For a game to be excellent, it has to grab my attention in the first five minutes and hold it for the next couple hours. I know there are those occasional games that take awhile to build the story (Dragon Warrior VII) and there are always exceptions to the rule, but if you stop and think about it, most games will start out with a boom. One of the most glaring problems with the beginning of Star Fox Adventures is that you don’t control Fox McCloud, but instead are thrown into a pseudo Panzer Dragoon-type scenario starring some girl named Krystal. This might not have been too bad in and of itself had the flying sequence been remotely fun. As the story progresses you will play as Krystal for about another half an hour before finally getting to the main adventure. While Krystal’s quest sets up the control scheme and the storyline, it seems like a detached experience that does nothing to grab one’s attention. In fact, I can totally see some players not wanting to play anymore of the game at this point, which would be too bad because the best part of the game is yet to come.

The main quest has Fox seeking out items called Spell Stones to counter the evil demands of General Scales. Along the way he will learn all sorts of new moves, many of which use his magical staff that he finds at the beginning of the game. Instead of using his trademark laser blaster as seen in Super Smash Brothers, Fox uses this staff to fight off the monsters in the game. Along the way he can upgrade the staff to fire out magical blasts that will both solve puzzles as well as hurt enemies. He will learn other magical uses as the game unfolds and it’s pretty evident when you’ll need to use the staff to progress. Along the way are a plethora of items that you will need to collect. Scarabs are the game’s currency and allow the player to buy items like maps whereas fuel cells power the Arwing that Fox flies so he can visit other areas of the shattered planet. Many more items litter the playfield and while it’s far from a collect-a-thon, it can become a bit confusing as to what each item’s function is.

When flying to different areas of the world the game plays a bit like its predecessors. However, as was soon evident, the flying missions are nothing more than small missions designed to show that this is indeed a Star Fox game. Unfortunately the levels never live up to the action of the previous games and end up being more of a hassle to fly through than the fun mini-game it should have been. The graphics sure look nice in these sequences and it gives hope that Namco’s upcoming Star Fox Armada game will look even better. Let’s all hope it plays better.

Not to focus on negatives in the game, but probably the most inherent flaw with Star Fox Adventures is story progression. Many times you will be chugging along in the game only to find yourself lost and stuck. The game does not do a very good job of explaining where to go next. The designers must have realized this since they added menu screens where you can contact Slippy for help and Peppy for a map showing what area you need to go to next. While this seems like it would be enough for those who get stuck, it’s really not. Part of the problem is the map that is used is basically worthless. It doesn’t do a good job of showing the terrain. For example, I completed a task and retrieved a new item. I knew I had to use this item in a certain location that I had previously visited. It should have been easy to go back and find that spot, but I ended up searching and searching for this small spot on the ground for half an hour because of the shoddy map feature. They really should have taken a cue from Zelda for this function. I’m not expecting a game to hold me by the hand and tell me where to go next. In fact, I’d rather be exploring the surroundings myself and figuring out the puzzles ala Zelda. What I do expect is a game to have good level design so that players don’t get turned around and lost around every bend. Getting lost didn’t just happen to me either. The game just doesn’t flow as well as one would like. Luckily, for the cheaters out there you could always pick up a strategy guide or visit the Internet for a walk-thru. Given the way the game was designed I couldn’t recommend this enough.

All right, the game does do some things right and even though I’ve focused on some negative aspects, I will reiterate that Star Fox Adventures is a fun game to play. This is especially true for those gamers out there who enjoy moderately difficult adventure games. Probably the best 2 aspects of the game are its graphics and music. Rare has always pushed technology to the limit and this is evident as soon as you begin playing the game. The graphics are extremely detailed and feature Rare’s fur-shading technology. The textures are especially nice and a world above their N64 efforts. Special effects are everywhere, with the water being especially nice to look at. Having said that, the unfortunate part is that all this eye candy takes a toll on the GameCube. That’s right, it can’t be a Rare game unless there’s some kind of frame rate problems. Now, it’s not as bad as some make it out to be, but you’ll see screen hiccups here and there, especially if you turn really quick. The game has problems drawing in all of the detailed surroundings, especially if there are larger characters appearing on the screen. It doesn’t really detract from the game, but it will no doubt annoy a small fraction of gamers out there.

The music is wonderful. It’s in Dolby Pro Logic II and Rare once again provides a soundtrack that fits the game perfectly. You’ll hear familiar music from the Star Fox games as well as completely new tunes to fit the different areas of the game. I was constantly amazed by the music and its ability to change on the fly. Some tracks even have chanting in the background to fit the prehistoric setting. This would be one soundtrack I would consider buying if Nintendo ever releases it.

Overall Star Fox Adventures offers up something that’s not on the GameCube yet, a solid adventure game. Sure, it takes some things straight out of Zelda, but there’s enough added to this game to keep the gameplay fresh. If you can live with a couple frame rate hiccups and somewhat shoddy story progression, Star Fox Adventures will suit you just fine. For a game in development for so long I was really hoping for an “A” title. Star Fox Adventures is an enjoyable game with a lot going for it. With a few tweaks it could have been even better. Recommended.