Continuing the Star Wars festivities, today we look at what is arguably one of the best (and sometimes worst) video game series based on the franchise. Besides being a Jedi, Sith Lord and riding around in a TIE Fighter or an X-Wing (or the like), one other thing many of us want to do in the Star Wars universe is experience the actual war side of things and fortunately there is a game series that does just that. Started in 2004 before being rebooted by EA in 2013, this series of games lets us be in the heat of the battle. Lots of fun indeed so let's take a look at them:
Oh and for those wondering, I'm looking at both the original series and the EA series, but excluding the handheld games (as I never got the chance to play them when they came out originally and can't find them now) and 2013's Star Wars Battlefront (which I have already reviewed):
Battlefront (Pandemic)
The very first game of the series lets you play a part in four different factions from across the prequel and original trilogies. Each one has five different classes which are infantry, heavy weapons, pilot, sniper and the fifth one is unique to the chosen faction. And of course a famous Jedi or Sith lord takes part for a limited time in battles, though as NPCs. Like many strategy games, the objective is to defeat the opposing faction and take over much of their bases and resources for a certain period of time to win. Plenty of vehicles are around to help and additional forces that can either favour one faction over the other or be hostile to both. In addition to the multiplayer mode, there is a single player mode that presents gamers with several scenarios set across the original and prequel trilogies. While missing
Revenge of the Sith (which hadn't been released at the time of the game's release) and nowadays having very limited or next to nothing online gameplay, what's said in the title is what is delivered. A fun experience that may feel like other strategy games that came before and after it, but is fun for fans though may now be considered inferior as sequels would go on to adapt elements from later films and media in addition to what this game already had. A great time if not quite limited these days. 7/10
Battlefront II (Pandemic)
The sequel bears a lot of similarities with the first game, but the main differences are that
Revenge of the Sith is now included, Jedi and Sith lords are playable and there's now a "capture the flag" mode too. But the biggest addition is a single player story mode which is told from the perspective of an unknown clone trooper veteran who reminisces the days of the 501st Legion from assisting in the Battle of Geonosis during the Clone Wars to serving the Empire in an alternative take of the Battle of Hoth. Although largely an improvement over its predecessor, the additional stuff may not be enough to merit the game's price. Nevertheless, we can be sure to have a more complete experience now that
Revenge of the Sith is included and also be able to enjoy multiplayer even to this day thanks to various sources. 8/10
Battlefront II (EA)
One of the biggest criticisms that the first EA developed game had, was a lack of content for both single and multiplayer modes. This game manages to deliver on that by allowing ground and space battles to take place (from both third and first-person perspectives) across not just the prequel and original trilogies, but also the sequel trilogy (specifically
The Force Awakens) too. Each faction's soldiers are all controlled identically, but are nevertheless unique to each one. Starfighters can also be used, but with each one playing differently to one another. Lots of mapped areas (both on planets and in space) available, plenty of classes to choose from and one class in particular is dedicated to the many beloved characters we know and love from the franchise (many of which can be levelled up and have multiple customization options). Plenty of multiplayer and single player modes to choose from with the story mode being a canon story set between
Return of the Jedi and
The Force Awakens told this time from the perspective of the Imperial officer turned New Republic solider Iden Versio (voiced and motion capped by Janina Gavankar). While it feels like a polished game that delivers what fans had hoped for, I will agree that microtransactions have no place in triple A games and to have them in a Star Wars game like this, just feels like an insult to fans and making out to the younger generation that gambling is all good (when really its not). I guess if that feature was removed with EA relying more on DLC (free or otherwise), maybe the game would've had a warmer reception. Still though, it lacks in some areas such as the story mode. But graphics look great and some modes are better than others. Hoping we get much better Battlefront games in the future. 6/10
While by no means the absolute best series of Star Wars games, the Battlefront games do very well to deliver what was promised even if the games lack certain things. Fans will no doubt enjoy the games and I certainly enjoyed them too despite their flaws. But at least EA learned from their mistake with Battlefront II and started making much better games for the franchise from that point on (I mean I'm still buzzing about Jedi Fallen Order). 8/10
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