"This game is the best star wars game ever."
You'll be able to play as either the Empire or the Rebel Alliance in this epic space-strategy game.
To clarify, Empire at War will offer three primary play modes: a single-player, story-based campaign mode that will unlock various sectors of the galaxy as you complete certain missions; a persistent-universe "galactic conquest" mode that can be played either alone or in head-to-head multiplayer for two players; and the quick-and-dirty skirmish multiplayer, which is focused entirely on combat. In skirmish, you and your buddies can choose the map type (space, land, or objective-based land maps in which you can win only by capturing reinforcement points--more on that later) and limit a specific amount of funds you can use to purchase armies, then go at it. This mode will support up to eight players on two teams, and will even let you swap in some computer-controlled players to even things out.
While skirmish should prove to be a good way to quickly get your hands dirty with the game, it's Empire at War's story-driven campaign and galactic conquest modes that should be of real interest to both Star Wars fans and serious real-time strategy fans. Both these modes take place in the game's huge galactic map, which is what you'll use as your strategic interface to plan out your next planetary acquisition--the meat of the game is in capturing different planets, after all. You'll also use the galactic map to commission major new buildings and military units, and to receive missions from your superiors (Mon Mothma if you're playing as the Rebels, Grand Moff Tarkin if you're playing as the Empire). Each planet will have a different indigenous population, different terrain, and different weather.
The population of a planet, once you've taken control of it, can be put to work for your cause (and even used as cannon fodder in battles), while terrain and weather will actually affect the performance of your units (some units will struggle with hilly terrain, and ballistic weapons will suffer in accuracy in stormy weather, for instance). However, each planet will also have a different amount of credits that can be gained, and different planets will also have different hyperspace routes that connect them. Hyperspace routes let you quickly and easily ferry ships and troops back and forth; so well-connected planets are easier to defend, while remote planets with few or no hyperspace routes may be tough to hold on to, especially if you're trying to send a huge fleet of Imperial Star Destroyers to prevent the dastardly Rebels from sneaking in to your backyard. Different planets may also house secret treasures, such as hidden ship designs (the Imperial forces may research upgrades for their ships and armies, while the Rebels must steal everything they can find), or powerful hero characters that can be recruited for your cause.
Empire at War takes place between the two motion picture trilogies; that is, after Episode III: Revenge of the Sith and before Episode IV: A New Hope, so the evil Sith lord Darth Vader has just come into his own, while some farm boy named Luke is just starting to grow up on a desert planet. Still, this time frame has given the development team plenty of opportunities to draw upon classic Star Wars lore, characters, and vehicles. Among the hero characters, for instance, you can expect to see Darth Vader, the bounty hunter Boba Fett, Imperial officers Piett and Veers, and Emperor Palpatine; on the Rebel side, you can expect to see Han Solo and Chewbacca (who are treated as one powerful character, even though each has individual abilities), and a promising young Mon Calamari officer named Ackbar (who is destined to warn his Rebel allies of a certain trap in a certain future space battle).
Darth Vader fears neither man nor machine--and he won't be the only powerful hero character around, either.
All hero characters will have powerful special abilities on the battlefield and will be hardier than the average foot soldier. For instance, Emperor Palpatine can inflict terrible damage with his lightsaber and use his "force lightning" ability to zap his enemies into oblivion. Chewbacca will be able to commandeer enemy vehicles, while Han Solo will be able to plant explosive charges. Even C-3PO and R2-D2 will be in the game, as Rebel hero characters who can smuggle themselves into Imperial territory to steal technology. Several powerful hero characters will have multiple abilities both on the ground and in space. Darth Vader can use his "force crush" ability to ravage enemy buildings and ships and his "force shockwave" ability to devastate infantry units; but in space, he'll be surrounded by wingmen TIE fighters who will soak up all incoming fire, making Vader impervious to damage until his squadron can be defeated. Boba Fett will have his customary jetpack on the ground that will let him fly over impassable terrain, capture territory, and act as a powerful scout, though in space, he'll have his Slave-1 ship, which can drop powerful seismic charges that deal damage to all nearby enemies.
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