Tuesday, November 14, 2017

"Star Wars Battlefront II" Review


The initial "Star Wars Battlefront" current-gen relaunch slowly evolved into a solid multiplayer representation of the cinematic universe, but took a bunch of updates and expansions to get there. The sequel is a far more comprehensive experience, boasting not only expansive multiplayer with an impressive collection of modes and maps, but a solid campaign with canonical story that provides a peek inside the inner workings of the Empire.

Although multiplayer is still the main event, the campaign is far more than the throwaway extended tutorial that many online FPS efforts are stuck with. Excellent voice acting and strong writing make the campaign a resonant and borderline essential experience for hardcore "Star Wars" fans, which will make up pretty much the entirety of the player base here.

No review of "Star Wars Battlefront II" would be complete without mentioning the problematic loot crate system. While just about everything in the game that helps you stay competitive can be unlocked through gameplay rather than pay-to-win, the amount of time it takes to unlock high-end characters is cumbersome. In the game's pre-release version, it was said to take at least 40 hours to unlock characters such as Darth Vader or Luke Skywalker. While a flood of negative comments convinced EA to knock that time down to 10 hours, the commitment is still frustrating for the pickup-and-play crowd who would rather not plunk down hard-earned cash or put in so much time to unlock the icons.

Despite the obnoxious economy that makes the $60 game feel like a money-grubbing, freemium title, the content that's there for the taking without any paid or played unlockables is still impressive. With far more to offer out of the gate than its predecessor, "Star Wars Battlefront II" should manage to shake off initial hesistation from the fanbase to emerge as the dynamic fan service vehicle it is.
Publisher provided review code.

No comments: