In "Star Wars Episode I: Jedi Power Battles" , players can engage in fast-paced side-scrolling action as Jedi characters from Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, using lightsabers and the Force to fight off droids and other enemies. The game offers a 10-level campaign and bonus mini-games, and can be played in 2-player couch co-op mode. Players can choose from a variety of characters, including Mace Windu, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Darth Maul, and can customize their lightsaber colors.
Nostalgic experience for fans of the original game, bringing back fond memories of childhood gaming.
Expanded character roster and instant level unlocks provide more options and quicker access to gameplay.
Improved graphics and some quality of life features enhance the overall experience compared to the original.
The game is plagued with bugs and glitches, including crashes and unresponsive controls, making it frustrating to play.
Combat mechanics feel clunky and unrefined, with issues like delayed inputs and poor hit detection.
Missing features from the original PS1 version, such as destructible environments, detract from the overall gameplay experience.
gameplay
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
64%
11%
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its nostalgic charm but criticizing its outdated mechanics, clunky controls, and technical issues such as input lag and game crashes. While the core mechanics and character variety offer some replay value, the overall experience is marred by repetitive gameplay and frustrating platforming, making it feel more like a port of a classic game rather than a modern remaster. Players recommend it primarily for those with nostalgia for the original titles, as the gameplay can be jarring and lacks significant improvements.
“Classic, good gameplay and it is coop.”
“Aspyr has done a fantastic job porting this over to PC, and the same classic responsive gameplay (and janky levels) are all intact.”
“All levels unlocked from the get-go lets you get straight to the fun, expanded character roster provides more combat opportunities, it has nostalgic charm, and minigames are a fun twist on the standard gameplay.”
“Anyone trying to sell you on a positive gameplay experience is a charlatan; what's here is strictly to cater to those who no longer have a PlayStation One in their collection.”
“But it still has some tech issues on the gameplay side, most of all the input lag, especially when you do combos; it often feels like the game doesn’t register them.”
“The camera randomly moves away, characters suddenly disappear for no reason, health bars barely exist, final boss is near impossible due to constant block breaks and devastating combos, objective fails for no reason, cheats actually affect proper gameplay.”
graphics
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
66%
13%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many noting that while the remastered visuals are an improvement over the original 25-year-old graphics, they still fall short of modern standards. Players appreciate the cleaned-up visuals and higher framerates, which enhance gameplay, but some feel that the graphics do not fully capitalize on the potential of a remake. Overall, the remaster is seen as enjoyable for casual play, especially with its nostalgic charm, despite some graphical oversights and limitations.
“I will say that they did a really good job of cleaning up the visuals, making the platforming portion of the game much easier.”
“I think the remaster is great with the retouched graphics, all the characters being unlocked at the start, and the port being a direct transfer from the Dreamcast version.”
“That all being said, it's still a load of fun for a casual play with family or friends, especially with the couch co-op, and the graphical updates from the PS1 are definitely an improvement as is the camera for some sections too.”
“Of course the game isn’t a graphic wonder; its overhauled graphics from 25 years ago, but honestly, it works.”
“The graphics seem to have been adapted from the Dreamcast version but do not consider this a remaster by any means.”
“This was an issue in the Tomb Raider remasters too, as some areas looked better in the old graphics.”
stability
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
6%
94%
The game's stability has been widely criticized, with numerous reports of glitches and bugs, including game-breaking issues that prevent level completion. While some players appreciate the nostalgic elements, many agree that the port suffers from significant stability problems reminiscent of its original Dreamcast version. Despite a few positive mentions of performance, the overall consensus is that the game remains in a buggy state, detracting from the experience.
“Solid 60 fps experience; the game looks great, runs smoothly, and includes some nice quality of life features along with new content.”
“This game isn't worth full price, and it never will be while it remains in this buggy, glitchy, Aspyr-quality state.”
“No such luck, it's buggy (some levels can't even be completed, for who knows what reason).”
“Good game in the sense of it being a part of my childhood, but this remaster is buggy; the biggest problem for me is level 6—the mid-transition load point always crashes the game, so I can't complete it.”
story
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
60%
20%
The game's story is minimal, primarily serving as a loose backdrop for its arcade-style gameplay, which focuses on combat and high scores rather than narrative depth. While it loosely follows the events of Episode 1, players should not expect a rich storyline, as the experience is more akin to a beat-em-up than a traditional story-driven game. Some players enjoyed the nostalgic elements and character unlocks, but many noted frustrations with mission design and lack of guidance.
“A really fun arcade Star Wars beat-em-up set in the Phantom Menace story.”
“Positives: the new characters in the new game+ mode are fun along with the bonus missions after the main missions.”
“I really enjoyed playing through it again, but will admit I think I was able to enjoy it more due to my memory of certain sequences and how to get past them.”
“An arcade game where there isn't a story; you are kind of aimlessly going around killing stuff just for a high score.”
“The game loosely follows the events of Episode 1, but don’t expect too much story. Jedi Power Battles is more of a beat 'em up than a story game that goes along with the movie.”
“Well, I assumed it would have some story to it... nope.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users find humor in various aspects of games, from unexpected glitches like big head mode to character sounds, such as Yoda's laughter during item pickups. While some moments are genuinely funny, like the nostalgia for a hilarious game remaster, others can become frustrating, as seen with the intrusive camera in big head mode. Overall, humor in gaming often stems from both intentional design and unintentional mishaps.
“The funny part is it would crash on my PS1 version at the same part but only 15% of the time and only if I was getting hit as I triggered the transition.”
“We don't know how, but we activated big head mode and we didn't know how to turn it off! Hahaha, it was funny at first but it got annoying, because again, the camera is so zoomed in, Liam Neeson's head was taking up a quarter of the screen.”
“I'm personally hoping for a Revenge of the Sith video game remaster; that game was hilarious.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization of the game is criticized as a low-quality cash grab, reflecting a lack of care from the developers, while some players appreciate the achievements and feel that the revival respects the original game. Overall, opinions are mixed, with a strong warning to avoid spending money on it.
“This is an absolute hallmark of a low-quality, low-effort port by a team that didn't care about the game or its players, and just attempted a quick cash grab.”
“Save your money, and emulate it, this is a cheap nostalgia cash grab.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
100%
The game offers a solid replayability factor through its diverse playable characters, each with unique abilities and playstyles, encouraging players to explore different strategies. Additionally, the leveling up mechanic motivates players to maximize their characters, further enhancing the incentive to replay. Despite a short completion time of around two hours, the variety in challenges and character dynamics keeps the experience fresh.
“Can be completed in about 2 hours, but has different playable characters and challenges that extend replayability.”
“Different characters to use, each with their own playstyle, essentially contribute to the replay value. With the leveling up mechanic, you'll want to max out some of the characters.”
“Can be completed in about 2 hours, but has different playable characters and challenges to extend replayability.”
“Each character is unique with their own combos, abilities, and consumable items, which adds to the replayability of the game.”
“Different characters to use, they play differently and essentially provide the replay value, and with the leveling up mechanic, you would want to max out some of the characters.”
music
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The music in the game is a highlight, featuring iconic Star Wars themes and sound effects that enhance the nostalgic experience. While the audio quality is mixed, the epic intro and authentic sounds of blasters and lightsabers contribute to an engaging atmosphere, making it a fitting accompaniment for the gameplay. Overall, the soundtrack effectively captures the essence of the Star Wars universe, adding to the fun of the beat'em up action.
“The audio is a mixed bag; though unfortunately, the game has all you want from a Star Wars game: the epic intro music, authentic blaster fire, droid noises, and your lightsaber cuts through enemies with the satisfying sound you all know and love.”
“It's a fun beat 'em up game, with the Star Wars music fitting the mood. There's co-op to play with friends, the levels are fairly well done, and the nostalgia is strong with this one.”
“Couch co-op can be fun, especially with John Williams' music.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The game's optimization is generally stable, with no significant visual or performance issues reported during gameplay. However, players noted a lack of graphical options and mentioned sluggish combat and platforming as potential drawbacks. Overall, while it may evoke nostalgia, the experience can be hindered by its performance quirks.
“If you can get past the sluggish combat, painful platforming, and performance 'quirks', then this is a fun trip down memory lane; if you can't, then prepare for a lesson in what games felt like a long time ago.”
“So not much performance enhancement was made on that front.”
“Not a lot of graphical options, but the game still looks clean and doesn't suffer from any visual or performance issues as far as I can tell in an hour of playing.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its immersive sound design, effectively capturing the essence of the Star Wars universe. Players feel fully enveloped in the iconic sounds and ambiance, enhancing their overall experience.
“The sound atmosphere is incredible; it truly feels and sounds like Star Wars.”
“The immersive environment draws you in, making every moment feel epic.”
“The attention to detail in the sound design creates a captivating atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players find that grinding can be frustrating, particularly for blaster characters who struggle with level progression, and they note that jumping puzzles add to the tedium. Additionally, the intense sound effects can contribute to the overall challenge of grinding through levels.
“Most blaster characters will have trouble beating levels.”
“Jumping puzzles are still tedious to get through.”
“The grinding aspect feels repetitive and lacks meaningful rewards.”