No matter what anyone says, Star Fox has always been a game about being in the moment. That feeling of sitting behind the controls of a fighter craft, blasting foes away and feeling awesome because of it. Whether that be on-rails -- whizzing through numerous planets' environments -- or going toe-to-toe dog-fight style in particularly thematic arenas of sorts. Heck, Starfox 64's (or Lylat Wars as it was dubbed here in Europe) penultimate mission in Area 6 remains one of the series' most iconic levels for the way it encapsulated that genuine feeling of invincibility amid tense, kamikaze moments. I swear I’ve played that section so many times I have everything -- from the opening lines of dialogue to the closing cutscene, to its gloriously space opera-esque theme -- memorized.
With that noted, is it really that surprising that Star Fox Zero -- a title that, arguably, has been long overdue despite the series' slightly-less-than-mainstream stance -- aims to invoke that exact same degree of exhilaration by going back to the heart of the series' appeal? The series' Wii U debut isn’t a complete retread. Neither is this a remake of what’s come before (we have the 3DS iteration in 2011 for that); Star Fox Zero takes the role of a retelling; an alternate tale spun around the conventions of the N64 release -- a game which, at the time, was highly praised for the leap it took from the series' debut on the Super Nintendo, both in terms of gameplay and of course, its presentation.
It’s clear, right from the off, Star Fox Zero wants to be heralded in as much the same light as adding something intricate to the series, yet at the same time, bizarrely, leans so much on the 64 heydays. It’s hard not to bring up the dreaded n-word, nostalgia, when discussing the Big N's logic and thinking here. That’s not to say nostalgia is some kind of immediate death sentence; when played right and implemented carefully enough, it can help elevate the player’s emotions as well as spark an even greater, if aged, level of immersion with past endeavors. Shadow Moses in Metal Gear Solid 4 anyone? Sadly, Star Fox Zero doesn’t even make it to being critiqued on its failure to capitalize on its insistent nostalgia and instead takes to it more with a crutch than anything. Whether that be fighting a boss with a familiar-looking ship or watching the scene-for-scene recreation of the game’s end credits, there’s a continually worrying sense of not just over-indulgence with what came before, but a generally misguided understanding on why nostalgia works.
Take the opening level, Corneria -- a modestly-grand opening to the tale of fighting back a planetary system-size invasion by a hostile enemy fleet -- for example and while the opening shots of sweeping oceans and approaching land may complement the expected upgrade to 64's previous running, everything else looks and feels copy-paste. A simple upgrade in visuals, just not in gameplay. Be it the sparse environments, the familiar progression (albeit with the occasional touch-up here and there), the blocky, geometric look to buildings and certain bosses...the locales may change, but the tale is being spun the exact same way. There are admittedly brief moments of satisfaction in simply taking in the spectacle, especially when missions evolve into these arena-style "all range mode" battles with ships and enemy combatants flying in every direction. Further to that, what's most surprising is the fact the Gamepad's embedded presence is what conjures these minor spots of exhilaration in the first place. And mechanically speaking, the controls -- at least in this context -- greatly benefit when caught amidst the most hectic of these moments.
One of Star Fox Zero's notable features is the ability to shift focus from the series' frontal view to a new cinematic-esque, panoramic mode where aiming is done on the Gamepad while your Arwing turns and sways through the skies and stretches of space alike. Admittedly, such shots are nice to watch; admire moreso when the scene unfolding is of, say, two fleets engaging one another or relies simply on a classic one-on-one, cat-and-mouse chase between you and a rival faction. It’s all brought forth into full view on the TV. Better still, the fact this mode allows you to lock onto nearby enemies via a simple tap of a shoulder button, gets rid of the frustration of flying aimlessly in hope of catching sight of your previous target. As such, though the concept may appear confusing, the execution is a lot simpler to manage. As one who was baffled, to say the least, about the game’s newfangled controls when it was demoed at EGX last year, I’m pleased to say the concern has been for nought.
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