Star Wars: Battlefront is here and we have spent many hours with the PC version since its release to bring you our review.
One thing to mention: There are currently reports online that Electronic Arts is apparently paying for positive coverage of Star Wars: Battlefront. We have not received such an offer and tested the game completely unbiased!
Star Wars: Battlefront – after many hours of play, I wondered how to approach this review. So much has already been written about it, all modes presented, and currently, the game is not seen in the light that Electronic Arts would prefer. The essential question is: Is it fun? And that is exactly what I want to address.
Battle in the Star Wars
As a Rebel soldier, I hide behind the large trunk of a tree on the forest moon of Endor. The shots from the Imperial blasters can be heard from afar. My comrades are engaged in heated battles with the enemy. An explosion shakes the forest floor. I remain calm, as I have my mission. Even when Imperial Scout Troopers whiz past me on their speeder bikes, I do not leave my post. There, the mechanical stomping reveals that my target is approaching. The oversized “head” of the AT-ST comes into view. Stay calm now.
I take aim with the rocket launcher. Now! Clear shot! The explosive projectile races towards the walker. The explosion makes it stagger, but the armor is too strong. I quickly reload, as I have only a few seconds before I’m discovered. One more shot… A massive explosion knocks me off my feet and throws me into the bushes. The AT-AT, which had approached from behind, should have caught my attention… Now it’s up to the others to stop the Empire – at least until I respawn and can take on a new role in the fight.
Amazing Graphics
Star Wars: Battlefront immerses you in the battles from the original Star Wars trilogy like no other Star Wars game has done before. This is due to the presentation. Visually, it offers almost photorealism.
The models, animations, textures, and lighting effects make the game look like a playable movie in some situations. Added to this are the iconic sound effects and the captivating music. In terms of presentation and atmosphere, Electronic Arts and DICE have done a great job.
The ground battles also showcase the shooter-typical controls, which work excellently with mouse and keyboard. The aerial battles are a bit different, which I will address later. Star Wars: Battlefront plays very fast and intuitively, leading to brisk fights. These take place on various maps, including the desert planet Tatooine, the forest moon Endor, the ice planet Hoth, and the volcanic planet Sullust. Each map has its quirks that can be tactically utilized in battles – just as one is used to from other online shooters.
Star Wars Atmosphere on a Standard Shooter Framework
And that’s exactly what carries the game. Unfortunately, one might even say too much. Because a game should actually be supported by mechanics, gameplay, and long-term motivation, but that’s where Star Wars: Battlefront falters. The individual game modes are too interchangeable. There is too little long-term motivation offered.
There’s also a clear focus on casual players. Because those expecting complex mechanics are wrong here. Characters don’t level up, there are no spawn points that can be tactically chosen, and there are no battles over specific territories. Star Wars: Battlefront is designed to offer fast battles in entertaining modes. And they are entertaining.
Cargo is a nice capture-the-flag alternative, in Droid Alarm you ensure that all droids on the map move to your base. Combat is the classic deathmatch, and Fighter Squadron lets you engage in battles in spaceships high above the planet surfaces. In Drop Zone, you fight for crashed escape pods. These modes are fun and enjoyable, but they simply do not motivate in the long run. This is where the modes Walker Assault and Domination come into play. In these, more players are involved, which creates a feeling of a larger battle, and they last longer due to the larger maps.
Heroes vs. Villains and Hero Hunt stand out only because you can step into the shoes of well-known Star Wars heroes and villains who have special abilities. These heroes can also be featured briefly in the other modes if you pick up special power-ups.
Quite Fast
Speaking of power-ups: Especially through the weapons, objects, and star cards, through which you can combine various objects, Star Wars: Battlefront feels somewhat arcade-like. When a power-up appears, team play goes out the window and everyone wants to grab it… It’s no longer about quickly taking out the enemy, but about snagging the power-up. It also feels arcade-like when you pilot a spaceship, either in the Fighter Squadron mode or by picking up the corresponding power-up. The controls on PC with mouse and keyboard are extremely unfamiliar.
The aerial battles play out extremely quickly, almost too quickly. However, they also offer a certain variety, especially when you combine ground and air fights. And that’s when you notice what the game actually lacks: Imagine if there were a star map with several planets where fights on the ground, in the air, and in space take place constantly, with rebels and the Empire waging a war over these planets. That would probably have been what Star Wars fans would have desired…
Conclusion
Andreas says: Star Wars: Battlefront is a game for the moment. This was already evident during the beta and is now confirmed. The fast-paced battles are indeed fun, and especially the large battles like those on Hoth or Endor provide a real Star Wars feeling. Playing briefly as a hero like Luke Skywalker or a villain like the Emperor is also fun.
But it simply lacks long-term motivation. If you took Star Wars out of the game, you would hardly play Battlefront. There’s too little new content, too little that addresses core gamers. Thus, Star Wars: Battlefront is largely supported by the Star Wars atmosphere, which is at least insufficient if a game aims to be a real hit with a wow effect.
![Star Wars Battlefront - Day One Edition - [PC]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51V22A0JBZL._SL160_.jpg)
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