WCA’s graphics are on par with other XBLA arcade titles. The blasts of energy weapons and the effect of a hit to the shields look decent enough, but the death of your enemy is met with a rather boring and unsatisfying explosion. The backdrop artwork is very appealing to the eye for an arcade title. The camera often has problems when the rear of your ship is too close to a barrier or some other built in map obstruction.
The soundtrack includes a rather dull, looping composition that gets tiresome quickly. The game play sound effects get the job done, but don’t really stand out. Though explosions are visually unrewarding, they certainly get the most out the .1 of your 5.1 system.
By design, most Xbox Live titles are designed to be easy to pick up and play. Not so with WCA. The Help screen doesn’t help much at all, leaving gamers to learn as they go. There is no in-game explanation of the items on your HUD, what each power up does, or the purpose and use of the satellites. You’ll have to learn and remember as you play, or go to EA’s website for an instruction manual.
All in all, Wing Commander Arena attempts to revive the past with a lukewarm effort that many fans might find to be blasphemous. WCA was built around the multiplayer experience, but the inability to keep your group of gamers together in player matches goes against the spirit of Xbox Live. Hopefully EA will patch this major flaw, but in the meantime, the Live Play and Replay Value scores take a hit.
