The Needles: What's Become Of LucasArts?

[Andy Chalk]

Funny, a LucasArts PR guy emailed me to say almost the exact same thing.

I look at it this way: Yes, the game is selling well, on the strength of a massive marketing campaign and the fact that it's both the first new addition to the "current" Star Wars arc in years, and the first new Star Wars material since Jar Jar Binks and Emo Darth Vader. It fills, or at least purports to fill, a specific need in the hearts and minds of the Star Wars true believers. Does that make it a good game?

If sales figures are the only benchmark, then there's absolutely nothing to worry about. Nor is there anything to worry about at EA Sports, where the Madden NFL series continues to sell millions of copies every year. But I'm not sure that's an argument anyone wants to make.

 

[Mr.Pandah]

Haha Armed And Dangerous, now THAT game was funny...and fun! It reminded me so much of Monty Python. The shark gun alone was enough reason to play that game.

 

[fluffylandmine]

they got the Star Wars Midas Touch, and then decided to masturbate.

this is the best analogy I've seen in a while, and ok it does earn points for innovating gameplay(which is high in my books) but the story seems to be a little on the cliched side for me, and don't get me started on the climate change(no really I don't pay attention to that sort of thing, but I do hate unneccesary pollution).

 

[Lameish]

I'm surprised Grim Fandango and Outlaws weren't mention

Grim Fandango is easily the best thing Lucas Arts ever did.

LucasArts has definitely helped contribute to the ever stagnating ocean of commercially motivated merchandise. I, like many others, am waiting for the point and click re-birth revolution. I've yet to check out some of these episodic releases, but I'd really like to see them take off in the sales department, if only to motivate the suits at some of the older developers to start throwing some of that sweet, syrupy franchise money at getting better writing, and making it the cornerstone of any good game, as it ought to be.

 

[almo]

Ballblazer is my favorite of their games. I'd still play that, if anyone else would put up with getting past the steep learning curve of figuring out how to survive in the arena against me. I'm just too good at it. > 7800 version is probably the best one, if you're curious.

 

[Kajin]

They can milk the franchise all they want, their only real problem is that they're relying too heavily on the name of the brand to sell and have cut back on quality and ingenuity. All they have to do is try and revive that old spark that made their games good in the first place.