock-standard campaigns that include escorts, subterfuge and kill & destroy missions but the real magic of the game is that the gamer isn't just limited to one craft but rather has access to just about every ship that appeared in the television series plus a few new ones for the game.   Whether it's the standard Galactica's battle fighter called the Viper or even a Cylon Raider, gamers will be ensured a varied and entertaining gaming experience. The crafts that you pilot are also armed with a variety of weapons such as lasers and missiles and of course each ship handles differently (some also have turbo) but my preferred favourite is the Viper, although not extremely powerful is deadly fast and does give the Cylon Raider a run for its money.

The combat of Battlestar Galactica is relatively straight forward but I must admit that it took me some time getting use to, I'm not sure whether it was the control system of the game or the accurate artificial intelligence. In order to target an enemy vessel, they will appear on your display as a red dot, however for optimal shooting performance, when the target turns blue, you basically have a bullseye shot of your enemy. Although the target system is automatic, the developers have allowed the gamer to select their targets because sometimes the automatic target systems selects the least most viable threat to your ship. Apart from solo combat, you also have access to your squadron who are basically a powerhouse in the game and you can give them a variety of orders such as protect the escort vessel, scatter or attack the enemy. Although there is no save anywhere feature, the game does allow the player to save in-between levels so you are guaranteed less ulcers in the stomach and a more normal gaming frustration level.

Graphically, Battlestar Galactica is a fairly impressive looking game but unfortunately some of the ship designs look a little dated but that is part of the developers view to keep the game looking as closely as possible to the original series. The ships contain a fairly high polygon count and move with extreme realism and the frame-rate of the game is constantly locked at high speeds for that smooth feel. The backgrounds of the game are a little sparse but when you think about it, there isn't much in space besides stars, planets, galaxies and of course asteroids. The explosions in the game appear to have been directly taken from an Industrial Light & Magic science fiction movie that look quite amazing and give you a sense of satisfaction when you destroy the enemy. Each missile and laser also has its own special effect, whether it's the lighting or the spectrum of colours that it has access to. There are also some very entertaining pre-rendered CGI cutscenes that really help immerse the gamer into this cult classic that has brought back only fond memories for this reviewer.

The musical score of Battlestar Galactica is brilliant and uses the original television series soundtrack for that true experience with some new orchestrated additions. Apart from the impressive soundtrack of the game, the voice acting of the title has also been professional done and features the talents of Richard Hatch, Dirk Benedict and Kristanna Loken who give the characters in a game a true personality that should allow most gamers to easily relate to the characters. There is also a plethora of sound effects, from the computer-generated whirl of the Cylon voices to the huge epic space battles between the two races. Each laser that you fire or explosion that you hear, sounds quite impressive and it would of been even better if the developers used true Dolby Digital 5.1 sound.

In conclusion, Battlestar Galactica is an impressive looking game that is truly a blast from the past. If you have never seen the original television series than don't feel disheartened because you can still thoroughly enjoy this game without knowing the extensive back history of the series. The gameplay of the title is a little on the difficult side but with over 30 missions, an impressive gaming engine and a majestic soundtrack, there's little wrong with this title. If you love science fiction space shooters or the genre itself than I would recommend that you check this title out!

- Andrew B