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Star Wars: Battlefront II review or: How I learned to stop worrying about microtransactions and love the game

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Star Wars: Battlefront II review or: How I learned to stop worrying about microtransactions and love the game

Despite the microtransactions pall cast over the game, the multiplayer is a lot of fun.

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Here is your disclaimer: I am a multiplayer first and foremost. If you clicked on this hoping to see my thoughts on the campaign, move along, move along. I have not tried it and to be honest with you, it will probably be a very long time until I do so. When lightning strikes my internet and I lose it for a day or so, I’ll be more than happy to come back and give you my thoughts on the campaign. But it isn’t happening today. Multiplayer for life!

Star Wars: Battlefront II review or: How I learned to stop worrying about microtransactions and love the game

Move along, move along.

With that out of the way, let’s go ahead and address the large wampa in the room. EA took a lot of heat leading up to the release of Star Wars Battlefront II because of the microtransactions. Someone even took the time to calculate how long it would take to unlock everything in the game. So either you’re gonna play well over 4000 hours or you are going to pay $2100 in cash until you unlock everything. Good luck with that madness! I dig the game, but I don’t see myself playing 4000 hours on any game. Ever. EVER!

Believe me, I’m one of the ones that was up in arms over the ridiculous microtransactions. I get tired of all these microtransactions that accompany most every game now. Remember the dreaded horse armor in Oblivion? *shudders* Before I stake my flag on top of the mountain proudly and announce I do not purchase microtransactions, I can’t. There is one exception as I explained in my FIFA 18 review. I am a FIFA junkie! I love soccer, I play soccer. Each year when I start my FIFA Ultimate Team, I do drop down about $20 to buy packs of cards to give my team a boost and pray to the soccer gods that I pack a decent player. But that’s it, I’m one and done. I don’t purchase any more packs. You can still play FIFA and grind to buy players with coins you earn by winning. I do realize that I am not helping the cause by doing this. Let me hang my head in shame.

Star Wars: Battlefront II review or: How I learned to stop worrying about microtransactions and love the game

Okay, let’s shoot the wampa and move on. I said I wasn’t going to spend money on Star Wars: Battlefront II and I didn’t. I found a gift card and used that instead. Someone else technically paid for it. However, Battlefront II is worth the money if you are a multiplayer fanatic, like me. I chose to play Galactic Assault first, which is 40 players, 20 attackers/20 defenders. The premise is simple: if you are an attacker, you want to capture the different zones marked on the map, while the defenders try and stop the attackers. Add in the use of vehicles, specialized troops, and heroes, and you have yourself one hell of a game! It’s easily my favorite mode.

The first aspect that stood out to me was the audio. Battlefront II has all your favorite Star Wars sounds and voices. So far, so good. The next thing that stood out to me was the feeling of the maps. I stopped playing the first Battlefront because the maps were boring. It was like EA was giving me snow and sand and telling me to like it. But I didn’t. The maps in Battlefront II feel like you are in the Star Wars universe. There are 11 maps out of the box. There’s the Death Star II, which is awesome running around the tight hallways. Hoth is a fun map and  is where I met my tauntaun. I named him Tommy — laugh all you want. Tommy and I wasted many Stormtroopers and as Tommy began to lose his health, I parked him behind a hill so he wouldn’t die. I will return for him one day. *single tear*  The Starkiller Base is currently one of my favorite maps. Fighting in the open courtyard with the First Order flags draped behind you in the background is gorgeous.

Star Wars: Battlefront II review or: How I learned to stop worrying about microtransactions and love the game

Thought I was lying didn’t you? Tommy is safe and sound behind the hill.

The graphics are solid. There are impressive details in each of the characters, as well as the heroes. The little things the developers threw into the game are amusing as well. Playing on Tatooine? Run inside the Cantinia and turn on the holographic band. Ewoks run around Endor, 2-1B is in the medic bay on Hoth, and there are plenty of other familiar droids and aliens running around all the maps. The world is quite enjoyable to play in. A vast improvement from the first Battlefront.

Another disappointment I had with the original was that heroes, Jedi, and Sith didn’t feel like they should. If you see Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, or Darth Maul, you should fear them. You want to run away and not get tangled up with them. I am pleased to say that in Battlefront II, that feeling is there. I was cruising around Naboo, minding my own business, when one of those tall ass Naboo doors opened up. Not only was Darth Maul looking at me, but so was Kylo Ren. I am not one to give up easily, but yeah, I knew I was done. I stood there as they both swung their lightsabers at me, striking me down, walking over my corpse to cause more chaos. Eventually I got my turn at being a hero. I chose Darth Maul and damn if he isn’t a beast! It was now my turn for players to run from me. Maul is overpowered as hell, but he’s a Sith! He is supposed to be overpowered. I have seen people complain about heroes being so powerful. Why wouldn’t they be powerful?

Star Wars: Battlefront II review or: How I learned to stop worrying about microtransactions and love the game

Although I spend most of my time with Galactic Assault, there are numerous game modes. There’s Strike, a smaller version of Galactic Assault. Blast is your typical team deathmatch. In Starfighter Assault, jump in your ship of choice and do battle with others. There’s Arcade, which tasks you to complete scenarios for stars and credits. There are many choices for various gamers depending on their tastes.

The gameplay is strong with The Force too. You have the option of being in first person or third person running around the map. I prefer first person, because I feel the aim is better. There are parts of certain maps that you feel like you are able to jump on, but can’t. Nothing game breaking, but can be frustrating when you are rushing to defend an objective and your trained rebel can’t leap over a twig. Rolling to evade attackers is a cool way to dodge attacks until you roll yourself into a wall. The starship controls have a bit of a learning curve, but get a few games under your belt, and you’ll improve soon enough.

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Overall, I am very surprised that I have enjoyed Star Wars: Battlefront II as much as I have so far. I realize that the microtransactions are going to return, but the easy fix to that is to unlock all the expensive heroes first. Knock them out early and it’s possible. The first day, I saw players running around with Vader and Skywalker. It may take some time, but the game is so damn fun. I have read other reviews and there are some that just spit pure venom about the game. Some even got the details wrong and I wonder if they even played the game or just wanted to be the first to shit on it because of all the microtransaction talk. Protip: Look around, because I am not mentioning any names, but if you type Stormtrooper as “Storm Trooper,” I am not going to believe a damn word you say in your review, and you are real lucky that I didn’t call your ass out. If you are a Star Wars fan and on the fence about this game after all the EA controversy, I implore you to at least try Battlefront II out. Don’t just believe all the negativity you read. Battlefront II was a pleasant surprise for me, it just might surprise you too!

Star Wars: Battlefront II review or: How I learned to stop worrying about microtransactions and love the game
Star Wars: Battlefront II
Is it good?
Despite the microtransactions pall cast over the game, the multiplayer is a lot of fun.
Maps feel like you are in the Star Wars universe
Graphics are solid
Heroes finally feel like heroes and should be feared
Lots of fun
Missing a few key heroes. Maybe dreaded DLC?
Customization could have more variety and options
Would like to see what map I am going to next. Or at least vote where I would like to go
9
Great
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