Unless you’ve been living under a bivouac, you couldn’t fail to notice a lot of talk about everything Star Wars. Obviously, there’s the new film which is likely to be the biggest thing ever, but there’s also the release of Star Wars: Battlefront that is likely to be just as huge. But is it all hype? Does the game deserve any of your attention? Hell yes it does, and I’m going to tell you 5 reasons why you should be excited for Star Wars: Battlefront
5. It’s Star Wars
Okay, let’s get the obvious one out of the way first. Any game that has the Star Wars attached to it, (well maybe not that kinect dancing simulator one) has just that little bit more sense of excitement around it. Even the most average of games can be elevated by it’s association with possibly the world’s biggest ever cultural phenomenon. The opportunity to interact with a world that is so loved the world over is for many a proposition to difficult to resist.
But what about those people who don’t really care for Star Wars? Well this Christmas it will be almost impossible to escape Star Wars and arguably it’s difficult not to be caught up in the excitement of it all. Personally, I would only really say that I was a moderate Star Wars fan and even I have ventured into the Disney Store and scanned their shelves looking for my own remote controlled BB8, such has been my excitement. Even my wife, who has little to no interest in Star Wars, was the one who booked the tickets saying we had to see it as soon as possible. Therefore, the timing of Star Wars: Battlefront couldn’t be better and it’s sure to capitalise on the fever pitch surrounding everything Star Wars.
However, the Star Wars name alone isn’t enough to guarantee success, but after a hugely popular Beta, Battlefront is proving that there are many more reasons to be excited.
4. Hero Power-Ups
Ask anyone what the appeal of playing any Star Wars game is and it’s the chance to play as some of the universe’s most iconic characters. Star Wars: Battlefront cleverly capitalises on this appeal by giving gamers the opportunity to play as a number of Star Wars’ heroes and villains. There are even game modes dedicated around the whole idea of playing as these characters.
However, you can’t just jump in and step into the shoes of Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader. Instead most game modes offer a variety of power-ups with one allowing you to become said hero or villain. This makes playing as such iconic characters all that more special, as they’re overpowered killing machines that you only get to play as in short bursts, making every moment playing as them sheer joy.
These iconic characters aren’t just isolated to your Jedis and Sith Lords, you also get the chance to step into the shoes of Han Solo, Princess Leia and even Boba Fett. For fans this is pure joy, but for others it’s still an opportunity to play as characters that have a more varied skill set than your average shooter, making for a unique take on the FPS genre.
3. Iconic Movie Moments Recreated
The Battle of Hoth and the speeder bike chase on Endor are just some of the movie moments brought to life in Star Wars: Battlefront. The game cleverly relies on classic moments from the original trilogy rather than focus on the mostly unloved prequel trilogy. These moments are brought exquisitely to life with the power of next generation graphics. So much so that some have jokingly said that the speeder bike chase looks too good and doesn’t quite recreate the eighties special effects used in the original trilogy.
Not only do these moments look great, most of the maps these moments take place on are large battle arenas filled with vehicles and brimming with rebels and imperials. The Battle of Hoth map was featured in the Beta and it truly felt as though you were part of one massive conflict, with X-wings and TIE fighters flying over your head and AT-ATs looming ever closer to the rebel base. Even when combat is frantic, which it often is, it’s hard not to marvel at the scale of these iconic sci-fi battles.
2. Vehicular Combat
Not only does Star Wars: Battlefront allow you to take control of iconic characters, it also allows you to take control of iconic vehicles such as X-Wings, TIE fighters, and speeder bikes. There are even hero vehicles such as the Millennium Falcon and Slave 1 to control. Taking control of these vehicles is fun and delivers fast based action.
There is even the squadron mode which allows players to jump into massive space battles so they can hone their skills. In the Beta vehicle combat took a little getting used to, especially considering how fast everything felt. Hopefully, the squadron mode will help players familiarise themselves with the intricacies of the controls as well as enable them to take part in epic space battles.
1. Old School Gameplay
Despite being developed by DICE, who have brought us many Battlefield games, Star Wars: Battlefront has a decidedly old school feel more in keeping with the original Battlefront games released on the PlayStation 2 rather than with other modern day shooters such as Battlefield and Call of Duty. As you’re equipped with a blaster, gun fire is quick and rapid and you never have to worry about ammo (although you do have to worry about overheating). Along with a more traditional health bar system, (which does eventually recharge) combat harks back to older shooters. You may think this would make the action feel dated, but it sort of gives the game a more arcade-like feel, which feels more in keeping with Star Wars history.
Despite having more of an arcade feel, the game is given enough modern twists to feel in keeping with modern day shooters. For example there is a progression system in which you earn credits. These credits can then be use to purchase cards, which give your fighter a range of boosts. It may be a jump pack that helps you move up the field quicker, it may be a long range blaster, or it may be a range of various explosives to take out those pesky AT-STs. In the field, these abilities have a cool-down period so they can never be used to abuse other players. It encourages players to keep playing to earn new abilities and their inclusion feels more in keeping with the arcade style the game quickly establishes.
It’s old school gameplay makes Star Wars: Battlefront stand out from the crowd, offering a different experience that can’t be found in other shooters. Along with utilising the Star Wars license to great effect and with already planned post release content, Star Wars: Battlefront looks set to be one of the biggest games of the year.
So are you looking forward to Star Wars: Battlefront? Do you think it’s being over hyped? Let me know in the comments below.