Finally had a chance to play SW today. I am holding my LE spot right now but I must admit first impressions were not all super positive. Here is my super long detailed explanation after my first plays.
Of course the #1 positive is that this is Star Wars. Yes the music is there and there are clips from the movie. While I did not feel at all immersed in the theme it was very exciting to see so many modes from the first 3 films.
Outside I found the translite and the cabinet graphics to not be sharp or bright at all. Sitting next to a MET the colors just looked dull and I thought the graphics themselves looked hazy. Here were no sharp lines at all which was wierd.
Gameplay itself was OK but not a top 10 for me. Maybe not even top 20. Outer loops were easy and flowed well. Ramps were smooth. Inside U Turn worked well and brings memories of NO Fear for sure.
I didn't find the game really fast or punishing. The shots are way up the playfield so missing a shot still gives lots of time to react to the miss (unlike AC/DC or MET where the punishment is fast and furious).
I didn't mind the button mashing for the tie fighters. Added some fun but likely will be silly after many games in a row. The multipliers I didn't really get into but I understand how they work and I commend them for trying something new but just because it is new doesn't mean it is great... need more time to hold and click and select and shoot to see how much fun it makes it but since I don't often play for points I think it will likely be a loss for me.
I was really missing the fact that there are no call outs in the game that I can remember. Yes there are the flashing inserts but often they were all flashing and I had no idea what was most important. I found it difficult to watch the screen during the game but saw when others were playing that lots of shot info was there - basically need a co-pilot I guess which is OK and fun sometimes I suppose.
The unfinished code and comments here about what will HAVE to be fixed is really concerning. I can see finishing the current limits of the game very easily and I waited over a year with my GB and still many things not complete and there were many of the same comments of what will happen FOR SURE and never happened and never will. I fear the SW code will be the same. Perhaps once a few bugs are fixed, that is it. That would be sad but Stern does have many other games to get to so don't expect too much more out of the code is my guess.
All in all it really didn't give me the "one more game" experience even playing it for the first time. I have MET at home already and after 6 games of SW I moved over to MET and found the game just so much more satisfying and so much more of an "experience"..: Sparky vs Tie Fighter is just no competition. Frying that dude never gets old!
I really hope the premium / LE offers much more of an "experience" but am fearful that my SW dreams are coming to an end. I do look forward to playing more but this just might be one that needs to stay out of the house to truly be enjoyed. Fingers still crossed and not giving up yet.
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