The main problem is that despite this nice blend of puzzle-solving, combat, and mini-games, the game starts to feel somewhat boring after a while. The puzzles are rarely challenging or inventive, tending as they do toward the "stand on the switch, then use the other character to handle whatever the switch activated, repeat" style of design. They keep you occupied, add hours to the game, and break up the combat, but that's about it.

As for the combat, it never really draws you in either, and thus starts to feel repetitive in a hurry - thanks in part to the DS's small screen (which couldn't have been helped), but also to the far-away camera views and weak sound effects (which could have been). The cover system gives the clone sections a touch of strategy, though better level design could have taken fuller advantage of this new feature. The Jedi sections, lacking even that, quickly devolve into you jabbing your screen frantically while your enemies shoot away.

Presentation-wise, things are pretty much the way they were last time around. The music has that ineffable Star Wars feel, and the environments are great for the DS, recreating the Star Wars universe with a good deal of detail. There are no noticeable hiccups in the way the game runs, and our only real complaint is that the camera doesn't help any; we've already mentioned how far away from the action it usually stays, but also, the angles at which it shoots can make the levels seem needlessly cramped.

This game does reward replay, and you can try stages you've beaten again at will, but it's doubtful many players will feel like going through the sections more than once. There are hidden items scattered through the stages. Killing enemies quickly and with combos increases your score multiplier, so you can always try to improve your numbers.

When all is said and done, you should try The Clone Wars: Jedi Alliance before giving this game a shot. Even if you like the earlier game, you might want to either rent this one first or wait for it to come down in price. The innovations here, particularly the cover system, open up a world of possibility, but it doesn't seem like the developers were up to exploring too much of that world.

By Robert VerBruggen
CCC Freelance Writer