Star Wars review

It’s been a long time coming and we’ve been waiting for this game for some time now, and there was, I’m not going to lie, some apprehension, even with DICE behind the wheel, as to whether this game would deliver the “Star Wars experience” which had been banded around when it was announced. I mean, let’s be honest here, Star Wars isn’t a franchise that you can just slip into as a game. We’ve seen it with Activision before, we’ve seen it with BioWare and EA before, and none of those experiences really made a huge impression. There were good bits, don’t get me wrong, but overall there was no real impact and this was the fear I had with Star Wars; was it just going to be a Battlefront game with a Star Wars skin on it?

One thing to note, there is no single player campaign as such. There are missions, split into three categories: Training which is pretty self explanatory, Battles which pit you against the AI or a fellow Star Wars gamer friend, or finally Survival which sees you take on waves of enemies with friends. All these modes are spread over the four maps (which we’ll come to in a while) that come with release; Tatooine, Sullust, Endor and Hoth. These four maps - or locations rather - make the back bone of the game and all game modes, multiplayer or otherwise, will take place on these maps.

I won’t go into too much detail, but the maps are solid and interesting, and with the promise of more maps to come, but one can’t help feel like the maps could be bigger, or a little more varied. But how big is too big? And although I long for a little more girth, if you like, I’m not sure the game play would be as hectic as it is on the current maps. A good thing? Maybe. But this does lead me to a gripe, and there are always going to be gripes; it’s too easy to get locked down in a closed area with a multitude of grenades being flung in your general direction as you and your squad get blown to pieces. And this happens. A lot. And it’s frustrating.

But as far as the visual aesthetic of the environments, one cannot praise DICE enough for their loving re-creation of the worlds you find yourself in. Coupled with the music and the sounds of blasters and lasers, this really does take you back to the original trilogy and you can tell it’s been lovingly crafted. And the vehicles are all beautifully re-created. There is a real sense of power and giddiness when you jump into an AT-ST, or a Tie Fighter or an X-Wing.

And then there are the Heroes. There are only six now, three Rebels; Han Solo, Princess Leia and Luke Skywalker, and three from the Empire; Darth Vader, Lord Palpatine and Boba Fett. Each has their own play style and are good in different environments. You can scale wide open maps with Boba and take out the rebel scum in swathes as you hover high above the map. However, get stuck indoors and you’ll find you’re pretty useless against a swarm of the opposing Alliance. Princess Leia, although not powerful in combat, is an excellent support character for her brother and Solo, who always shoots first… Darth Vader and Skywalker wield lightsabers and use the force to either choke or throw depending on who you’re playing. And they both are pretty nifty with the lightsaber, although Luke does have the edge due to his faster movement and Sabre Rush - a long distance attack. But Vader has the Sabre Throw ability which is a lot of fun. Lord Palpatine, however, is probably the weakest of the lot. Like Leia, he is more supportive and his attacks, Force Lighting and Chain Lightning can be perceived as being weaker. However, if there are a group of enemies in close range, he can be a lethal opponent. Especially couple with his support ability that gives Imperial troops around him better attack buffs. But the Heroes are, on the whole, extremely well balanced. And this is really evident during the Heros vs Villains mode. This first to five, 12 player map game pits all Heroes against all Villains with the added support of infantry. You start the match as either a foot soldier or Hero and during the course of the match will play at least two Hero characters. It’s a great way to get to grips with the combat and because there are only six per side, it allows for the pace to be slower, allowing you to explore more your character.

And it’s here we need to remember DICE’s caveat in this game. This is an online multiplayer, infantry-focused game. This is all about the multiplayer and there are nine game modes, including the aforementioned Heroes vs Villains mode. You’ll find your Capture the Flag game in Droid Run (where the flags have been replaced with, well, Droids) and Cargo - where you have to steal the enemies cargo and defend your own. And you’ll find a Hardpoint modes in Drop Zone where you have to capture and hold dropped resources pods. And the Deathmatch modes are catered for in Supremacy and Blast. Blast being the purer form as there are no vehicle or Hero pick ups. And finally there’s Hero Hunt, where one person spawns as a Hero while everyone else hunts to kill. The killer then assumes the role of the Hero.

But the best modes, by far, Fighter Squadron and Walker Assault. Although Fighter Squadron is only 10 vs 10, the airspace is populated with AI, adding a frantic and exhilarating dogfighting experience. It’s testament to the engine, the franchise and the authenticity and care which DICE has taken in creating something which could quite easily have been a total bust. There’s something magical about jumping into a Tie Fighter or X-Wing and hearing the canons go. It’s also special when you’re up there with a group of friends. And there are Hero pick ups here too. You can pick up the iconic Millennium Falcon or the infamous Slave One. I can’t say how good they are, in the 50 hours of gameplay that I’ve had I’ve NEVER been in one. I’ve been so distracted and focused on shooting enemies down, that I’ve more often than not forgotten to look for them. And on the two occasions that I have found and picked them up, I’ve crashed straight into the ground seconds after picking them up in sheer excitement that I’d finally picked them up. And it’s not my flying, I’m pretty hot in the air, but I somehow lose it when I know I’m going to be piloting two of the most iconic aircraft of the Star Wars franchise. Either way, I’m happy enough to stick in my A-Wing or Tie Fighter and just pick off targets, fly low and enjoy the ride. It’s also a great alternative mode to level up in, especially if you find yourself constantly getting shot to shreds in other game modes.

But it’s Walker Assault that really allows you to appreciate the game. It’s a 40 player map, and there are pick ups galore. In this mode more than any other, you feel the pressure. There are multiple objectives to achieve in your quest for success and you’ll find sticking with your team and moving as one is vital to winning. There’s also an incredible sense of achievement when you prevail.

But I mentioned levelling up, and it’s here I think there is a little bit of a flaw. Although there are 187 unlocks, only 11 are weapons and 24 are Star Cards, cards you equip that give you perks. The Star Cards can be used as many times as you want in a match, but do have to cool down after use. These will include things like grenades, jetpacks and other, more specialist weapons. You also get character mod cards such as Focus Fire - which affords you more accuracy with your primary weapons, or Scan Pulse - allowing you see enemies for a brief time. All are easily affordable and you unlock them as you level up. But you do get everything quickly and if we’re being brutally honest, there’s no real difference between most of them. They’re nuanced, and that’s about it really. With the rest of the unlocks being all about appearance and customisation, one can’t help but think more weapons have been held back to drop with the DLC which will drip over then next year.

It’s common knowledge that DICE will be dropping DLC and it’s here I fear that the bulk of the best content will come. The game, as it stands, is fantastic and will fulfil your wildest Star Wars fantasies. But is it enough to hold on to players and entice them to buy the rest of the content. Bungie did a bad thing with the Taken King, and I hope Star Wars doesn’t find itself in the same boat. Equally, Titanfall was a phenomenal game, but the lack of diversity and content meant that a lot of players didn’t hang around for the DLC drops. Especially as the price of games usually doubles by the time you pick up all the DLC.

But this is Star Wars. And despite the little gripes, it’s hard to fault it in any way really. This game delivers what it promises to deliver. Epic battles in lovingly recreated worlds which shows not only the passion the guys behind it have, but the technical prowess of the engine; allowing you to really immerse yourself in one of the most legendary Sci-Fi stories of all time.