Star Wars Battlefront

I'll be the first to admit that I am staunchly against multiplayer-only games. 

On consoles I think they resemble a sign of laziness and greed from the developers to not take the time to craft a story. This is somewhat forgivable if the entirety of the multiplayer game is beefy -- featuring a lot for players to do for hours on end. That means very minimal DLC. 

Unfortunately, Battlefront is a prime example of a lot of that which I hate in multiplayer only games. It's fairly shallow, all things considered, and I'd argue that $60 is a steep price to ask. But then you tack on the $50 DLC (that I most likely won't be purchasing) that's coming over the next several months and you have yourself a $110 game that has no core story and arguably could have launched with a ton more content. 

Does that piss me off? Absolutely. 

But have I had an absolute blast playing Battlefront? Undoubtedly, which makes this a hard review to piece together. 

Stunning background effects...

In recent months Battlefront has gotten a lot of flak from gamers. Many found the beta boring (I did not) and the pricing combined with a lack of content bothered many. Battlefront is a shallow game. There's no doubt about it. And I'd like to think that it's one of the few, possibly only, multiplayer-only games I'll ever buy. Truthfully, that's disappointing, especially when there is so much "new" content coming down the pipeline for a price. As much as I enjoy the game itself (more on that later), this really does feel like a skeleton frame of a game, missing several key components that gamers have been waiting years for and begged EA for. For every positive or shining moment, if I think a little harder I usually have an equivalent detriment. For example, personally I love the Fighter Squadron mode. Too bad it's only got 4 maps, none of which are deep space. I sure do love playing as Luke Skywalker, or Boba Fett. Too bad there are only 6 heroes/villains to choose from, none of which are from the prequel trilogy, which has been completely left out of this iteration. It's unfortunate to a certain degree because EA really does have a quality game here, but there are just so many questionable decisions throughout, many of which seem based in greed, that hold it back from being the absolute classic that could have been. 

I drive Slave I like I stole it, son!

Despite all that could be said about the amount of content, pricing, and decisions made, the fact is that EA and DICE have made a fantastic game here, one that is incredibly fun nearly every time I get on to play. If you're not a Star Wars fan this game will most likely not hold very much amazement for you, but for those that are, there's something magical about seeing Darth Vader storming a Hoth battlefield as a Snowspeeder brings an AT-AT down with a tow cable. And that's part of the fun of Battlefront is the awesome scenes that it organically creates. There are at least a dozen times where I dropped my jaw with some background action, or just watched two heroes/villains go at it, even though I should have been playing the objective. A lot of this is because of the game's production values that are quintessentially, Star Wars. The troops, ships, effects, and worlds look identical to the original films as do many of the sound effects and music. On top of that, the game features truly some of the best graphics of the year, if not the outright best. Many people have asked me, "Should I get Battlefront?" Outside of my usual digs for more info like, "Are you going to play with friends?" or "Do you like multiplayer shooters?" I usually ask "Do you want to show off your console's power on a fancy TV?". During my time with Battlefront, I've encountered zero framerate issues or stuttering, and the only time I've had something even close it was due to internet lag, another instance which I've very rarely encountered. 

Jet boosting toward what's most
likely my imminent death

The maps, though few, are absolutely great, and really echo a lot of the stellar structure seen in the older Battlefront games. They have an insane amount of detail and usually background action that's happening too. There are larger maps for the larger game modes (Walker Assault) and smaller maps for the more intimate ones (Droid Run), but they each look gorgeous and often feature some degree of verticality, alternate routes, etc. Many have complained about the automatic spawn points but I truthfully haven't had too many problems with spawn campers so it's not a complaint I share. Gameplay on these maps is also incredibly strong. I wish the troops would have had a little more mobility (an unlockable quick-jet pack helps with that), but that's something similar to the old games. Shooting and grenade tossing though is great, offering each player the ability to make a difference. Talent certainly helps in Battlefront, but it's also not as unforgiving as say Call of Duty where if you're slow to the trigger, you're already dead. I did find that hit detection was a little shoddy at times, but not enough to make a huge gripe about it. Ships and vehicles also control great, which quells my biggest fear about the game stemming from DICE's horrible vehicle controls in their Battlefield games. It's so good in fact, that one of the game's simpler modes, ship vs ship only Fighter Squadron, has quickly become many players' highlight mode, including my own. Strangely, some of the worst controls are found with the heroes. Fett is the easiest and best designed, and Han and Leia do great as well. But the lightsaber wielding Luke and Vader and the lightning-armed Emperor all control like tanks, especially in cramped corridors. They're each incredibly powerful, but can easily be defeated if trapped, something that happened to me several times (usually as Vader). 

Hunting down the Millennium Falcon!

One of the most important parts about any multiplayer game is the player's progression as well as the available modes. It's here that Battlefront doesn't necessarily fail, but is merely just competent. Progression is quick enough and each level up unlocks something new, whether it be a new weapon, star card, etc. Most of the time, leveling up won't really mean anything other than a pad to the ego because in order to unlock said perks, you must buy them with in-game credits. The prices aren't too steep, but after a couple hefty purchases you'll find yourself saving up and passing on unlocking many. Points are explained explicitly after each match, which is sometimes appreciated, but way too slow (and you can't skip it). Star Cards are basically perks within the game that unlock grenades, radars, jump-packs, etc. Playing without them for the first little bit is a major pain, but they really offer tantalizing options later on. What happens when a player reaches max level, I don't know, but I have a feeling their only motivation to keep playing is the game itself. 

Also available in First Person variety!

The modes in the game are plentiful, most of which offer up a unique, if not unnecessary alteration to the usual run and gun. Walker Assault, Droid Capture, and Fighter Squadron were my faves because of their individual scales, lengths, scopes, objectives, etc. There are some other fun modes (Heroes vs. Villains gets far too much crap) but many of them have pitfalls that players start to take advantage of. But for the ones that shine, they shine brightly. Walker Assault is actually quite genius and created specifically for Star Wars. I've had matches that came down to the literal last seconds, with my friends and I hooting and hollering as the last AT-AT fell. If I were to say what mode I was best at, it would be the spaceship-only Fighter Squadron that features short games, but fairly hectic ones. Tailing an opponent, only to blow them up as you fly through their debris is not only satisfying but just downright cool, not to mention flying the Millenium Falcon and Slave I against each other. For single player, the offers basically amount to some training (fairly boring/weak) and horde mode which is surprisingly fun and difficult on higher modes. 

Maybe I should turn around?

It should be clear by now that Battlefront deserves criticism for its shortcomings, as they're rather unacceptable and a sign of a "wrong turn" so to speak for the gaming industry. Some gamers cry foul for even supporting the game, but that's just insanely extreme. Purposeful lack of content aside, Battlefront is still one hell of a blast to play, especially if you're on with friends, and it is Star Wars brought to life -- featuring production values for one of pop culture's favorite universes that are rarely seen in gaming. The combination of aesthetics and gameplay were enough for me this time around, though I understand it most likely wont be for many. 

So take my final score with a grain of salt and try to make your own conclusions based on what you've read here. For this gamer, however, seeing Boba Fett catapult in the air, takedown an X-wing flying low overhead, and then be shot down by a rebel soldier's Smart Rocket immediately after is a little too good to pass up, or be too harsh on in my scoring. 

CONS:

• A fatally and purposefully shallow game. The lack of single player, prequel trilogy content, and more maps/guns in general is inexcusable. EA needs to check themselves, especially when trying to charge $50 for a DLC Season Pass
• Some useless unlocks along the way
• Not much reason to be leveling up after the first 20 or so
• Credit grinding at times
• Hit detection is sometimes off
• Random battlefield pickups are kind of annoying
• Lack of customization
• Some of the heroes are easier to control than others
• Not much to offer here if you're not a Star Wars fan

PROS:

• Stunning graphics with very few gameplay glitches. I rarely encountered slow down or internet issues which is pretty amazing for a blockbuster title like this
• Environments, effects, and characters look phenomenal and everything sounds amazing too. Battlefront is Star Wars through and through and the game is all the better (by a massive margin) for the degree to which they strove for authenticity
• Addicting gameplay that is well designed and crafted and also in line with the older games. I approve of most the new tweaks
• Most modes are fun for a short while, while others really have legs
• Great maps, even though they are few. I'm sure that many will be classic in retrospect
• Too much fun with friends and the benefit of coordination
• Great vehicle combat and controls
• Playing as a hero or villain is usually a hoot 
• Creates memorable gaming moments naturally within the Star Wars universe 

Rath's Review Score: 8/10