Star Wars: Battlefront is, ultimately, a game designed perfectly for all of those of whom have grown up around the sci-fiction movie franchise, Star Wars. The action/shooter game allows fans to have an unforgettable opportunity to re-live and participate in all of the epic battles that had shaped the Star Wars Universe. Holding a slight resemblance to Battlefield 1942, Battlefront will certainly attract a lot of fans of that genre also. Setting aside the few problems that face Star Wars: Battlefront, it still is one of the first Star Wars games to build a memorable experience off the epic battles featured in the movies.
The force is strong in this one
Star Wars: Battlefront is jam-packed with several modes that’ll satisfy the needs for both the gamers seeking a single-player fix and of those seeking the more exciting multiplayer experience. We say ‘more exciting’ because Star Wars: Battlefront is ultimately a game designed for the gamers that seek an overall fun game with an amazing online feature. We aren’t saying that the single-player mode is anything overly disappointing, but it definitely won’t be keeping too many people occupied when you have access to such an exciting and enjoyable online multiplayer mode.
Single Player:
There are three single player modes in Star Wars: Battlefront; Galactic Conquest, Historical Campaigns and Instant Action, all of which provide the player with very little entertainment. This is mainly because of several factors that make you continue to realise that the developers of the game have intended this game to be mainly a multiplayer experience.
1.) There’s barely any story line that ties the missions together.
2.) The AI is absolutely dreadful – At times you’ll feel like you’re the only one of the battlefield.
3.) It’s damn too easy – There’s slightly any challenge in the modes.
The Instant Action mode needs very little explaining in that you’ll be able to select a team and jump right into the action of an intense battle. The other modes, however, need a little more explaining though. The Historical Campaigns mode is quite straightforward as you select a team, either the Empire or the Rebels, and the player takes charge of a single trooper in each battle through the events of the Clone Wars (Episodes I-III) and the Galactic Civil War (Episodes IV-VI). Your only objective is to win, you can do this by depleting your enemy's reinforcements before they finish yours and/or to take over all command post. It’s basically a capture the flag type of mission, but on an extremely basic level. With each victory you’ll then be taken to the next level in chronological order of the Star Wars history. The problem that occurs with the order of missions is that the game will begin with you fighting onside with the Rebellion forces but several missions later you’ll suddenly be forced to switch sides, leaving any desire to conquer the galaxy on a desired side gone. Personally, I felt the game really needed two separate story lines, each with a story to tell of it’s own, instead of the linear path already set for you. In total there are 16 maps to play over 10 Planets from the Star Wars Galaxy. Each level is opened up with a clip from the relevant section of the Star Wars films and also a very cheesy briefing at the beginning of each mission. There clips hardly build any atmosphere to the missions, it merely proves that Pandemic Studios can add these clips into the game. The Historical Campaigns is a good way of being able to progress through all of the important battles that have shaped the Star Wars Universe, but with the lack of an actual story line it does get a little boring since you won’t be able to experience what it’s like to be defeated. Personally, if the game featured missions where you had lost and the briefing could’ve reflected off the defeat it would’ve certainly been able to create a unique story line for each side.
The Galactic Conquest, on the other hand, is where the game begins to spice up a little bit. In this mode players will pick their desired team. From there, players are able to select from several planets on a galactic map they desire to conquer. Each planet has two separate battles that take place, and if the player can successfully win both of them, they have conquered that planet. The overall goal of Galactic Conquest is to conquer all planets before your enemy does. Not too difficult is it?
Now the most exciting feature of Galactic Conquest is the benefits that arise once conquering a planet. Say if you were to conquer Bespin for instance, you’ll then be able to select an additional bonus to assist you in the next battle because of the planet’s assistance. There are a number of bonuses such as Jedi Hero, allowing characters such as Luke Skywalker or Darth Vader to fight alongside you in the next battle. There are a number of other bonuses that improve your troops in terms of health, accuracy and a number of other benefits to both you and your allies, all well worth it if I may add. However, what makes this mode even more exciting, is the fact that your enemy, if they conquer a certain planet, can also use these additional bonuses. It’s certainly a great feature that spices the game up a lot more, making you strive for victory. The only downside to this mode is probably the fact that the overall AI experience is again too easy, which is something that hurts that game’s overall appearance greatly.
Multiplayer
Easily the biggest attraction to Star Wars: Battlefront is the game’s multiplayer modes, Battlefront is, as it stands, the first game on Xbox Live to support up to 24 people online. As it stands though the game does have its drawback because of a frustrating lag problem that occurs during some battles, however, the problem is being fixed as I type up this review. Apart from the ‘current’ problem that occurs, the multiplayer in Star Wars: Battlefront is one of the best I’ve played on the Xbox thus far, extremely enjoyable and insanely addictive. The opportunity to sit in an AT-AT walker and blast the living hell out of an actual human player never gets boring.
The multiplayer game is exactly the same as that in the single player mode, capture all the command points or kill your enemies until they run out of reinforcement and you’ve guaranteed yourself, and your team, victory. The better aspect of the multiplayer, compared to the single player modes, is having to face actual talented enemies. The people you play against know how to fire their weapons, know how to function vehicles to their fullest and they, more importantly, know how to kill you. This makes the game a lot more exciting to play though. You’ll now have to communicate with your peers as to how to strategically defeat your opposition. You’ll have to assign several people to mount the vehicles, take the turrets and a few to remain at their post to protect the command post. It truly feels like you’re in an actual Star Wars battle.
The Droids broken, what you trying to pull on us Jawa?
Plain and simply, that’s two words that sum up the overall production of the AI in this game. The fact that the enemy AI is quite literally as dumb as paint truly destroys the fun and enjoyment that could’ve been experienced in the game’s single player modes. You’ll soon be frustrated that you will be making all the big moves on enemy targets and capturing enemy post. The AI controlled troops will do as they please and when they please. The AI controlled troops will, at times, sit in the middle of crossfire, stand around as they are getting shot at or do nothing for the entire game. However, sometimes you’ll experience quite the opposite, with the AI troops taking out AT-AT walkers, taking over important command post by themselves and even saving your life on occasions. It’s rather confusing at times to see the AI function in this game, but it’s rather understandable seeing the number of AI controlled troops on the battlefield at the one time – which truly creates the atmosphere of a real battle. Sadly though, the AI has truly effected what could’ve been quite an enjoyable single-player mode.
Your senses can deceive you
Visually this game looks quite spectacular on the Xbox. Each of the maps in the game are finely detailed in all aspects of environment, character models and various visual effects. The game features huge locations varying from the icy-depths of Hoth to even the lustrous jungle environment of Endor.
The game features outstanding modelling jobs on each of the characters and vehicles. The visual effects on vehicles, such as the AT-AT walkers, look absolutely stunning. As these massive beast of machinery roars down the battlefield you’ll witness the little details that make you truly impressed. The dirty (sand, snow or whatever environment you’re in) will fly around in contrast with the object moving around, and, this is what got me excited, is the amazing inclusion of bump mapping. Sure bump mapping isn’t anything revolutionary, but having an explosion occur in the distance and feeling it’s aftermath on your screen is something.
Probably the number one concern coming into Star Wars: Battlefront for myself was having the worry of witnessing a drastic slow down in the game’s framerate. Much to my delight, however, the game suffers from almost no slow down at all. At times you’ll be playing the game with a couple dozen NPC’s running around firing their blasters constantly, flying X-Wings in the sky and a huge explosion on a falling AT-AT walker in the far distance, and all this happening with barely, if any, slow down in the game at all.
The audio in this game is quite remarkable. Everything from the sound effects of the blasters, explosions, vehicles and the unforgettable Star Wars sound tracks makes exceptional use of the 5.1 surround sound. For the gamers that have the set-up for an amazing gaming experience, will be able to enjoy Star Wars: Battlefront to it’s full extent. Even for those gamers that aren’t lucky enough to afford expensive surround systems won’t be effected in the overall audio quality. The game’s audio is presented in an extremely clear and remarkable matter.
The game doesn’t over use music in battles, which often ruins the overall atmosphere of the games, like many Star Wars games have done in the past. With a fair share of tracks sounding in the background of each battle and the stunning sound effects that are present, the game will certainly immerse you in the Star Wars Universe.
There’s always a sign of hope
Despites Star Wars: Battlefront’s lack of overall single player length, difficultly and the questionable AI, the game is overall well… darn amazing.
The combat of the game is addictive, and uses a very simple but affective approach of combat. The visuals and audio throughout the game are constructed perfectly into the game that creates a unique and, quite refreshing, Star Wars experience.
Star Wars: Battlefront is a game that grows more appealing the more you play it. The controls take a little getting use to, but nothing too frustrating. Being able to jump in vehicles such as the AT-AT or Tie Fighter in the mist of an intense battle is quite impressive, and each of these vehicles truly make their superiority felt on the battlefield.
The game is definitely a game that all Star Wars fans and gamers alike will absolutely adore. Even those gamers who have loved games such as Counter Strike and Battlefield 1942 should be impressed with the overall presentation of Star Wars: Battlefront, as the game holds quite an resemblance to the two games.
Any gamers seeking an in-depth Star Wars single player game will grow quite bore of Star Wars: Battlefront within the first several hours of game time. There’s very little to offer for those lone gamers in Star Wars: Battlefront, so, unless you plan to go online or battle against a bunch of mates via an Xbox link-up, the game is ideally perfect for a couple days rental. If this game is an absolutely must buy for those people who want to play the game by themselves I definitely suggest purchasing it when the price has been slashed in half, because this game isn’t worth full price if you’re only going to be limited to single playing. Actually, for those remaining gamers still in the non-Xbox Live world, this would be the perfect time to go on Xbox Live, because Star Wars: Battlefront is one of the best games available for Xbox Live.
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