Star Wars: Lethal Alliance

As of lately, the games that are centered around a galaxy far, far away have been mainly about Jedis and the timelines that sees the beginning of the first galactic Empire formed by a Sith Lord that now calls himself Emperor Palpatine. Of course, these games were inspired by the last chapter in the new trilogy that sees the fall of Anakin Skywalker and his turn to the Dark Side as Darth Vader. While it’s fun to swing a lightsaber, it’s great to finally wrap your fingers around a blaster and take down some of the galaxy’s worst scum. Luckily for us, we get to do exactly that in Star Wars: Lethal Alliance for the PSP.

In Lethal Alliance, gamers slip into the role of Rianna Saren, a tough-as-nails Twi’Lek who had been orphaned and sold into slavery by traders protected by the Empire. With a deep-rooted hatred for the Emperor, Rianna has taken to smuggling and a life of crime until one day she meets a shady figure who calls himself Kyle Katarn (who you may remember from games like Dark Forces or Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II) who invites you to meet a certain teenaged Princess who just so happens to be a major force behind the Rebel Alliance. Offering Riana a lucrative-yet-dangerous assignment, Rianna accepts and during a smuggling run she rescues a little robot she nicknames Zeeo who will join her on an adventure that will have this feisty female Twi’Lek and her little hovering droid fight for the good of the entire galaxy.

As I mentioned above, this one is all about blasters and blasting is exactly what you’ll do as Rianna. She’s certainly no Jedi Knight (if she were this girl would definitely be a Sith Lord in the making) and you’ll know it since she’s not shy when it comes to pulling the trigger. Anyone who gets in her way will certainly meet their fate before her blaster or her melee weapon of choice … the Thorn of Ryloth that acts like a sort of short lightsaber blade. Add the fact that Twi’Leks are known for their acrobatic skills and you have a recipe for good action game.

Rianna might be a talented acrobat and shooter but it’s Zeeo who plays a big role in her survival. In the beginning of the game, you use Zeeo to tap into computers to open sealed doors as well as stun enemies in order for you to finish them off. Later, however, Zeeo can be used as a shield, be used to perform slow-mo acrobatic moves and you can even ride on top of the little droid. The more the pair work together, the more they can pull off better moves during the game. There are even times where you can control Zeeo and navigate the little robot through narrow passages to activate a sensor.

As far as PSP exclusives are concerned, Lethal Alliance has a nice number of missions and many of them are appropriate bite-sized and perfect when you’re playing the game on the go. The mission variety is actually excellent and there are very few moments where you’re doing the same thing whether you’re fighting against hired thugs or (since the game takes place before the events seen in Episode IV) Imperial Stormtroopers. At one point, you’re taking control of a mounted gun as you use Zeeo to keep the gun from overheating and another point you’re hoping down a shaft using Zeeo to keep you from falling to your death. There’s even a cool moment where you’re hanging on to Zeeo as he zooms past flying traffic throughout Courasant much like Kenobi does during the chase scene in Episode II.

While the levels are great fun and Star Wars fans will certainly get a kick out of interacting with core elements from the George Lucas-created world, it’s the controls that cripple the game. The targeting function is the primary problem, often targeting the farthest enemy on the screen rather than the enemy right in front of you who is shooting his blaster right at your face. At least the Rianna’s acrobatic skills are decent, slowing things down in slow motion to allow you to target your enemies a bit better. Another aspect of the game that just doesn’t work is the two-player multiplayer mode that doesn’t offer much at all.

The graphics in the game are actually not bad but then again they’re not great either. As far as the environments are concerned, the game is great at bringing to life all the usual Star Wars visual elements that make up the universe. The character models are actually pretty good as well, although Rianna doesn’t look so good during the game’s action. Some characters sometimes have that stiff PSOne look and the clipping problems are plentiful. When it comes to music, the always-wonder John Williams score never gets tiresome and while it plays in loops in this game it’s never annoying. Even the sound effects come straight out of the movies. Just about the only weak aspect of the sound is the voice acting that just isn’t that good.

Star Wars fans and third-person shooter enthusiasts will find a lot to like about this action game that offers plenty of variety and fun despite the flawed shooting mechanics. Lethal Alliance plays in the Star Wars universe in the most enjoyable ways and the fact that it’s made specifically for the PSP is a major plus but in the end, the controls and multiplayer mode will make you feel that this could have been a lot better. Still, this game isn't one you should miss either way.

Gameplay: 7.0
Rianna and Zeeo make a pretty good team and many of their moves are just plain hot but the targeting controls will get you killed and the camera isn’t as responsive as it should have been in this game. You’ll get blaster upgrades and learn new moves but the real star here are the cool levels.

Graphics: 7.5
The environments are pure Star Wars and going up against the recognizable Imperial Stormtroopers is a delight for any fan of the George Lucas-created universe. While the character models can look a bit on the blocky side, it’s not entirely bad.

Sound: 6.5
The familiar and always welcome Williams score that punctuates most Star Wars-themed games is present and the usual assortment of sound effects is here as well. There’s some voice acting as well but it isn’t very good.

Difficulty: Medium
The battles can get a bit hot in places and there are times when you’ll find yourself repeating a level and thanking the Gaming Gods for checkpoint saves. There are some platform bits that are a bit tricky at times but there’s nothing here that will frustrate.

Concept: 7.5
While Jedi Knights are absent from this game, Rianna is a great character and she certainly knows how to use a blaster. Zeeo is a great friend and you use him throughout the game in a number of creative ways. The story is fun and has a cool cameo character. There’s a multiplayer mode that would have been killer but, sadly, it isn’t so good.

Multiplayer: 4.0
Two players can blast away at each another in a deathmatch-styled multiplayer game in cramped maps like the Death Star or even down below in the planet of Tatooine. The good news is that you can make some credits for some cool upgrades during matches. The bad news is that the poor targeting and confined spaces are really not ideal for fun multiplayer action.

Overall: 7.0
Star Wars: Lethal Alliance for the PSP may not be perfect when it comes to the controls or its multiplayer mode but it’s still a blast to play if you’re a fan of all things Star Wars or like a decent action game. There’s a lot of variety to the levels and the teamwork aspect is pretty good but ultimately this is a portable action game that could have a lot better.