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Star Wars: Rogue Squadron proved to be one of Factor 5’s most successful games. It’s an arcade-style flight action game set in the Star Wars universe. To put it simply, you pilot ships, dogfight with enemies in the skies and blow shit up. It’s a lot of fun and is one of the better Star Wars games out there. Factor 5 began working on the sequel, Rogue Squadron II, shortly after they received early prototype GameCube hardware and it ended up releasing as a launch title for the system. Developed by Factor 5 and LucasArts and published by LucasArts, Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader was released for GameCube in November, 2001. While very similar to its predecessor, Rogue Squadron II features some changes and refinements.
The story spans across the three original films and the player will assume the roles of multiple pilots including Luke Skywalker and Wedge Antilles. Several missions in the game are re-enactments of battles and sequences from the films including the Death Star trench run, Battle of Endor, and the Battle of Hoth. Story details are conveyed through mission briefings, dialogue exchanged between characters, and through clips ripped from the films. Needless to say, you’ll get a lot more out of this if you’ve seen the films. However, much like the previous game, you don’t necessarily need to have any knowledge of the films to enjoy the gameplay.
Rogue Squadron II is another fun arcade flight action game. You fly ships around the Star Wars universe and engage enemies and blow shit up. This is also another single player only experience which is surprising yet again. From what I understand, the developer didn’t have time to implement a multiplayer mode but all of the game’s missions were included in the sequel, Rogue Squadron III, as cooperative missions with some changes. Regardless, Rogue Squadron II is a game with a lot of replay value. You can once again earn medals for missions based on your performance and earning enough medals unlocks stuff including new ships, audio commentary, and the more challenging Ace Mode. But that’s not all, earning medals rewards you with points that can be spent to unlock Bonus missions. There’s a lot of hidden stuff the game, some of which can only be unlocked via Passcodes like the Endurance mode for example. Although, I do question why a game mode like this is hidden behind a Passcode.
Veterans of Rogue Squadron should get a grasp of how shit works in Rogue Squadron II very quickly. One change I immediately noticed is the gameplay feels a lot smoother than the previous entry, specifically the 64 version. The game plays out in missions and before each mission, you often have the option to select one of multiple ships and this time around you can walk around the hangar which I thought was a nice touch. The cockpit view is still immersive and you can boost, brake, roll, and fire primary and secondary weapons. You can even bring up a targeting computer. The radar returns and will show the locations of friendlies and enemies and I’m happy to report that it shows if enemies are at a different elevation by default. One cool new feature is the command system. At certain points in the missions, you can command your squad mates to do different things like form up, attack specific things, or flee.
Just like its predecessor, Rogue Squadron II will make you work for those gold medals but I felt the game was easier to beat. Ace Mode is a different story. But in general, I don’t think any of the missions here are quite as tough as some of the hardest ones in the last game and I’m happy to say none were more frustrating than fun. That’s not to say I never failed a mission or died because I did. Many times. Figuring out the quickest and most efficient way to complete objectives is all part of the challenge and fun. I was also more mindful of upgrades this time. Each mission contains a hidden upgrade, or in other words new weapons and improvements like better shields. And I made sure to acquire each one as I went along. These upgrades can help alleviate some of the challenges and I would highly recommend finding them.
Rogue Squadron II will take you to several different planets and locations around the Star Wars universe. You’ll even get to engage Star Destroyers which is pretty cool. Objectives include shooting down enemies, escorting and protecting ships, and destroying things. Some missions allow you to change ships during specific sequences. You’ll shoot down plenty of TIEs, use tow cables to bring down AT-ATs, and must dodge lasers in the process. Enemy fighters can even pursue your ship and will stay on your tail until you can shake them. Dogfighting is often a lot of fun in this game and the action can get very fast-paced and hectic. You’ll soar through the skies and space rolling, shooting, and dodging lasers as numerous friendly and enemy ships surround you in all out battle.
If there’s any negative thing I can say about the game is that there’s not as many missions as the previous entry so the story mode can feel rather short assuming you don’t struggle at any points during your playthrough. Rogue Squadron came with sixteen main missions. Excluding the training and bonus missions, there’s only ten main missions in Rogue Squadron II. But they are meant to be replayed whether it’s to try new ships and approaches, try for better medals, or to try your luck in the Ace Mode. And remember there’s a lot to unlock here. I should also mention that the Training Mission is more than just a simple training mission. It offers a lot to do and is a perfect playground for getting acquainted with the basic mechanics. As for the Bonus Missions, all of them are pretty cool. The player will get to assume the role of Darth Vader in an effort to stop the Rebels from destroying the Death Star and another has him leading an attack on Yavin. One bonus mission is basically a rail shooter which I found to be quite fun. You get to man one of the Millennium Falcon’s quad cannons and shoot down TIEs. In fact, a lot of the missions in this game reflect or are outright reenactments of the cool ship action you see in the films.
I have always thought Rogue Squadron II looked great and I still think that. In fact, I think it’s one of the best looking GameCube games, and it’s a launch title to boot. Other than the noticeable jaggies, the presentation still holds up rather well today in my opinion. The environments are detailed, the ship models look great, and the visual effects help enhance the action. The audio work is also excellent and from what I understand, roughly half of the music is from John Williams’ film score, and some tunes from the first game are included but remixed. Ultimately, the game looks and sounds very Star Wars and is an excellent reflection of what you see in the films. On the technical side, I played this directly after playing through Rogue Squadron on 64 so the smoother frame rate here was immediately noticeable and welcomed. I think it hitched a few times but no major dips and I can’t say I encountered any serious bugs, either. It just feels so smooth and good to play.
I think Rogue Squadron II is a big improvement over its predecessor. It gives you more of the same great gameplay with refinements and runs smoother, contains plenty of stuff to keep the player coming back, and is a great reflection of the ship action you see in the films. The lack of any kind of multiplayer mode is both odd and slightly disappointing but, overall, Rogue Squadron II is a phenomenal game. In our review of the first game, I said Rogue Squadron “centers very much on one of the cooler aspects of the films.” And the same applies to Rogue Squadron II. If you’re a fan of the Star Wars ship battle sequences, then this should be right up your alley. Not only does it center on Star Wars’ brand of flight combat, it puts you directly in some of the famous battles you see in the films. If you ever wanted to participate or know what it’s like to participate in the Battle of Hoth or the Battle of Endor or the attack on the Death Star, this is the game to play.
I would absolutely recommend Star Wars Rogue Squadron II. Not only do I think it’s better than the previous game, I think it’s one of the best Star Wars games ever made, and also one of the best GameCube games ever made. It’s a great audiovisual representation of what you see in the films, it remains a visual feast despite the dated technology, and it’s just pure fun. It plays well, it feels great, and if you’re a Star Wars fan and have yet to play Rogue Squadron II, you owe it to yourself to at least give it a shot. Definitely check it out.