Red Five Standing By

It is no secret that EA’s use of the Star Wars license so far has been disappointing. This is coming from someone who really enjoyed both Battlefront games and picked Jedi Fallen Order as one of the best games of last year. There are still gaps that feel like they should be filled with a company as large as EA having one of the biggest entertainment licenses of all-time. Star Wars: Squadrons finally fills one of those with its focus on aerial combat. The game contains both a single-player campaign as well as a focus on multiplayer dogfights for a mixture of satisfying gameplay. The question is, does the narrower focus hold up for both modes?

While the game has both a single and multiplayer component, EA Motive has never been shy about admitting that the campaign is more on the truncated side. The game retails for $40, so it isn’t a full-priced title. This means expectations are set from the get-go. The campaign allows players to create their own pilots as they go back and forth between the Rebellion and Empire in a series of missions that take place throughout the timeline of the original Star Wars trilogy, as well as diving into the aftermath of the final movie.

MSRP: $39.99
Platforms: XB1 (reviewed), PS4, PC
Price I’d Pay: $39.99

The game kicks off after the destruction of Alderaan with a sort of tutorial mission before jumping ahead to the battle of Endor. As I mentioned, players are jumping back and forth between both sides to see how the Empire reacts to the death of the Emperor as well as forming the New Republic. It is always nice to see games that don’t follow the major plotlines directly, giving the developers freedom to create new characters and storylines. I liked what was here, even if some of the characters felt a little on-the-nose and uninteresting at times. There are a few standouts, but all the performances are solid. Being a fan, I enjoyed hopping between both sides throughout the campaign.

The campaign spans 14 missions and took me around 10 hours to complete. Throughout there are an abundance of ships to pilot as well as loadouts and upgrades to tweak along the way. Ships such as X-Wing and TIE Fighter are front and center, but there are also opportunities to fly crafts such as Y-Wings and TIE Bombers. Each mission feels varied and I enjoyed my time piloting them all. The controls are definitely unique in that they implement things like shifting power between front and rear shields as well as weapons. This mechanic is all a Trojan Horse though to teach the player how to use them once they dive into the multiplayer portion of the game.

The online mode is where the game feels focused. There are two modes to choose from. Dogfights are exactly that, where two teams of five players battle it out across six different maps. The Fleet battles were more my speed. These are team battles where each side has their own fleet ship they are tasked to protect, while also trying to destroy the opposing team’s ship. I love the flow of these fights as they play out in stages. Each one begins with a standard dogfight and eventually evolve into a more focused approach where teamwork pays off. Communication and planning play a huge role, so it is good to have a good team of fighters to coordinate attacks.

I never had a problem finding people to play with, and there are plenty of unlockables to keep progression feeling good. For players who have been clamoring for not only a new Star Wars game but one that involves aerial combat, this one feels good. The controls are simple enough to jump right in, while also deceptively complex to keep that skill ceiling high. I admit that when I first hopped online I was getting destroyed as players have clearly mastered some of these mechanics, but sticking with it I was eventually able to hold my own. I will be interested to see how the game evolves over time, and if people stick with it.

Graphically the game is beautiful. It is the first game that caused my Xbox One X to make some noise with its fan. I am truly excited to see how it looks on the new consoles when those upgrades manifest over the next few months. Per usual the sound is excellent and familiar. All the sound effects and music make their appearance and it really feels like a Star Wars game on all fronts.

Star Wars: Squadrons is a wonderful entry in EA’s use of the license. It took long enough to get a proper dogfighting game, but the one they deliver should appease fans. The campaign is short, but sweet. The online is a blast with friends, and I hope it continues to flourish with players for a long time.

Review copy of game provided by publisher.