While there is no multiplayer component, Republic Heroes does offer a wireless adhoc co-op mode with friends who also own the game. Secondary players can take over the role of the normally computer-controlled partner for in-game challenges and cooperation.

Throughout the game, Master Yoda is there as a narrative character to give you gameplay hints and tips. Interspersed throughout the missions and acting as informational segues are animated cutscenes like the one in Figure C.

FIGURE C


The game is peppered with animated cutscenes similar to the cartoon. Roll over picture for a larger image.

How it plays
Overall, Republic Heroes is only a so-so diversion. Other than the fact that it takes place in the Star Wars setting, there really isn't anything unique or trend-setting to the game to set it apart from other titles in the genre. The campaign only contains about the same content as a two-episode plotline of the animated series, and only took me about ten hours to complete, leaving me feeling as though the game were over much too soon.

Character play is identical for all Jedi, as well as all troopers. Regardless of whether you're playing as a Master Jedi, such as Mace Windu, or the Padawan Ahsoka Tano, all Jedi have the same moves, powers, combat techniques, and skills. The only real difference is the character skin applied to the model. The same applies to the clone troopers, with the only exception being the use of dual pistols when playing as Captain Rexx, as opposed to the standard-issue blaster rifle carried by most troopers.

At times, the puzzles required to advance can be somewhat vague or difficult to solve due to your partner's actions. For example, at one point, playing as Anakin, you're required to jump on a robot to take control and then fling it into a ventilation grate in order to break the gate and open the path for advancement. The trouble is that Ahsoka, your computer-controlled Padawan, continually destroys the droids before you have a chance to jump on one. To make matters worse, the controls are often awkward and infuriatingly unresponsive.

Worst of all though is the camera and visual perspective. The player has absolutely no control over the camera or the zoom level, resulting in the characters at times appearing microscopic even on the PS3. This can be a serious problem on the small screen of the PSP as you can see in Figure D.

FIGURE D


The characters can be downright tiny at times. Roll over picture for a larger image.

In fact, it was so bad that sometimes I couldn't tell the difference between the battle droids and my Jedi, even with the lightsaber swinging. Figure E shows an example of about how large you can expect the characters to be under the best of circumstances.

FIGURE E


Even at their largest, the characters still aren't all that large. Roll over picture for a larger image.

The verdict
My final word on Star Wars The Clone Wars Republic Heroes is that for die-hard fans it's an interesting, if somewhat short diversion, allowing the player to romp through their very own episode of the animated series. But for the average, casual gamer not fully immersed in the Star Wars universe, it will only be a disappointment and certainly not worth the price of a brand-new game. In either case, I would recommend waiting a few months until the novelty of being a new title wears off and the price comes down a bit.

OUR RATING: 3 of 5

Timothy S. Hillebrand, Ph.D., a retired archaeologist, runs a data processing business from his home office, and enjoys writing, his Japanese garden, and his recumbent bike. A longtime PDA enthusiast, he takes great pleasure in lecturing on eBooks and electronic publishing, and telling librarians that eBooks rule and treebooks drool.