Star Wars Battlefront Beta Review – When Darth Vader Killed Me, I just Smiled

I love Star Wars. I hate multiplayer gaming.

That would apparently put someone whose old AOL user name was TGSith in a dilemma once the Star Wars Battlefront open beta test was let loose on the public on October 8. Do I indulge my videogame jones for that galaxy far, far away, one that truly kicked into gear with the seminal shooter Dark Forces?

There’s a cost to such indulgence, mainly competing against folks with handles like BloodyFists, Ladiesman and KillerofDeath, probably teenagers with too much time on their hands, allowing them to decimate 47-year-olds and then curse at them.

I know, that’s the stereotype, but I’ve seen it up close, making my desire to compete in online gaming slim and none.

But this is Star Wars. So I was in.

” And while the beta test is over, once the game is released on November 17, I’m going to be back.

Simply put, while there is no single player story mode, which would normally be a deal breaker for me, the whole multiplayer thing wasn’t bad. In fact, I could get used to it, and those who aren’t playing four to five hours a day can jump in and have fun without feeling like they’re going through the whole killed-respawned cycle over and over and over.

That kind of balance is necessary for a game like this if it wants to appeal to more than just the hardcore, and the Star Wars license will bring in that demographic. And once they’re in, they’ll love it. From the remarkable graphics to the soundtrack, this feels like Star Wars. If you’re old enough to have played Dark Forces, you’ll remember the thrill when the first line of stormtroopers came into your sights. It’s the same thing here, but times a thousand. The graphics are truly next gen, and when you’re trying to take down an AT-AT as a rebel soldier and Darth Vader comes into the picture and swats you down with his lightsaber, you don’t even get upset that you’re dead. You just smile because it’s one of those Star Wars nerd moments.

Personally, I can’t see that wearing off anytime soon, if ever, but ultimately for the rest of the gaming population, the gameplay is key, and judging from the beta, so far, so good. Included was a single player survival mode against bots, an eight vs. eight capture the pod multiplayer map, and a 20 vs. 20 battle on Hoth in which the rebels attempt to take down an AT-AT and the Empire forces defend it.

Single player was fun, and not surprisingly, that was the first mode I tried. Your rebel soldier does have more firepower to work with than with your character in the two multiplayer modes, allowing you to see what a fairly powered up character can do. In multiplayer, you are dealing with the bare minimum in terms of weaponry and secondary power-ups like being able to rocket yourself around the battlefield. But each battle will earn you points that will level up your character and allow you to customize its look, power-ups and weaponry.

And as skeptical as I was about enjoying multiplayer, I couldn’t help it. I preferred the eight on eight games because it allowed you to work as a team with a smaller group, and if an inexperienced player like me got on a good team, it was evident, and you felt like your teammates were there backing you up. In the 20 vs. 20 games, it was a little more hectic, but at the same time, when things got heated, it seemed like a million memorable moments were going on at the same time, and you were in the middle of it.

As for the difficulty level, I was always on the bottom of the leaderboard, but I got enough kills to feel like I was having some success, and in talking to my nephew – a hardcore multiplayer – he was pleased with the challenge present, which means that this game has the potential to be not just a big seller this holiday season, but a critical and aesthetic success.

That’s a rare mix, but Star Wars Battlefront may hit it.

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Thomas Gerbasi is an author, writer and occasional gamer.

He also writes for UFC.com and BoxingScene.com