Review by Alec Jessen

Many of us know and love Star Wars, especially the video games.  The Star Wars Battlefront and Star Wars Battlefront 2 video games from back in the earlier 2000s were some of the best Star Wars games available, and here in 2016, we’re taking a look at a recent update of that video game released at the end of 2015 to quench our thirst for more Star Wars.  Star Wars Battlefront is a First and Third person shooter game that takes place in the Star Wars universe.  The game has much to offer, from the iconic Star Wars heroes to a variety of weapons to use.

Graphics

The graphics of Star Wars Battlefront are absolutely astonishing.  The lighting, animations, and the smallest of details create something magnificent, from the brush and trees on Endor, to the grains of sand on the Jundland Wastes.  When playing in Third person, the walking and running animations are perfectly smooth.  When a player is harmed, the character will flinch, adding to the effect of actually being in the battle.

Gameplay

Almost all of the game modes in Star Wars Battlefront have a teamwork factor, meaning that it can be difficult in this game to be successful unless you have some teammates to back you up.  This is represented by the partner system as well:  Each player has his or her own partner, which they can “respawn” (coming back to the game once the player has been defeated) onto, and partners know where each other are at all times.

Skill is an important part of Star Wars Battlefront.  The developers of this game, DICE, did a great job of evening out weapons, vehicles, and first and third person.  Accuracy is the same for both first and third person, so those who prefer playing in third person do not have to worry about being at a disadvantage.  Players can also switch between the perspectives mid-game, by the push of a button.  The weapons of Star Wars Battlefront have great balance.  For example, if a weapon has a high rate of fire, it may not be very accurate, and if a weapon has a low rate of fire, it could be very accurate.  Players have to choose what they think will go best for their fighting techniques.

Star Wars Battlefront has gamemodes such as Walker Assault, Blast, Supremacy, Fighter Squadron, and more.   In Walker Assault, as an Imperial you must escort the AT-AT Walkers to the objective, while the Rebels must stop them.  When playing Droid Run, the opposing teams must fight over the control of moving droids.  The gamemode Blast is the most simple, the winner being the team that defeats most enemies the quickest.  In Fighter Squadron, you take control of a powerful air vehicle, from X-Wing to TIE Fighter.  There is a gamemode for everyone in Star Wars Battlefront.

Customization

Overall Star Wars Battlefront has much to offer.  The only con of this game is there is a slight lack of customization.  The customization that is available can be found in its variety of “Star Cards”– which are your abilities and side weapons such as thermal detonators and plasma cannons, among other things.  For your primary weaponry, you may choose which weapon you use, however, there is no way to personalize it.  Your character is also rather limited for customization.  For the Rebels, you may choose your race, whether it be human or alien.  You may also choose what your character looks like if chosen to be Human.  For the Imperials, the only choices players have for outfits/armor is between Helmetless, Storm Trooper, Scout Trooper, and Shadow Trooper.  Though customization is rather limited, one must assume that this is because DICE most likely wanted to remain true to the Star Wars universe, which as a fan, I have all due respect for.

Star Wars Battlefront is a fantastic video game that has exactly what Star Wars lovers will enjoy.  From the snowy weather on Hoth to the glowing lava on Sullust, Star Wars Battlefront is excellent, offering great graphics, fun gameplay, and game mechanics that stay true to the Star Wars universe.

Star Wars Battlefront is available in the Standard Edition for Xbox One here, Deluxe Edition for PlayStation 4 here, Steelbook for PlayStation 4 here, Ultimate Edition for PlayStation 4 here, and for PC as Digital Download here, as well as other editions, all available from Amazon.com and other retailers.

Rating: 9/10