Star Fox Adventures
September 28, 2002

     Star Fox Adventures was one of my most anticipated games of the Gamecube. First scheduled for Q4 of 2001, later became pushed back to March of 2002.  At around January/February, I was already highly anticipating this game, expecting it to come as scheduled, but I should have known Nintendo better, once I looked at a reliable site, I cried out in agony at the title ‘Star Fox Adventures Delayed’.  As a recall, Mandy was there too, so she heard me say my ‘NOOO!!!!!!!!!’  Yes, pushed back once again, to an uncomfirmed release date, but I waited for further news, and it happened there happened to be a final confirmed release date of September 23rd, and I was happy.  Now, after a long wait, it is in finally my hands.

     After 8 years of doing nothing after the destruction of the Star Fox’s arch enemy, Andross, the Star Fox Team lies in boredom, waiting for a new challenge.  Soon, they are greeted by General Pepper, who tells them about the trouble in the Lylat System.  Fox MCloud embarks on a dangerous adventure through Dinosaur Planet.  Helping him, are Peppy Hare and Slippy Toad.  Whatever happened to Falco Lombardi is beyond anyone, he left the Star Fox Team to pursue a different career...

     Unlike the past Star Fox games, Star Fox Adventures takes on a Rare approach. (Ok, fine, it was a stupid pun.) Contrasting to the space shooters the Star Fox games were, SFA is instead, an adventure game!  Does this new approach stray away from past concepts?  In my opinion, yes it does.  It’s totally different from the past games, the only things that’s the same, are the characters.  The question is, is it a good thing?  As Martha Stewart would put it, ‘Star Fox Adventures, it’s a good thing.’  People say that it is simply a rip off of Zelda, yes it is, to some degree.  But hey, everyone’s anticipating the latest Zelda game, so why can’t Star Fox hold us over?

     Okay, enough of the dilly dally, now time to get to the good stuff.  If anyone saw a screen shot of this spectacular game, they would know at an instant how graphically amazing this game truly is.  From water to fur, details don’t go unnoticed.  It’s magnificent!  A luscious environment totally beautiful, great ambiance, and amazing!  Eye-popping eye-candy! Yum yum yum…  Go look at some screen shots right here to see what I mean.  But even these amazing screens doesn't do justice for how truly great these graphics are.

     I haven't played very many games with voice acting, actually this game is probably one of my only games to have voice acting to this level.  I have seen voice acting in games though, some, I can name a few, plain stink, and what are they, ventriloquists?  But Star Fox Adventures is well done, the movement is great, everything is perfect, except some of voices are annoying, but Fox is pretty good.  The score is fabulous, perfectly in tune with the dinosaur realm, a masterpiece.

     The controls are pretty simple and quick to master.  It’s a lot like the controls of Zelda, with a few tweaks here and there.  The only real problem, is that you’re so used to pressing the start button for the inventory in Zelda, but in SFA, you’re suppose to use the C-stick, I had trouble with that at first.

     So far I’ve played for about 5 hours, and loving it.  At first it’s pretty easy, like any other game, as you go along, more strategy is involved and actual thinking.  The story is a bit weird and all, but not bad.  Saving the planet from total destruction, done before.

     Well so far I’ve praised this game fully, but now time for some cons.  There are a few peevish things that get on your nerves, like Tricky, Fox’s sidekick… nah, just kidding.  The camera can get annoying sometimes, yeah.  Also, you can notice the frame rate drop quite a few times, it’s easy to tell, but not a big problem.  So, there you have it, the cons, very minor in my opinion.

     There you have it folks, Bobo’s review on the magnificent Star Fox Adventures.  If you have been enriched in any sort of way, I suggest buying this game tout de suite.  It’s great.  Disappointingly now, all us Gamecube owners have to say a fond (or irate) farewell to Rareware, for Star Fox Adventures was their last game for the Gamecube, and now they are turning over to the dark side, Microsoft.  But then again, all those kiddy games going to the Xbox, whadda ya say now fanboys/girls?  Ok, I was just kidding… I’m gonna miss Rare!!! WAHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  But then again, the only games I liked from them were Star Fox Adventures and Donkey Kong, but the 64 one stunk.  This is getting off topic.  Oh yeah, go buy it right NOW!!!  BYE RARE!

- Bobo

Rating:

.: 10.8.02 Update :.  Just finished the game! 15 days of about 21 hours!  It's a reasonably short gaming, considering at one point it was *rumored* to have lasted 50 hours, but nonetheless great.  Have my perceptive changed?  Well, in some ways, yes.  It's a much easier game than you would expect, and it seems to get easier as you go a long, the strategies seem a bit over-used.  Also the game is quite linear, barely any side-quests, this lessens the replay-value by quite a lot.  But anyways, I'm definitely up to the challenge of finishing it again, beating my time of 20 hours and 55 minutes, first time around would probably take 18-25 hours to complete, depending if you're a hard core gamer or not.  Do not let these aspects deter you from getting this game though!  It's a great game, go out and get it if you have a Gamecube!  Bobo Out.
- Bobo

Screen Shots

Concept Art