The comments we’ve seen on TSA over the last few days have made one thing abundantly clear: you’ve all been playing the Star Wars Battlefront beta and you want to talk about it. So we’ve revived WeView for one week only in order to let you do just that.
Running since Thursday and now set to end today after a slight extension, it opened the floodgates to all and sundry with a PlayStation 4, Xbox One or PC, with a trio of game modes to sample. There was the solo and co-op play Survival mode set on Tatooine, the small team control point mode of Drop Zone on Sullust and, of course, the showcase Walker Assault on the Rebel base on Hoth.
But we’ve all been playing as well, and while I shared some early impressions on Thursday, others on the team shared their thoughts as well.
Miguel, for example, “was cautiously optimistic about the new Battlefront, but the beta thankfully blew my expectations and concerns away.” Though a huge fan of the original games, he struggles to get to grips with Battlefield. Thankfully, Battlefront “creates a gameplay experience that’s much more approachable to the casual FPS player.”
Jim also said that “Much to my surprise I actually ended up enjoying my brief time with the Star Wars Battlefront beta. Given the ridiculous number of games I’m juggling at any one time, the last thing I need is an overly complex online shooter. That’s why, after much deliberation, I’m finally turning my back on the ridiculously convoluted Destiny.
“Star Wars Battlefront seems to be the perfect remedy. There’s something so endearingly basic to its style of gameplay and map design. Unlike many of its contemporaries, the game actively encourages players to sprint across huge areas as they look to seize tactical positions instead of huddling together, crawling down narrow alleyways with your head constantly pivoting.”
The centrepiece Walker Assault mode was at the heart of Aran’s play time, and he said, “I know there is a bit of an imbalance between Imperial and Rebel due to the amount of power the Imperials are packing, but when you’re part of a good team the Rebels are good. However I did find most of my success came from the Empire, especially using the AT-ST and the turrets to push back Rebels. However the air vehicles need some tightening up control wise as they feel very cumbersome to fly.”
He also highlighted the game’s audio, saying, “It all looks so good and the sound work is fantastic, really driving the fact home that yes this is Star Wars.” Miguel agreed with this, also saying that, “The visuals and sound design are just mind blowing, and I hope that quality of production keeps up in the full game.”
However, while there were three positive voices, there was also one of dissent. Tuffcub initially struggled to even connect, as he “kept on getting a message saying ‘You are not allowed to do this’, which was incredibly confusing until I worked out what it actually meant was ‘We cannot connect to the servers.’
“When I did get in the amount of action going on was impressive but felt like a big free for all rather than a co-ordinated attack. Locking all the fun stuff away behind XP grinding was also a bit annoying. Overall it was pretty much what I was expecting, which was Battlefield 4 with some Star Wars skins. File under: Meh.”
And now it’s time for you to share your thoughts with us. Have you been enjoying the beta, marvelling at the sound design, the easy to pick up gunplay and revelling in all things Star Wars? Or have disappointing air combat, the somewhat unbalanced and unclear Walker Assault mode and other points hampered your fun?
Since this is a WeView, make sure to give us you overall verdict alongside your thoughts, with the two to choose from this time around being that “The Force is strong with this one.” or that it was “Like watching Anikin slaughter younglings.“
hornet1990
Interesting choice of extremes for the verdict, neither of which captures my thoughts on it…
Overall it wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great either. Once I got over how fantastic it looked (although texture pop-in was distracting) and the fact that I almost felt like I was in Star Wars it was quite clear that the gameplay wasn’t that engaging; so much so that after an hour I’d go off and play something else or watch TV, and come back to it another time.
The survival mode could be fun with others, but solo didn’t do much for me. Drop zone needed team coordination which just didn’t happen and Hoth felt like typical BF4 – large open map designed for vehicles with nowhere for a poor infantry bloke to hide, and hence getting sniped from half way across the map or blown away by vehicles.
The time to kill is too low as well, as soon as you realise you’re being hit you’re dead before you can do anything about it. It’s this constant and frequent spawn/die loop that is really turning me off online shooters, and Battlefront is no different. It’s ok for the youth with their superior reaction times, eyesight and motor controls, but us (not even that much) older gamers are being pushed out IMHO. Given the average age of Star Wars fans must be on the higher side you’d have thought they’d be a bit more accomodating!
So if you really want a verdict from me then I’m going to have to go with “Like watching Anikin slaughter younglings”, mostly because I felt just as helpless!
ron_mcphatty
I’ve loved every minute of my time with Battlefront, The Force is very strong with this one! I think the beloved settings and music had an instant effect on me, I started with a quick game of Survival to learn the ropes and was instantly blown away by the graphics, I’ve never seen anything like it. The blaster sounds, Storm Trooper chatter, metallic AT-ST stomping and especially music have always brought a smile to my face, so to be playing a genuinely fun game with all of them in again after so many years is just bliss. After only just surviving the six waves on my first go (a rigged result maybe? If so very satisfying and clever of EA) I dove into Walker Assault and the kid in me took over. I honestly think that it was the most joyful and visceral gaming experience of my life and I would gladly pay £40 for that map alone, it’s utterly stunning to look at, the gameplay is so approachably straightforward and it’s fun regardless of whether you win or lose. I honestly have nothing negative to say about the game at all, it’s great that it’s similar to the old Battlefront games, it’s got all of the Star Wars feeling and it’s riding on the hype and excitement many of us feel for the new film. I’m sold!
colmshan1990
The beta says survival would last 15 rounds in the full game and contain all enemy types, so it will get harder after round 6 (I hope)!
ron_mcphatty
Good to know, thanks! Hopefully we’re encouraged to try, level up, try again much later. Wee, can’t wait! One more game I think, just waiting for a bloody update.
colmshan1990
Battlefront is amazing.
I’ve played the beta enough to unlock everything available and I’m chomping at the bit for more.
Finally, a simple, fast-paced shooter which isn’t Call of Duty. The vehicles seem much easier to control than the last Battlefield games I struggled with back on PS3. The game feels like the best bits of both CoD and Battlefield wrapped up in a Star Wars skin. Who doesn’t want that?
After everybody figured out how the rebels win on Walker Assault, I’ve found matches to be quite even too (although if enough Rebels run around treating it like a death match its still unbalanced). When each team plays to the objectives, it’s much easier for the Rebels than the Empire even (I’ve seen the AT-ATs taken out within minutes of the start when Rebels captured the uplinks quickly, held on to call in ten or so Y-wings at once and blew them away).
Finally, being Luke or Vader in the tunnels of the base is like being a vengeful God. How can you not love this game?
For sure, “The force is strong with this one.” It even managed to get me to take a break from FIFA 16!
double-o-dave
I don’t know what to think really…
Some people are moaning saying its just like a Star Wars skinned Battlefield… I wish it was!
To me, it’s more like a Star Wars skinned Plants V Zombies.
It looks and sounds amazing, but those novelty factors seemed to disappear after about an hour. Even though you’re left with certain objectives to do, it still feels like everyones running around like headless chickens endlessly killing and dying over & over again, probably due to the fact there’s assisted auto aim & distance doesn’t appear to be much of a factor whilst shooting lasers at people. Rather than a tactical shooter, it definitely seems like its aimed more towards casual gamers who wouldn’t normally touch something like Battlefield (which I can’t blame them for with the amount of sales this will make).
I’ll probably end up buying a copy just to go online with my mates.
double-o-dave
I almost forgot… I’m not took keen on the amount of shots it takes to kill someone either. Most of the time I have to hold down the trigger and bombard people with lasers for about 4secs before they finally decide to kick the bucket.
hornet1990
That’s what I didn’t get – I could plough no end of shots into people and they wouldn’t die, but I get shot and I’m dead in less than a second… no idea how they managed to do that unless it’s down to the gun stats, in which case they need some serious nerfing!
double-o-dave
I’ve had people sneaking around with their backs turned to me, aimed at their head & its still taken several seconds to kill them. I think it does take a hell of a lot of shots to take someone down, but I’m going to assume its lag when I die near enough instantly after being shot in my little toe.
I wonder whether certain servers will be locked to First Person View with no Assist Aim – That would make things a lot more interesting.
TSBonyman
It sounds like Star Wars and even looks like Star Wars – and if Star Wars was a series of movies about getting shot in the back it would be perfection itself.
TSBonyman
There’s no denying how much people are hyped up for it so i’ll go with “The force is strong (in the back of the neck) with this one.”
MrJimmy
Force is strong…
Sonics and visuals are stunning, grinning like a Cheshire swamp rat.
Didn’t really understand the cards or how to ace vehicle use, but that will be fine post beta, preordered!
MrJimmy
Also, love the Pew Pew gunfire!
GTOWN
Meh.
mrfodder
Found it fun and enjoyed playing in the Star Wars universe. Also, found the survival mode good to
to play co-op with my son. Will be getting it.
coruscant
The Force is strong with this one! It looks, feels and sound like Star Wars, and what more could I want after 10 years without Battlefront?
Having said that, I do have a few problems with the beta, namely: the weapons seemed unbalanced, and I didn’t like the powerup system for vehicles.
NicholasHeathfield
Hmm. I hope they don’t change the number of shots needed to kill other players based on feedback I’m reading.
Because in the old days, gunfights in games used to be quite interesting and intense.
But then the demand for realism caught up with us, and three bullets was the most you’d need.
It became a matter of who spotted who first.
If I want to play that game, there are about twenty examples I could list from the top of my head. The last shooter I can think of where you have the old, unrealistic, bullet-sponge style of multiplayer game, was released in 2008. Unreal Tournament 3.
Occasionally I’d like to play something other than Unreal Tournament 3 with people who never enjoyed realistic shooters.