Star Wars Battlefront (Beta)

Never played Battlefront you have? Then this preview read you must! Star Wars Battlefront is not Battlefield in a galaxy far, far away. The Developers at EA Digital Illusions CE (DICE) have made that clear from the beginning. The open beta testing phase has given us a chance to see this highly anticipated, yet already controversial game with our own eyes for the first time. Keep reading to find out what you should actually expect from Star Wars Battlefront.

 

Great Expectations

When the creators of Battlefield 4 announce that they’re making a strategic shooter set in the Star Wars Universe, it’s inevitable that the combination of these two huge names would generate a high hopes among fans and critics alike. But right off the bat, DICE announced that they were planning to go in a different direction with Battlefront, making it clear to Battlefield fans from the beginning that not all their expectations were going to be met. The new Battlefront comes off as less mature than the Battlefield series or even the original Battlefront from a decade ago. This might have something to do with the game’s sci-fi setting, but it’s also because there are certain elements in the new game that you rarely find in the more established games in the genre.

During the beta, participants were able to test out the multiplayer scenarios “Walker Assault” and “Drop Zone”, and also the first single-player survival mission. Star Wars fans will get the chance to encounter well known vehicles, weapons, and worlds from the Star Wars movies and even some of the Expanded Universe.

Vehicles and Controls

Battlefront allows you to switch between first-person and third-person perspectives, the latter with several different camera angles. This is the same whether you’re on foot or in a vehicle. The number of actions available is manageable enough that even beginners should be able to get the hand of the basic mechanics in a very short time. There’s a small minimap that displays the positions of your teammates, but it doesn’t give you any details about the terrain, which really limits its effectiveness. And you can’t mark enemies like you can in Battlefield.

The one thing that really separates this game from the Battlefield series, however, is that you can’t start a match inside a vehicle, or just find them sitting by the roadside. Vehicles, as well as special weapons, are found in the form of small tokens spread across the battlefield, which have to be activated by the player. On the ice world of Hoth, as an Imperial soldier you can take control of an AT-ST, a TIE Fighter, a TIE Interceptor, or the guns of a huge, auto-controlled, AT-AT. Rebels on the same map can access Snowspeeders, X-Wings, and A-Wings.

While they did a great job designing the controls for the relatively small AT-ST, the controls for the flying units are rather crude, and don’t compare with classic Star Wars space combat sims like X-Wing and TIE Fighter. Limited thrust controls, stock maneuvers performed with the simple push of a button, and rather odd in-flight handling is sure to leave many X-Wing veterans pining for the gool ol’ days. We were able to try out the purely aerial combat-oriented “Fighter Squadron” mode at gamescom this past summer, and we weren’t all that impressed. Without the epic space battles with huge starships that are so integral to the Star Wars experience, and featuring drastically simplified controls that don’t even compare with quality of 90s-era space combat sims, real fans are just going to have to accept some pretty major limitations. In any event, the aerial combat stuff is a nice change of pace, but it’s clear that the real focus of Battlefront is the battle raging down on the ground.

In addition to the vehicles, there are also hero tokens, which the player can collect to step into the role of (depending on the faction) Darth Vader or Luke Skywalker. Both of them possess a variety of special abilities, and are really hard to defeat using regular weapons. They’re apparently planning to add additional characters. Any player can pick up the tokens used to activate these heroes, which raises the question as to whether control over such powerful heroes should really be left to chance, or would it be better to have some kind of rewards system, like for completing a mission objective or something. At the time though, it looks like players are going to have to rely on the luck of the draw.

 

Power-Ups and Star Cards

Just like with the vehicles, there are also several different tokens spread all over the map that give players access to a variety of special weapons and gear. But while the vehicle tokens indicate which vehicle you’re dealing with, power-ups (mostly weapons) all have the same generic symbol. It seems that when you pick one up, the power-up you get is entirely random – sometimes useful, sometimes not. Automatic rifles, rocket launchers, and air strikes are just some of the possibilities. You can either use them right away, or you can save them until you run into a situation where you need them. In any event, though, you can only carry one power-up at a time. This whole luck-based system reminded us a bit of Super Mario Kart, and was one of the reasons we felt that this game was not as mature as other, similar games.

But most extra weapons and gear rely on a rather unusual system. DICE has more or less completely done away with the class system typical for the genre, instead allowing the player to create a deck of “Star Cards” consisting of previously unlocked weapons and equipment items. A deck consists of three cards: a primary card that has to be charged by collecting energy tokens on the battlefield, such as a personal shield, and up to two secondary cards. These secondary cards can be grenades of various types, or a Jump Pack. You can use them as often as you like, and the only limit is a short cooldown time. If you throw a grenade, you’ll be able to throw another one a few seconds later. These unlimited weapons and supplies do have an effect on the gameplay, of course, significantly reducing the game’s level of realism. Items like defibrillators or ammo packs that force you to work together on a team are not available.

In addition to the Star Cards, there are also a variety of firearms and clothing options to choose from, though the latter was not available during the beta. At this point there are four different kinds of guns available corresponding to the assault rifles, machine guns, etc. in other games. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses in terms of accuracy, fire rate, and other factors that are important to think about when choosing a firearm. But in contrast to real-world weapons, which use projectiles, blaster rifles are relatively accurate, even over long distances. Distance isn’t really an issue when you’re using laser bolts, which really makes aiming at long range a lot easier. You also get unlimited ammo here, too, and you don’t every really have to worry about reloading, either, as long as you work with short bursts of fire. If you decide to just open up and unload your weapon though, all it takes is a short cooldown time before your blaster is ready to use again.

We really didn’t notice any significant difference between the two available factions in terms of the weapons and equipment they can use. And it also doesn’t seem like they’re planning to add any kind of system allowing you to upgrade weapons by say, adding a scope or something. Imperial Stormtroopers really only differ from Rebel soldiers in their appearance. While this does guarantee a balanced playing field in terms of each team’s respective firepower, it still comes off as rather uninspired. Just a few faction-unique attributes or abilities could have made for a more interesting game.

 

Multiplayer Mode: “Walker Assault”

In “Walker Assault” two teams of up to 20 players face off against one another on the ice planet of Hoth. For the Rebels, the objective is to destroy two advancing Imperial Walkers before they can get within range of the Rebel base’s shield generator. To do this, players have to reach and activate an uplink station, then defend it for a short time, until a team of Y-Wing bombers show up and temporarily incapacitate the walkers. It will take them a little while to recover, during which time they are vulnerable to attack. The Rebels have to use this time to deal as much damage as possible to the gigantic war machines. Then the whole thing starts over.

On the other side, the Empire does their best to deactivate the uplink stations, or prevent them from being activated altogether, to protect the AT-ATs. The battlefield includes a Rebel hangar facility as well as a vast system of trenches and various gun towers that both sides can use to their advantage. The graphics are excellent, and the whole thing is obviously based on the finale of the first act of The Empire Strikes Back. Much of the level design should make fans of the movies feel like they’re right at home, but in terms of gameplay, the map’s got some significant drawbacks. For one thing, the trenches aren’t deep enough to really offer any cover. And another major problem are the spawn points; specifically on the Rebel side, there just aren’t enough of them, and the ones they do have are very predictable. This makes it really easy for Imperial troops to cut down Rebels right after they spawn. Another drawback to “Walker Assault” is that the scenario is really unbalanced. Only in the rarest of cases are the Rebels able to hold back the advancing AT-ATs. This mostly has to do with the fact that the walkers, both big and small, offer enormous advantages, and there’s very little that can be done to stop them.

Multiplayer Mode: “Drop Zone”

The second playable multiplayer scenario is “Drop Zone”, where two teams of eight fight for control over escape pods falling at random locations on the planet’s surface. Each team has to gain possession of the escape pod, and then hold it for a few seconds. The winner is the team that’s been able take the most of them by the time the time runs out, or the first team to get five of them.  

The setting is the rocky planet of Sullust. The small map is full of cliffs and ravines, resulting in a winding, labyrinthine terrain that makes it hard to get your bearings. The landscape is littered with crashed X-Wings and TIE Fighters, as well as an Imperial Shuttle. Among the rocks you’ll encounter creatures that crawl back into their holes immediately upon seeing you, as well as small, toxic pools you’ll need to avoid if you don’t want to take any damage.

The combat in “Drop Zone” is really fast-paced, and teams have to act with tactical sense and know how to react quickly to the changing conditions of the battlefield. Star Cards take on a greater importance here than in “Walker Assault”. The Jump Pack allows you to master the rocky terrain a bit more easily or find an elevated firing position. Grenades are really useful for stopping enemies moving through the narrow ravines, and the personal shield can protect you long form enemy blaster fire long enough to take an escape pod for your team.

Single-Player Missions

Battlefront doesn’t have a campaign in the classic sense, instead focusing on multiplayer. However, the game does have room for some single-player content. In addition to training and battles where you can play against AI enemies or your friends, there’s a third option that as playable in the beta: Survival Mode, which offers a variety of options. At this time there are four different landscapes available, which could not be any more different, from the rocky landscape of Sullust and the dense forests of Endor to the wastelands of sand and snow on Tatooine and Hoth. The object of Survival Mode, is, as the name indicates, to survive wave after wave of attackers alone or with a friend, at three different difficulty levels.

You’ll have to fight against several different classes of Stormtrooper, and vehicles like the AT-ST. You could only play six rounds in the beta version, which isn’t all that much of a challenge for Rebels with some degree of experience under their belts. We’re assuming these engagements are going to be significantly longer in the final version of the game.

The Worst Part: Team Play

At this time, the most glaring problem with Star Wars Battlefront is team play with friends. While the game does allow up to eight players to play together in a group, team play is barely even possible at this time. It’s often really hard to get all eight players on the same server without major delays and lag issues. And players who previously banded together in a group are specially marked on the already rather rudimentary little minimap. Not only are you often forced to play against one another instead of with one another, after you respawn it can pretty hard to track down your teammates. You also can’t choose a particular server or change factions after the game begins at this time. This messes up the game balance, since players who quit early are not replaced, which can quickly result in one side having overwhelmingly superior numbers. DICE has a lot of catching up to do here.

The Best Part: Graphics and Sound

There’s a lot of things you’ll see people disagreeing on when it comes to the new Battlefront, one thing everyone seems to agree on is that the graphics and sound are excellent. The high resolution and extremely detailed character models leave pretty much nothing to be desired. It’s worth your time to take a break from the action and just gaze at your surroundings. The hangar on Hoth in particular, which features an X-Wing and a Snowspeeder to gawk at, will send many fans on a trip down memory lane, and get you even more excited for The Force Awakens at the end of this year. In terms of graphics, Battlefront is able to amaze players again and again.

And the sound is also pretty awesome. The most impressive part is the countless explosions that rock the battlefield. The sound waves don’t just blast through your ears; you can feel them, too. If something blows up nearby, it’ll have an impact on your (in-game, hopefully) hearing, limiting your perception of the combat zone for a short time. This is one place where the game delivers on that realism that’s lacking in many other aspects. And the familiar blaster fire, great vehicle sounds, and well done voice acting only add to the impression. And the whole thing is rounded out by classic Star Wars background music for a truly authentic audio experience. (Christian Heldmaier; translation by Chase Faucheux)


Summary

Tim’s Take-Away:

My verdict on Star Wars Battlefront is going to be a bit harsher than the one given by Christian. For a full-priced game that’s going to cost over $100 when you factor in all the DLC, I just expect a lot more depth and more mature gameplay. They didn’t want Battlefront to be Battlefield in Star Wars packaging, and it sure isn’t. Unfortunately, it seems they’ve gotten rid of all the good stuff like team play and everything else that made the Battlefield games and the original Battlefront so good. One major problem is that you can’t play together with your friends – you have no control over which server you play on or how players are distributed on the server. Also, players can’t change sides. The gameplay is relatively simple and not all that challenging, and collecting vehicles and power-ups doesn’t really add much depth either.

So Battlefront’s a pretty decent game for beginners, but it’s not something veterans of the genre are going to be satisfied with. It doesn’t matter if you’re with the Rebels or the Imperials – the game plays more or less the same no matter what. And you can’t really call Battlefront realistic or authentically tactical either. If you fall from way up high, it doesn’t hurt you, and in any event the damage you do take heals up on its own after a few seconds. The weapons don’t have any kick, and there’s way too much ammo and too many grenades. It feels like a casual shooter with a bunch of F2P characters – good for passing the time. On the other hand, the game does an awesome job of evoking that Star Wars feeling, which is strongly present in the game, and after the first few notes of the John Williams score, I was in full Star Wars mode. But even here here were some things that didn’t sit right with me. What’s up with the Star Destroyers and the Frigates in the atmosphere? Do they do anything? And Luke’s wearing the wrong outfit on Hoth (his orange jumpsuit would have been more appropriate) and carrying the wrong lightsaber (shouldn’t it Anakin Skywalker’s blue one?). These are little things, I admit, but if they’re going for the authentic experience, then these tiny details matter. Awesome graphics aren’t everything.

In my opinion, Battlefront just isn't going to be the smash hit that everyone’s been looking forward to ever since DICE announced they’d be picking up the successful series. They’ve got a lot of work to do before the final release, especially in terms of balancing. And I definitely don’t see much in the way of long-term appeal. “I have a bad feeling about this.”

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Christian’s Take-Away:

It’s more or less impossible to give an accurate forecast for a finished game based on the beta alone. There are just two many questions that are still unanswered. It was even hard to give a proper rating to the game as it is now, and though Tim and I had many heated discussions about it, we were never able to really agree on how to evaluate this game.

The beta showed us that Battlefront still has some serious issues. The game isn’t properly balanced in some places, there’s very little on offer as far as team play is concerned, and the problems that arise when trying to play with friends are just some of the things DICE really has to take care of. Whether they’ll be able to get this done by the time the game comes out is questionable, to say the least.

Battlefront is no Battlefield – that’s for sure. In many respects, the gameplay isn’t all that challenging, and time and time and again it just feels like it’s lacking in creativity in depth, and in many places there’s very little realism. And the fact that you have to collect special tokens to get weapons and power-ups makes just reinforces the impression that this title is not a mature tactical shooter. Whether this is a good thing or a bad thing depends on your personal preferences, of course.

Despite all its weaknesses, though, I think Star Wars fans are going to have a lot of fun with Battlefront. There are all kinds of locations, characters, and vehicles you’ll recognize from the movies and the Expanded Universe, and the excellent graphics and sound only add to the experience. If you’re a huge Star Wars fan, and you don’t mind dealing with the lack of realism or the less-than-challenging gameplay, then Battlefront has a lot to offer.

Overall though, my impression is that this a is a title that had a lot more potential. If you like tactical team play, or you place a lot of value on realism and depth, then you should at least read up on the final version before you buy it, so as to avoid any disappointment.

Of course, now we’d like to know what you think...



Comments:
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2017-10-04 18:23:49... -

Hello I would like to test Star Wars BattleFront 2015 the Beta
I am Neptune, May the Force be with YOU (of + I love the Games without having to play it)


2017-05-28 11:48:53... - Hubert

gdzie klucz


2016-09-25 10:03:47... - edyfilip04

This is a super game


2016-07-14 09:12:57... - adriel

can someone send me a key please


2016-02-16 23:37:15... - Владимир

ЖАЛЬ НЕТ КЛЮЧА =(


2015-12-28 21:43:07... - bycen

Iwheth key steam pless


2015-12-23 18:09:23... - Mikkel

gg >-


2015-12-11 05:33:58... - Kaid

Where do i find th key


2015-11-06 10:20:14... - fgfdgdfg

Free Steam game


2015-11-03 18:23:55... - mikkel

yes


2015-11-03 15:56:05... - hsefufgfgif

rili


2015-10-22 12:18:23... - pixel

bes


2015-10-19 16:17:04... - Erlend

gay


2015-10-18 21:17:46... - Carlos

nice game!


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