• [REVIEW] "Star Wars: Squadrons" video game

    From Your Name@21:1/5 to All on Sat Oct 10 11:09:17 2020
    XPost: rec.arts.sf.starwars.misc, alt.fan.starwars

    It's "tedious", yet still gets 8 out of 10. :-\


    From ComingSoon.net ...


    Star Wars: Squadrons Review:
    Great Graphics Can't Overcome Tedious Gameplay
    ----------------------------------------------
    Rating: 8.0 out of 10

    Cast: Peta Sergeant ....... Terisa Kerrill
    Phil Morris ......... Lindon Javes
    Alistair McKenzie ... LT-514
    Noshir Dalal ........ Varko Grey
    Helen Sadler ........ Havina Vonreg
    Jim Pirri ........... Shen
    Sofia Pernas ........ Rela Sol
    Rebecca Wisocky ..... Kierah "Gunny" Koovah

    Star Wars: Squadrons Review
    In EA's Star Wars: Squadrons, players commandeer an assortment
    of vehicles from that galaxy far far away, including X-Wings,
    Tie Fighters, Y-Wings, etc. and engage in ferocious dogfights
    set amidst the backdrop of battles immediately following the
    events of Return of the Jedi.

    The first level plops the player inside a Tie Fighter and then
    blasts them off into space where the goal is to shoot dozens
    of X-Wings and zip around giant starships, avoiding an endless
    barrage of laser fire and missiles. In one of the more
    inspired aspects of the game, players can redistribute the
    ship's power to their liking. So, when faced with enemy laser
    fire, one can choose to divert power to the front shields
    before redirecting that power to the laser canons when the
    time comes to retaliate. Or, put all power on the thrusters
    and outrun enemies long enough to recharge your systems.

    All of this is quite thrilling...for the first few levels. 
    After an hour or so of gameplay, each sequence starts blending
    into the next leaving one longing for a more varied
    experience.

    Sure, there are cool scenarios involving the capturing of a
    downed Star Destroyer or the destruction of a rebel space
    station, but mostly each level features the same basic
    concept: fly around and shoot waves of enemies. It's
    basically Space Invaders, just in 3D.

    Perhaps that's why EA chose to sell the product at a
    decidedly marked down $40 price tag, which is far below the
    $60 cost of less-than-stellar offerings like the recent Fast
    and Furious: Crossroads and Predator: Hunting Grounds; and, in
    all fairness, a smart marketing decision.

    The plot involves competing squadrons from the flailing Empire
    and New Republic as they duke it out during the final stages
    of the original Star Wars trilogy. A fun variety of characters
    pop up throughout, although neither leaves much of a mark
    outside of a few stirring cut scenes. In fact, most of the
    character beats are reserved for skippable exchanges between
    missions and really don't affect the overarching story or
    gameplay; and function mostly as bonus footage.

    To that end, Star Wars: Squadrons feels a tad undercooked. As
    though the creators came up with a kernel of an idea but
    weren't quite sure how to extend it in a satisfying manner.
    As such, the game feels more akin to a simplistic arcade
    experience rather than anything new or groundbreaking for
    consoles.

    Yet, despite these gripes, the game is fun when played for a
    few hours at a time. As stated, deploying various strategies
    to take down squads of enemy craft is thrilling; and the
    combat is explosive and engaging. Although, at times, being
    set in space is more of a detriment to the experience as your
    craft feels more like a floating capsule than a speeding
    bullet of mass destruction. The only time you truly feel a
    rush is when you get close enough to the hull of a Star
    Destroyer or the occasional sequence that forces you to fly
    through debris or asteroids. It would have been cool for the
    makers to set a few missions on a planet's surface - a mission
    equivalent to the battle at the end of Rogue One, for example
    - or create moments like the trench run from A New Hope to
    really emphasize the speed of your ship. Hell, even an option
    to switch to third person would have provided a welcome
    change of pace.

    As is, Star Wars: Squadrons entertains and deserves marks for
    its well-executed controls and graphics. And, considering the
    price, it's hard to complain too much about the lack of
    variety. Overall, this is a nice start to a potential
    franchise that will likely soar to greater heights with
    future entries.


    <https://www.comingsoon.net/games/reviews/1151398-star-wars-squadrons-review-great-graphics-cant-overcome-tedious-gameplay>

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