A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away …

There may be no phrase better known than that. The newest Star Wars film promises more Jedi action than ever before. But The Force doesn’t need to wait in lines when it is available on the Xbox console system in the latest LucasArts release, Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter.

The storyline for this game is as follows:

Political tension between the Republic and the secessionist movement, led by Count Dooku, is intensifying. Dooku has made a secret pact with Captain Cavik Toth, a young and ambitious ally of the Trade Federation who hopes to take control of the resource-rich Karthakk system.

The Jedi Council, though, doesn’t want Toth to take over the Karthakk system. Thus far, the only thing to stand in Toth’s way has been a pirate known as Nym. Nym is still fighting to reclaim his home base on Lok from the Trade Federation.

Mace Windu sends Jedi Master Adi Gallia, in a new fighter prototype, to join with Nym in his battle against Toth, Toth’s Sabaoth Squadron and the Trade Federation.

The Starfighter of the title is a modification of the Delta & ship. It is small, fast and very agile. And, because Gallia is a Jedi Master, the ship not only incorporates the typical array of lasers, missiles and bombs, but you can use the force either as a shield for your ship, or as a charged lightning bolt that can strike ships around you.

The use of the Force is one of the new features brought to the forefront in this title. Of course, one expects to see some outstanding special effects where the Force is concerned, and Jedi Starfighter does not disappoint. In shield mode, there is a swirl of energy that surrounds you, sort of a purple glow, and enables your ship to withstand attack for a period of time. If you time it right, the Force strike can take out several ships in spectacular fashion.

The game takes place in space and in the airspace above planets. Your targets are likely to be in the air or on the ground. And the game’s AI evolves as your ability to pilot the ship improves.

If you are a fan of the PC game Wing Commander: Prophecy, or played and enjoyed Star Wars: Starfighter, then you are in for a treat with this game. While the storyline supplies ample reason for the aerial battles, it is the battles that star in this game. The environments are wonderfully rendered, and the three-dimensional action is intense.

Controls will allow you to lock onto a target and onscreen prompts will direct you to it. You can zoom in on the target visually, which allows you to fire from a distance, and track the enemy, all with the push of a button. If someone fires at you, you can immediately target that ship.

The game also has a targeting system, which will help you identify key elements that you need to attack. If you find a carrier that continues to launch ships against you, you will have to take it out eventually. But first you will need to disable the carrier’s defenses, which means knocking out the gun turrets.

The Y button will activate the Sensor Targeting System, giving you a look at all the targets you need to take out.

The control elements of the game are kept relatively simple, but expect to spend some time learning them. There is a tutorial, which will guide you through the basics. Each mission in the tutorial has objectives that must be completed before you move along. In the game itself, the objective is simple – destroy the enemy without getting wiped out yourself.

Like the Starfighter title which preceded it, Jedi Starfighter controls uses both thumbsticks for controlling the pitch and yaw of the fighter. You can do a barrel roll on an attacking run, but don’t be surprised if anyone watching you gets a severe case of airsickness. You may be focused on what you are doing, but the casual observer will just see a world tumbling madly across the screen.

The sound of this game is superb. No, Samuel L. Jackson does not voice the Mace Windu character, but the audio track is strong.

Visually this game is a treat.

Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter takes advantage of the power of the Xbox system, and will give players the thrills of aerial combat, along with a Star Wars plot. Is it worth playing? Definitely.

This game is rated Teen for violence.

Gameplay: 8.8
There are long cutscenes that interrupt the game, but do set the stage nicely (as in they give all the reasons needed) for what is to follow. The game did not appear to have any stability problems, and the environments seemed huge, even when the space for the game was finite. You could boost your ship away from a large target, anticipating a turn for another attack run, and after flying away, turn to find that you haven’t really traveled that far from the object.

Graphics: 9
The game features wonderful computer-animated cutscenes, but the combat environments and battles effects are excellent.

Sound: 9
This is a game that not only pays attention to visual detail, but to audio detail as well.

Difficulty: Medium
You will have to spend some time learning all the control elements of your ship. This is a reflexive game. The enemy AI seems to evolve as your ability to fly your ship improves.

Concept: 8.5
The storyline, which ties into the newest Star Wars movie, is merely a reason for the combat. The game does boast many new features, including use of the Force, new craft and a co-op mode for two-player action. Not only can you fly the ship, but you can, if you choose, play as a gunner on a ship.

Multiplayer: 8
This game supports 1-2 players in cooperative game play. The second player will fly as one of the support pilots, or as a gunner. This is a solid adjunct to the game.

Overall: 8.8
Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter is a wonderful treat for the eyes and ears. The action is intense and immersive, and the Star Wars theme carries the game along nicely. Whether you are a Star Wars fan or not, if you enjoy action-intensive flight sims, you will enjoy this game.