Clone Wars: Kashyyyk

Description
Just the other day, I think I was mentioning how it's almost always a better decision to create a small map than a large one. I still stand by that assertion, but [i]Clone Wars: Kashyyyk[/i] is definitely one of the exceptions to the rule. It is large and it is [i]in charge.[/i]

This Kashyyyk map, by Warlord28, is far-and-away the best Kashyyyk map I've played, and it is an excellent example of what a large map can really do if it's set up right. Why does this large map work so well when others don't? For starters - object placement. Warlord28 deserves some kind of award for the job he's done in that category - it is fantastic. There are very few "dead spaces," and when there are some empty areas, they are at least filled in with some well-placed foliage. Most of the map is just a tremendous use of stock assets from the multiple Kashyyyk maps, and it looks leagues better than the stock maps.

The gameplay is also really well-done and tight. Even in open areas, there's not a lot of downtime - you'll be able to find something to shoot at everywhere, although if you feel like going the commando route, you'll certainly be able to sneak around a lot of the action (this is almost a necessary strategy if you want to win a Conquest victory). The sides are set up a little more "realistically" than usual, necessitating the use of cover (which can be found). This may be due in part to a weapons setup, but it's largely because of the large amount of units and vehicles on the battlefield at once.

Some of the little things are really what make this map shine. If you look carefully, you can see that little tweaks have been made, like the addition of first-person view to the vehicles or the map tooltips set up for either side. I actually don't even prefer the first-person view myself, but I can definitely respect a job well-done.

There are some small issues - a localization issue with the local Wookiee team, a conquest victory cannot be triggered (for the CIS at least), and some of the names may seem a little odd (the creator is not a native English speaker) - but all of these can easily be disregarded as they don't significantly affect the map or the enjoyment thereof.

I'll play it straight - download this map and check it out. It's definitely worth your time.

-Mav