Star Wars Battlefront Review

The Verdict

Star Wars Battlefront is undoubtedly a fun game, and it’s a great fan service. From the iconic characters to the recognizable set pieces, it definitely pays homage to the original trilogy. But its beauty is only skin deep.

Once you get past the visuals, and you see Vader approach you for the umpteenth time, it starts to lose its luster. Star Wars is an expansive universe filled with lore. It would’ve been nice to see some of that lore applied to the gameplay, and not just in the form of memorable characters showing up on the battlefield.

Where’s the meaning behind these large scale battles? What’s the purpose of stealing the enemy cargo? Yes, we know the Rebels are at war with the Imperial, and we all remember the reason for the Hoth battle; but from a gameplay perspective, what’s the reward for successfully defending the base? There’s no sense of accomplishment, no grand goal that you’re working towards. Star Wars is deeper than what’s been delivered to us in Battlefront, and we deserve more than just a few hundred extra experience and the ability to pay credits to unlock a new emote.

Star Wars Battlefront is a great multiplayer game — both visually and mechanically. It offers a robust suite of multiplayer modes that are fun for the most part and will keep you busy for hours on end — or at least until the first expansion arrives. But for as faithful as DICE has been in recreating the planets and characters from Star Wars, they missed out on what is probably the most important aspect — the grand purpose behind any of this.

The Positives

• Though there’s not many at launch, each of the planets have a distinct, unique feel to them. Endor, for example, is dense and full of trees, which provide some wonderful hiding spots. Hoth, on the other hand, is a faithful recreation of the frozen tundra, with the only shelter from the wide-open, trench-filled snow fields coming in the form of the elaborate Rebel base. Tatooine is a rocky labyrinth, as the narrow canyons open into sprawling desert fields. And lastly, Sullust is a combination of molten, rocky plains and Imperial technology, a real treat for fans as this is a planet we’ve only heard about in the movies, but never seen. In addition to the unique feel, each of these gorgeous planets offer their own spectacular visuals.

• The overall art direction of Star Wars Battlefront is simply magnificent. From the set pieces to the audio effects, it feels like you’ve been placed directly into the movies themselves. Easily one of the best-looking, best-sounding games of the year.

• Supremacy and Walker Assault  will undoubtedly be the mode most players flock to. And for good reason, too. These large-scale 20v20 battles faithfully recreate the iconic scenes you probably remember from the movies. Save for a few spawn point issues, these modes are the real deal, delivering an authentic Star Wars experience. From the impressive visuals to the action-packed gameplay, you’ll undoubtedly experience some pretty spine-tingling moments while playing these modes.

• Star Wars Battlefront may not have “space” battles, but Fighter Squadron does a good job of filling the void. Blast is your standard team deathmatch, and good for those who prefer straight-up skill over vehicles. Cargo, Drop Zone, and Droid Run are all variations of capture-type game modes. They are a nice change of pace, but hardly what Battlefront will be remembered for.

• At 60 frames per second, the gameplay feels smooth and stable. Looks great and plays great. Save for a few unbalanced weapons, the actual shooting mechanics feel good. It’s a bit odd not having any recoil, but I suppose it’s true to canon. But if DICE truly wanted to stay true to the films, then stormtroopers should have an automatic -25% to weapon accuracy.

Negatives

• Hero Hunt and Heroes vs Villains round out Battlefront’s modes, and they are easily the worst in the game. Aside from being horribly unbalanced, the overall premise of Hero Hunt just flat out stinks. The main issue with Hero Hunt, aside from the ridiculousness of a group of players clumsily chasing around one hero/villain, is how the mode determines who the next hero will be. Rather than basing who assumes the role on overall damage done to the hero in that time, it does it on who landed the last shot. So you could theoretically do the most damage, die at the very last minute, and get screwed. Heroes vs Villains is a little better, but only if you are the lucky one to start off the round as one of the special characters.

• The maps in Star Wars Battlefront are undoubtedly gorgeous, and you can tell DICE has taken its time to faithfully recreate them based on the films. Unfortunately, there’s just too few of them. As nice as these maps are, it can get rather repetitive pretty quickly.

• Gear-gating adds an artificial sense of there being a lot to work towards in the game, when in reality the number of weapons and Star Cards (special items and perks you can equip before a match) available is quite limited. It almost feels as if the level and “credit” requirements to unlock them are in place to stretch out how long you play the game. But with such few options, it doesn’t take long to unlock these, even with having to pay credits.

• Customization is rather lackluster. Aside from your typical gender and race choices, there’s not much to personalize your character with; although, I have a feeling this has more to do with restrictions from Disney/Lucasfilm. Still, it’d be nice to have some more variations.

• Spawn points are bad. Aside from spawn camping, there have been multiple instances where I’ve spawned into orbital strikes or onto proximity mines. There’s been a few times where I’ve spawned right into a swarm of enemy troops and died instantly. Frustrating beyond belief.

• I absolutely hate how the “Season Pass” advertisement is plastered everywhere. On the main menu, you see it mentioned at least twice, as if EA is challenging us not to purchase the $49.99 season pass. I think many of us have accepted we live in an age where to get the complete multiplayer experience, you now need to spend at least an extra $30-$50. Please don’t remind us by blatantly putting it everywhere in the game.

• While it’s nice to be able to customize your own loadouts. I would’ve liked to see some more options. A single blaster with a hand of three Star Cards is hardly enough.

Neutral

• Multiplayer is nice, but there are times when it feels like I’m not working towards anything aside from level progression. Here we are in an expansive universe, in the middle of this great war, and for what purpose? I wish there was some meaning behind the battles I was participating in.

• Galactic Conquest 🙁

• Most appearance unlockables come in the form of human variations of race and gender. There are alien races, but they have no impact on the actual gameplay. Some sort of species bonuses would go a long way in having a unique character.

• There’s definitely a casual, arcade-y approach to the gameplay. That’s not a bad thing, but just don’t expect the level of intricacy of, say, a Battlefield game.

Of all the wonderful memories I have of the original Star Wars trilogy, perhaps none stand out as much as the time I first witnessed the epic battle on Hoth in Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes back. Though Star Wars is the epitome of the “Hero’s Journey,” it was iconic scenes like this — these massive battles taking place in a galaxy far, far away — that stand out the most. Nothing beats the tension of first witnessing the powerful Imperial army, complete with intimidating AT-AT, slowly approach the hidden Rebel base on the frigid icy planet. For me, that’s my most memorable moment; of course, you may have a different memory from the trilogy — maybe the battle on the forest moon of Endor, maybe the opening fight sequence in Return of the Jedi. Whatever your favorite moment in the original trilogy, Electronic Arts and DICE make sure to play to it in Star Wars Battlefront.

EA’s Star Wars Battlefront marks the return of a series fans have long-awaited. But surely you remember the last Star Wars experience delivered to us after years of waiting. Thankfully, Battlefront doesn’t suffer the same fate as the prequel trilogy. While not the most original multiplayer shooter in the galaxy, DICE has succeeded where it matters the most — creating a solid shooter that captures everything you love about Star Wars. From the breathtaking landscapes to the magnificent audio to the heart-stopping action, it’s hard not to immediately fall in love with Star Wars Battlefront. But for as authentic of a “Star Wars experience” DICE has delivered, Battlefront does seemingly lack the substance that keeps a game like this feeling fresh days later.

Star Wars Battlefront is, first and foremost, built for multiplayer. In place of a traditional campaign are “Missions.” This is comprised of five different “Training “missions, that are actually quite entertaining while teaching you the basics, though they lack replay value; “Battles,” which is essentially a versus mode where you must defeat enemy forces and collect their tokens; and “Survival,” a wave-based mode where you and a partner must increasingly difficult waves of enemy forces. Survival is probably the mode most best-suited for those who prefer single player. It’s fun, as you and a buddy take on increasingly difficult waves of enemies, but, again, there’s little substance to keep you invested in the mode after you complete it once. Missions feel like a giant waste of an opportunity, almost as if EA rushed it just to say they’ve got an offline and co-op mode for those who don’t enjoy competitive multiplayer. It’s unfortunate, because the opening moments before each mission are just a tease of what could’ve been had DICE taken the time to deliver a fleshed out experience.

Despite the shortcomings of missions, competitive multiplayer is the heart and soul of Star Wars Battlefront. And to that end, there is an entire suite of competitive multiplayer options available. From the grand battles of Walker Assault (a 20v20 mode where Rebels attempt to stop invading Imperial AT-AT walkers from reaching their destination) to the more traditional Blast (essentially a 10v10 Deathmatch), there’s pretty much something for everyone. Not all of the modes are of equal enjoyment though, and some just feel like they were thrown in as filler.

There’s a lot Star Wars Battlefront gets right; but, I can’t help but feel there’s also some missed opportunities. Let’s take a look at the positives and negatives.

The Positives / The Negatives

The Verdict