The end of 2015 was the most memorable moment for Star Wars fans because apart from being able to watch the latest film, The Force Awakens, they could also play an equally exciting game, Star Wars Battlefront. This rebooted version of the series with the same title – only distinguished by the “:” sign – invites players to experience some of the most famous battles in the world of Star Wars; Call it Battle of Endor, Battle of Hoth, Siege of Inyusu Tor, and events directly related to the film version, namely Battle of Jakku which is present in the form of downloadable content.
No wonder the beta version is able to attract the attention of gamers in large numbers. But after the full version was released to the market, did Star Wars Battlefront achieve great success?
Feel the Dark Side
It must be admitted that Star Wars Battlefront, even though it is liked by many people and achieves quite high sales, it still has a number of negative points that reduce its prowess. The main thing is the elimination of the single-player mode, a feature that was deliberately not included by the developer because they focus more on the game in multiplayer mode. Even though not a few gamers want them to be able to play this game solo without interference from other players. Indeed, in Battlefront you can find Survival Mode where you have to face waves of attacks by Imperial troops that are getting stronger and stronger – and quite interesting to play, but this mode is still not a Campaign because it doesn’t have a clear storyline.
In addition, players feel that not all modes in multiplayer are able to provide the same playing experience – most of them can provide challenging and exciting combat action, but some feel less interesting and seem only as extras. An example is the Fighter Squadron, where players will engage in battles in outer space using fighter planes. This mode is considered less attractive because the core of the game is simple: no need to think about cooperation or strategy, just shoot down as many opponents as possible. Not to mention the problem in balancing, especially in terms of weapon strength.
Embrace the Light
Fortunately, the advantages possessed by Battlefront are more than the weaknesses, so that various gaming media give quite a lot of points for this game. The first is the design of each map that is displayed, where almost everything is done well so that it displays quality visuals. Starting from the snowy atmosphere of the Battle of Hoth, to the dense forest that is the setting for the Battle of Endor, each map will bring players to a very different nuance so that each map has its own charm.
Because the game is focused on multiplayer, it’s no wonder that the mode that accommodates a large number of players is the mode preferred by the players. For example Walker Assault, where each player is assigned to repel two AT-ATs – Imperial’s large war machines – as well as the accompanying Stormtrooper troops. It takes good cooperation between the 40 players who are accommodated in each session so that they can defeat the opponent plus destroy the giant war machine. Coupled with a hectic but very exciting battle atmosphere, Walker Assault managed to grab the attention of most gamers.
The next mode that is the player’s favorite is Supremacy which both accommodates 40 players, it’s just that the objectives are different. Here the players are divided into 2 different camps (Rebel Alliance and Imperial Stormtrooper) where both have to fight for control of various posts on the battlefield in order to earn points and win the war. Similar to Walker Assault, both teams must have a precise strategy so that they can control various posts while maintaining their territory. One thing that is quite disturbing is the unbalanced spawn point so that one team can gain an advantage at the beginning of the game because its position is closer to the post that must be mastered, and this is certainly very detrimental to the opposing team because they have to fight harder.
Build Your Own Hero
One feature that distinguishes the original Battlefront from the reboot – and is considered a plus in itself – is the loss of character classes. In the original game this is a barrier for players to form the character they want because all the skills have been determined. However, in this reboot version, players can only choose the abilities and items they want to use in battle (appears in the form of Star Cards). For example, Focus Fire which increases accuracy for some time, Ion Torpedo which is capable of dealing massive damage, and many more. The presence of this feature allows each player to form the strongest character according to their respective play styles. Nice one!!
Overall Score: 8/10
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer: EA Digital Illusions CE
Genre: Action, Shooter
Release: November 2015
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One