It's hard to figure out where to start with this game, because most of the comments I can make are negative.  On the positive side, the sound effects are great, with blasters, droids, and light sabers all sounding just as they did in the Episode One movie. Also impressive are the musical scores, which again are right out of the movie. There is something about the Star Wars music that really manages to draw you into the space opera world of the movies and, when it's done right as in this game, it's an overwhelmingly positive element. If you do rent or buy this title, play it with a friend because the two-player aspect is a welcome addition to the game.  Unfortunately, this is where the positives end. As you can see, it's not a very long list.

The negatives start from the opening introduction, which features some of the worst computer graphics renderings and animation that I have seen on the PlayStation since 1995. The Jedi look silly, and the animations are just awful. Once past the introduction, there are a decent number of options for configuring controls, sound, and so on.  However, there are only two difficulty settings, which is a problem because the easier selection is, well, not that easy. Players will notice that if they begin with two players, they receive the same number of credits, so the game is more fun, but just as difficult, with two players.

As the game begins, the first thing I noticed was how awful the control was.  The analog support is decent, and eliminates the need for a run button, but that's the only positive side to the control.  The button layout is overly complicated.  Critical commands like using the parry or auto-facing are mapped to awkward top buttons, while the basically pointless three attacks are all on the front face buttons.  Furthermore, the player is constantly facing the wrong direction, getting hit by enemy attacks in the back; the auto-face button works well enough, but there is no animation to it, which makes it look incredibly ridiculous. Jumping is overly difficult, again due mostly to the weak control.  The jumps are made worse by the sometimes questionable camera, which makes judging distances a game in itself.  Viewpoints are often poorly chosen, leaving the player with off-screen enemies or no idea where to go next. 

Graphically, this game is not going to win any awards, but it's decent enough for the type of game that it is.  Mostly, the graphics are grainy and not detailed in the least.  The animation is sub-par.  Luckily, being a fast-paced action game and given all of the game's other flaws, the graphics seem a little better than they actually are while the game is being played, as long as you can ignore the poor animation that abounds throughout.

Despite everything I've said about this game, there is some fun to be had here.  There is a definite appeal to playing as a Jedi in an action game, slicing down droids and facing Darth Maul with an accurate-looking and sounding light-saber. Hopefully at some point in the future, perhaps after the next movie release, a sequel will be made to this game that fixes the many, many control issues inherent in this version.   As it stands, if you are a huge Star Wars fan, you'll enjoy this game because of its ties to the movie, and you could do worse for a rental if you have an afternoon to kill.  For everyone else, it's fun for an hour or two, but I doubt many people would get their money's worth out of a purchase. Buy at your own risk.