BUT, Vader can pretty much take out an entire army and beat any single player mission single handed. Yes, you do have heroes, and yes, they should be able to kick some major butt. If you have played any amount of RTSs, you will know that these ground battles are pretty boring. The ability to target a large ship's shield generator or laser cannons with your Tie Fighters or X-Wings makes micromanagement a blast. The zoom option is alot of fun and really makes you feel like you're in one of the Star Wars movies. They are a TON of fun, offering a variety of ships and cruisers that each contribute differently to the battle. This is 2006.c'mon, let's see something a bit more impressive, please. That said, when I uprgaded my PC, and the graphics were not impressive when turned to High. The graphics for SW:EaW are not too demanding. It's nice to be able to play a new game on a relatively low-end computer.

Three play modes include a galactic conquest mode, a story-driven campaign mode, and an online skirmish mode supporting up to eight players. Victories and defeats will persist throughout the game, causing players on both sides to rethink their strategies as the galaxy changes.

An assortment of familiar vessels, troop types, and structures are available to command, from AT-ATs and speeder bikes to X-wings and TIE fighters. Surviving units can then be deployed to the planet's surface to engage in tactical ground battles influenced by both weather and terrain. Yet before players can set foot on one of the over 40 featured planets, including Tatooine, Hoth, and Dagobah, players must first gain orbital control of each planet through space combat. The more star systems under control of the Empire or Rebellion, the more resources it will have to build defense systems, bases, and units. The goal is to defeat the opposing side by gradually taking control of as many star systems and strategic points as possible. Each faction makes real-time choices on a galactic map using available ground troops, fleets, and other units from the Star Wars universe, including such iconic characters as Obi-Wan Kenobi, Han Solo, Darth Vader, and Boba Fett. Instead of concentrating on one particular region, players must also consider the ramifications of their actions on other planets as well as in space. Set a few years before the events in Episode IV, the game distinguishes itself by letting players take command of the Rebel Alliance or Galactic Empire throughout the entire galaxy, offering a wider assortment of strategic possibilities.

LucasArts and its most popular license from a galaxy far, far away explore the real-time strategy genre for a third time with Star Wars: Empire at War.

Empire at war rebel campaign