Home Gaming E3 2015 Star Wars Battlefront Hands-On – Chewie, we’re home

E3 2015 Star Wars Battlefront Hands-On – Chewie, we’re home

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It’s hard being a Star Wars fan and continuously hoping for a game that is able to capture the sci-fi magic that George Lucas’s films so famously have. Series like Knights of the Old republic, Republic Commando and more all deserve their places in space opera folklore, but never has there been a game quite like DICE’s upcoming Battlefront. In fact, being a soft reboot of a beloved franchise has very little to do with it at all.

Battlefront1

Battlefront shares a lot of DNA with both the original series and DICE’s more recent efforts, Battlefield. Both feature large scale battles with a large number of players on either side, with you taking up either the Rebels or Galactic Empire’s more accurate Stormtroopers.

You pick from a variety of loadouts, weapons, secondary sidearms and more – with the weapons from a time long, long ago tossing out ammunition requirements for more heat-based restrictions. You can aim down the sights, fight from an over the shoulder view or switch between both on the fly – something I found myself doing rather frequently. But even with that all there, it’s still so much more than a fresh coat of paint on a game we’ve already played.

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Harking back to traditional Battlefront days, players will be able to pick up tokens scattered around the battlefield at random locations. These bestow rewards such as Rocket Launchers to deal with At-ST walkers, bombing raids from Y-Fighters or access to pilot some X-Wing or Tie Fighters over the field. These spaces of engagement are limited by the state the game is in, with parts of the map being locked off as the Empire progressed towards their objective – the shield generator on the planet Hoth.

It’s subtleties like these that already made Battlefront feel different. While Imperial troops struggle to defend two giant At-AT walkers while they trudge along to the objective, rebels scramble to mount an offensive and destroy them before they reach their target. Control points are used on the map to determine the flow of the winning tide. Should the rebels control all three, the AT-AT shield are temporarily brought down opening them up for brief attack windows.

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During this time, you I could just as easily grab a Speeder token and replicate one of the most iconic scenes from which this map is based. Snagging a tether rope on the giant mechanic walker’s feet, I could pilot my craft around it to eventually bring it to the ground with a trip. All of this is easily achieved with some scarily simple flight controls, which make use of a slider that shifts between throttle and firepower.

Iconic moments like these run aplenty throughout the only map we were able to play, which fluttered the heart of the ten year old, Star Wars obsessed child I once was. Sprinting through the same under ice barricades that Han Solo did, or running pilot on the same mission that Luke undertook back before he had his green glow stick evoke a powerful sense of both nostalgia and fandom. But the game doesn’t use it as a crux – rather soaking up all it can from the extensive lore and setting and using it to create nothing short of a damp dream for fans. Add to that eye-popping visuals and quall incredible sound effects, and you’ve got the formula for something truly epic.

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It operates like a modern first-person shooter more than it does like the Battlefront of old, but it’s the smaller details that ensure Battlefront doesn’t feel like a cheap mod laid over an old mould. Gear cards that let you boost your way out of danger or thermite bombs that deal a massive radius of explosive damage are just two examples of some of the enhancements I found on field – helping to repel the Imperial scum converging on the icy planet’s remaining rebel base.

Hearing the unmistakable roar of a TIE fighter’s ION engine over my head made me feel like an integral part of a battle that has been forever ingrained into my memory – and there’s not much else I could’ve asked of it.

Last Updated: June 18, 2015

54 Comments

  1. “Galactic Empire’s more accurate Stormtroppers.” OP faction confirmed!

    Honestly, I’m excited. I’d be MORE excited if I knew the full roster of vehicles included in the core release, though. C’moooon TIE Interceptor and TIE Defender! 😀

    Reply

  2. Hammersteyn

    June 18, 2015 at 14:11

    Storm Trooper Sniper, biggest Oxymoron in the galaxy

    Reply

    • Captain JJ Browmehn

      June 18, 2015 at 14:12

      No one said he hits anything but the half-opened doors.

      Reply

    • Kromas,powered by windows 10.

      June 18, 2015 at 15:17

      Well any fight with a late game Han Solo is also an oxymoron cause.

      #HanAlwaysShootsFirst!

      Reply

      • Captain JJ Browmehn

        June 18, 2015 at 15:36

        #OnlyHanShoots* 😉

        Reply

      • Hammersteyn

        June 18, 2015 at 16:48

        lol

        Reply

    • Johann

      June 18, 2015 at 15:41

      If you play as a storm trooper you won’t be able to hit any of the main characters, unless you buy this Accurate Storm Trooper DLC pack for an extra $25

      Reply

  3. Hammersteyn

    June 18, 2015 at 14:13

    This looks good, too good. I can feel myself succumbing to the Darkside. Emperor Andrew Wilson is tempting me….

    Reply

    • Captain JJ Browmehn

      June 18, 2015 at 14:15

      Remember Dishonoured 2 and Fallout 4

      Reply

      • Hammersteyn

        June 18, 2015 at 14:16

        But this has the pew pew!

        Reply

        • Captain JJ Browmehn

          June 18, 2015 at 14:17

          You get an app for that sound for you phone. Then you can pew pew while playing Fallout.

          Reply

          • Hammersteyn

            June 18, 2015 at 14:19

            And Lightsabers and the Tie fighters and the…
            http://memestorage.com/_nw/79/34230307.jpg

          • Captain JJ Browmehn

            June 18, 2015 at 14:22

            I have the lightsaber one on my phone. We use it as entertainment when the power goes out.

          • Hammersteyn

            June 18, 2015 at 14:25

            I use sex as entertainment but whatever 😛

            *Not with myself, inb4 everyone

          • Captain JJ Browmehn

            June 18, 2015 at 14:26

            Haha.

          • oVg Battle of Kaer Morhen

            June 18, 2015 at 15:00

            lol

  4. Captain JJ Browmehn

    June 18, 2015 at 14:14

    Fallout 4 is coming.
    I feel nothing for this 😐

    Reply

    • Hammersteyn

      June 18, 2015 at 14:15

      I wish I felt the same. I hate EA so MUCH!

      Reply

      • Captain JJ Browmehn

        June 18, 2015 at 14:16

        If it were a new KoToR it would have had my attention. But a big multiplayer game made by EA? No thanks.

        Reply

        • Aries

          June 18, 2015 at 14:17

          Both would of had my attention, though I want a new KoTor more than this

          Reply

        • oVg Battle of Kaer Morhen

          June 18, 2015 at 14:29

          Even KoToR would be overshadowed by The Wither 3. If Bioware are using the same assets from Dragon Age for the new Mass Effect then they need to up the wow factor, because those cut scenes and set pieces in The Witcher 3 have set the bar.

          Reply

          • Captain JJ Browmehn

            June 18, 2015 at 14:32

            Of course it would be. 🙂
            I’m yet to find a game to impress me near even a quarter that the Witcher 3 has so far this year.

          • oVg Battle of Kaer Morhen

            June 18, 2015 at 14:36

            Even the camera directing is so tastefully done. I watched a scene where the camera was focused on a rabbit cleaning itself while the 2 main story drivers of the scene slowly panned in. Even after an epic heightened moment the camera slowly zooms away to look at another massive vista in the background. Very subtle and grown up.

          • Captain JJ Browmehn

            June 18, 2015 at 14:39

            The things they thought of with the game is mind blowing. Those whales are a nice touch too. Kakked myself the first time one came out of the water beside me while I was SWIMMING. Real life fear experience.
            Or the random places you come across with no function in the game other than to look interesting and give it some life.

          • oVg Battle of Kaer Morhen

            June 18, 2015 at 14:49

            They took all the best things from their favorite games and rolled them all into one. From the Wind Waker sailing, Black Flag diving, Red Dead traversing, Skyrim exploring, Game of Thrones politics, Viking lore (I even found the Yggdrasil ash tree in a cave that had no relevance to the story but was just there to create ambiance), Final Fantasy card game, LA Noire detective missions, Batman Vision, Character swapping with the intention of making Cerri an arcade feel.

            Also, having such attractive character models that have no Uncanny valley features just draws you in even more.

            My game of the Year. Fuck it, it knocked TLOU off my top spot.

          • Blood Emperor Trevor

            June 18, 2015 at 14:55

            I’m busy with Dandelion’s cabaret side quest at the moment, started out light & fluffy but it’s getting progressively deeper & darker. The detective work is sweet.

          • oVg Battle of Kaer Morhen

            June 18, 2015 at 14:56

            It keeps surprising 😉

          • Captain JJ Browmehn

            June 18, 2015 at 15:10

            *Ciri 😉 #inhonourofadmiral
            I agree with you on all counts but one there. And that’s the TLOU statement – because I haven’t played it yet. Ah, who am I fooling? Of course I’ll like it more than TLOU 🙂
            I still feel like the Baron’s quest was my favourite side-quest. With the one Keira quest also being rather great.

  5. Aries

    June 18, 2015 at 14:15

    Cant wait for this, need some Star Wars

    Reply

    • Hammersteyn

      June 18, 2015 at 14:18

      I don’t even mind the lack of space battles……wait what?
      *Slaps myself

      Reply

      • Captain JJ Browmehn

        June 18, 2015 at 14:19

        Get a grip of yourself man! ;P

        Reply

        • Hammersteyn

          June 18, 2015 at 14:20

          Drop something heavy on my head! Quick.
          *Watches JJ drop it on himself AGAIN!

          Reply

          • Captain JJ Browmehn

            June 18, 2015 at 14:21

            That just made me LOL hard enough to let it slide.

          • Hammersteyn

            June 18, 2015 at 14:21

            XD

          • Blood Emperor Trevor

            June 18, 2015 at 14:22

            Excuse the pun.

          • Captain JJ Browmehn

            June 18, 2015 at 14:23

            Damn it!

      • Aries

        June 18, 2015 at 14:19

        And I imagine, with all the tech we have these days, how they cant do that is beyond me, even if the game is 100gb plus I wouldn’t mind one bit

        Reply

        • Hammersteyn

          June 18, 2015 at 14:20

          DLC? Wait and C 😛

          Reply

          • Aries

            June 18, 2015 at 14:22

            NOOOOOOOO

  6. oVg Battle of Kaer Morhen

    June 18, 2015 at 14:16

    This gameplay footage was more entertaining than the film

    Reply

    • Hammersteyn

      June 18, 2015 at 14:17

      Which film? The last three? I agree.

      Reply

      • Captain JJ Browmehn

        June 18, 2015 at 14:18

        First three
        #spannerintheworks

        Reply

        • Hammersteyn

          June 18, 2015 at 14:21

          LOL!

          Reply

      • oVg Battle of Kaer Morhen

        June 18, 2015 at 14:19

        All 😉 our modern consoles are envisioning everything out of the mind of Lucus. Without the restrictions of 70s technology.

        Reply

        • Captain JJ Browmehn

          June 18, 2015 at 14:19

          Damn it oVg, just when I started to think you talk sense ;P

          Reply

  7. Sageville

    June 18, 2015 at 14:20

    So, not entirely shit?

    Reply

    • Captain JJ Browmehn

      June 18, 2015 at 14:20

      Beautiful shit?

      Reply

      • Sageville

        June 18, 2015 at 14:30

        The best kind…

        Reply

      • oVg Battle of Kaer Morhen

        June 18, 2015 at 14:32

        Covered in Peter Moore fairy dust.

        Reply

  8. Shan

    June 18, 2015 at 14:34

    the original pew pew

    Reply

  9. Kensei Seraph - Terran Ghost

    June 18, 2015 at 14:48

    Sounds really promising.

    Reply

  10. fred

    June 18, 2015 at 15:12

    My ps4 is ready

    Reply

  11. HairyEwok

    June 18, 2015 at 15:35

    I swear if i can play as a ewok I will forgive EA for EVERYTHING they’ve done and pre-order the game….. twice.

    Reply

  12. Ranting Raptor

    June 19, 2015 at 09:54

    Y Fighters…. *twitch*

    Reply

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