Star Wars: Squadrons Review (PS4)

In a galaxy far, far away someone thought that it was a good idea to give EA the rights to produce video games based on one of the most iconic sci-fi franchises. Unfortunately, the result was not as fruitful as the fans expected it, The Fallen Order being the only salvation from the microtransaction purgatory built on top of the Star Wars Battlefield games. Until now at least, since Squadrons appeared from nowhere as surprisingly as a TIE fighter and landed a big hit just like the X-wing piloted by Luke Skywalker.

There was a lot of speculation about the game ever since it was suddenly revealed last year, but not too many details were made public beyond the fact that it focuses on dogfights. Following in the footsteps of the legendary games of the ’90s like Star Wars: TIE Fighter and X-Wing Alliance, Squadrons seems to be EA’s Hail Mary for redemption including a single-player campaign and a strong multiplayer component, but no microtransactions, no loot boxes, and no paid DLC. Admiral Ackbar would smell a trap for sure.

The story takes place after the events of Episode VI, with the Emperor dead, the DeathStar destroyed once again and the Empire and Rebel Alliance both trying to figure out what their next move should be. The loyal and oppressive imperial troops are trying to thwart the plans of the New Republic, the Starhawk project being the biggest thorn in their side. There is no way the remnants of the Empire will let the rebel scum to repurpose Star Destroyers for their own needs, so a new civil war breaks out. Slipping into the pilot uniform you will get the chance to experience the story from the perspective of both sides, as a member of the Vanguard and the Titan squadrons as well.

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After customizing the two avatars that will represent you in the game, the missions will alternatively put you in the cockpit of alliance or imperial ships, presenting the different motivations for both sides of the fight. The remnants of the empire are bitter and bent on revenge after losing friends and family in the wake of the destruction of the Death Star. The New Republic tries to right the wrongs committed during the war and put an end to the cruelty of the Empire that affected mainly the innocent bystanders.

The entire story unfolds in 14 missions rich in dialogues and cutscenes, the overall experience is surprisingly coherent. Things are not perfect, but it is not the shallow storytelling seen in Star Wars Battlefield as well. For example, in-between missions you can get better acquainted with the game world and the other members of your squadron as well. Most missions are pack tight with action, lasting around 30 minutes, but there are also longer ones, the entire single-player campaign requiring around 10 hours to be completed.

The missions themselves have a nice pace and are varied enough to keep you engaged. You will go from hunting enemy fighters, to escort missions and even bombing runs. All the iconic vessels have been included, such as the X-Wing or TIE Fighter, A-Wing, or TIE Interceptor, but we also get new ships. The U-Wing and TIE Reaper both have a support role, replenishing the shields of the allies, placing mines, or stunning enemies using ion cannons. The most spectacular moments are when you have to blow up a Star Destroyer or even Space Station. The variety of the missions also has the role to accommodate you with the different types of ships, each one of them has its strengths, but also its shortcomings.

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Due to the balancing done by the producers, they really feel different and there are chances that you will prefer one side more than the other, and not just because of the sympathies toward their ideology. Next to the classic fighters that can now be equipped with repair droids, we have the A-Wing and the TIE Interceptor that are incredibly fast and agile, the TIE Bomber and Y-Wing that are no longer bomb cans floating in space, but now can lunch half a dozen of homing missiles simultaneously at their target. There are differences not just between the different classes of ships, but as you would expect among the factions as well.

For example, the X-Wing pilot can adjust the power of its ship redistributing it among the shields, the engine, or the weapons. The TIE fighter can choose only to give more juice to the engine or the weapons but has a repair system by default. It is also worth mentioning that every light interceptor in the game can execute a high-speed 180-degree turn, very useful in the middle of dogfights. The differences among the features of the ships are well thought out, each ship fulfilling a different role and requiring a different play style. As a result, the battles are very fun and somewhat complex. It helps a lot that the control is precise and functions both with the standard controllers, but also with more elaborate setups based on HOTAS.

In some missions, you even have the freedom to choose from different ships so you can have your favorite approaches. The freedom to play as you like springs into action in the multiplayer part of the game, where you can equip your favorite vessel with different types of engines, missiles, laser turrets, countermeasures, and even cosmetic items. And the best part is that, as we already mentioned at the beginning, there are no microtransactions or loot boxes.

Everything can be purchased by completing the single-player campaign and multiplayer missions. Even if you prefer to not cross paths with other players, Squadrons offers plenty of challenge thanks to the 4 different difficulty levels, the numerous optional objectives, and over the top challenges such as flying without a HUD, relying solely on the instruments of the cockpit.

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And there is the VR of course. If you have the necessary equipment the result is stunning. The cockpits are extremely detailed and make you feel like you are in the middle of the action. Things get worse though when the action starts and you start feeling claustrophobic and motion sickness sets in pretty easily, especially if you choose to do a 180-degree turn with a TIE Interceptor after hitting the boost. But VR also helps with better pinpointing your target, giving you a much more immersive experience. Overall it is worth trying and if you can handle it, the VR experience will prove to be superior to the regular one.

The multiplayer presents two modes, plus some training sessions against the AI. The first mode is a classical dogfight in which two 5 member teams hunt down each other. The first team to score 30 kills, wins. These matches either friendly or ranked, are very fast-paced and full of adrenaline. Those who prefer a more tactical approach can choose the second mode that makes the two 5 member teams go through some specific steps to take down the enemy flag ship.

Here the support ships have a more important role and there is time to plan different offensive tactics and defensive strategies. Especially if you chose to play along with friends, against the enemy AI. Both approaches to the multiplayer are fun, at least for a while. There is not enough variety to keep you hooked in the long run, not even with the ranking system and the different cosmetic upgrades that can be unlocked.

From a technical point of view, the Frostbite 3 engine does a more than decent job, the game looks good and there are no framerate issues. The visual effects are truly spectacular, but in some cases, the textures could have been better. The animations are generally without hiccups, and the entire visual experience is supported by the sound and music, which proves to be an almost perfect match. As expected from any Star Wars movie or game we have a grand soundtrack with plenty of orchestral pieces. The sound of accelerating TIE Fighters and the whistles of R2 units in the X-Wings will teleport you to the middle of your favorite Star Wars movie.

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The Good

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Conclusion