Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (Xbox)

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith is a game in the Star Wars series that was released roughly in tandem with the movie, which was third and last in the series of prequels created for the series. Both the game and the movie follow the events leading up to the end of the Clone Wars, the formation of the Galactic Empire, and the conversion of Anakin Skywalker into Darth Vader, as well as the birth of Luke and Leia Skywalker.

I actually rented this game twice, once on my PlayStation 2 and once on my Xbox, before finally getting it for Christmas. The reason for this is simply that the game is EPIC! Allow me to explain the awsomeness of each component; this game has a 16 (or 17, if you count the alternate ending) levevel story mode, covering practically everything that happened in the movie. The first 6 levels show Anakin Skyalker's and Obi-Wan Kenobi's mission to rescue the Chancellor, and it's during these times that you're introduced to the major enemies of the game, and you learn the ins and outs of gameplay. The next 3 levels follow Obi-Wan's mission to Utapau, during which time he kills General Grievous. The next 3 levels after that follow Anakin's turning to the dark side in Obi-Wan's absence, as well as the destruction of the Jedi Temple and (at least part) of the Clones' falling to Order 66, their turning to the dark side. The next level shows Obi-Wan's escape from the evil clones, then the next level shows Anakin's assassination of the Separatist leaders. Level 15 shows Obi-Wan's and Yoda's investigation of the Jedi Temple, along with Obi-Wan's discovery of Anakin's conversion to the dark side. Finally, the 16th level is the final duel between Obi-Wan and Anakin, at the end of which Obi-Wan gravely wounds Anakin and takes his lightsaber, after which Obi-Wan goes into hiding and Anakin becomes the Darth Vader we know.

You can tell from this that this game is a practically perfect re-telling of what happened in the moveis, and this is one of the big things that makes the game great. The graphics for this game are uniquely fantastic, and the combat moves are realistic and artfully crafted. In short, playing this game is a Star Wars experience like nothing you'll ever get somewhere else.

In addition to the Story Missions, through fulfillment of certain gameplay requirements, there are 5 Bonus Missions to unlock. In these, you can play as Yoda, General Grievous, one of Grievous's Bodyguards, Anakin, and Darth Vader (against Ben Kenobi, when their duel takes place in the fourth movie). These were all fun to play, especially the one with Yoda in it, which is challenging and quite cool. When you win the duel between Darth Vader and Ben Kenobi, you also unlock a special stage in Versus Mode, which I won't reveal, but you will find it awesome to play on.

Now, moving onto Versus Mode. This is pretty much the greatest thing in the entire game. As you progress through the Story and Bonus Missions, you unlock new stages and duelists for the Versus Mode. from here, you can pick which two opponents you want to set against each other (although you have to play as one), and duel with these special characters on a unique stage of your choosing. I still go back to this game to play in the Versus Mode, as it can occupy you for hours just from the fun it is and the skill it requires.

Also grouped with Versus Mode in the Multiplayer category is the Cooperative Mode, in which you and another person (or a computer) can play short endurance levels with pre-set characters and varying enemies. This mode is reasonably fun, but I wish it was bigger and more diverse.

All in all, this game is uniquely fantastic. It's a great representation of the movie, it's replayable in even more ways than I've detailed, the gameplay experience is fun and believable, and it's a must-buy whether or not you're a Star Wars fan. Even if you aren't, this game will make you one.