Developer: EA DICE
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One [reviewed]
Released: November 17, 2017
Copy supplied by publisher
EA’s 2015 reboot of Star Wars Battlefront was met with some mixed reactions, to say the least. Longtime fans of the series had been waiting for a nearly a decade to receive a proper follow-up to the critically acclaimed Star Wars Battlefront II, and while the reboot featured some excellent gameplay and some of the greatest visuals and sound design ever seen in a video game, it was pretty light on content. The game featured a few basic multiplayer modes and a decent, but barebones horde mode that could be played co-operatively. However, the most glaring omission from the game was its complete lack of a story campaign. Two years later, I’m happy to report that the trifecta of EA’s DICE, Motive, and Criterion studios have come together like Voltron to craft an experience that is loaded with content spanning the entire Star Wars Universe. Unfortunately, the overwhelming progression system and pay-to-win aspect of the loot crate unlocks keep Battlefront II from being an instant classic.
The original Battlefront (not to be confused with the actual original Star Wars Battlefront) was heavily multiplayer focused, leaving many fans pining for a single player story experience running on the gorgeous Frostbite 3 engine. This time around, EA decided to enlist the help of the newly-formed Motive Studios out of Montreal to craft an actual campaign mode. Having several studios each focus on a certain section of the Star Wars Battlefront II experience has proven to be a wise decision on EA’s part, as the campaign hits on all of the story beats fans are looking for and is packed full of Star Wars goodness.
EA