Any game with the Star Wars name attached is always going to build up the hype, but none more so than a game which is part of a hugely popular series, set to release nearby the launch of the seventh Star Wars film – The Force Awakens.
Star Wars 1313 is an example of a project that had many gamers excited but ultimately failed for a number of reasons. So can the upcoming Star Wars Battlefront – the latest iteration in the franchise from DICE – be an overwhelming success, or will it tarnish the Battlefront IP and upset gamers who loved the older games in the series?
Well, DICE is no stranger to taking command of franchises that have a passionate fan-following, with a sequel to Mirror’s Edge on the way in the next couple of years. Nevertheless, the recent influx of news surrounding Battlefront that has come courtesy of the Star Wars Celebration a few days ago has raised a few eyebrows as there is perhaps reason to be concerned about the FPS.
First of all, whilst the trailers – which show off in-engine footage – look great, reliable sources claim that the game itself, whilst still looking great, does not represent the high quality lighting and graphical details on show in the trailers. Unfortunately, this is nothing new in the games industry as we regularly see trailers that look better than the product they’re promoting, but still, those who actually saw the new Battlefront in action at the Star Wars Celebration were slightly let down to see that DICE could not replicate the in-engine footage in-game, given their pedigree of creating high quality visual experiences such as Battlefield.
But perhaps that’s much ado about nothing. After all, the game is still bound to look fantastic and as we all know, visuals don’t count for everything. What’s most important is how the game plays and unfortunately there is another slight reason to be concerned in this respect. Rob Handlery of Gamespot recently pointed out that taking down an AT-AT – something which should be a fantastic spectacle – ultimately boiled down to a number of quick-time events and scripted scenarios, as opposed to any sort of dynamic gameplay mechanics that require skill in order to take down what should be a daunting boss.
Moreover, it has been confirmed that Star Wars Battlefront won’t feature a single-player mode (not a huge deal to most fans, but a bit disappointing for many, largely for the sake of nostalgia), and that’s not to mention that the game won’t include space battles; one of the highlights of the previous games.
So has all of this slowed down the hype train for you? Whilst there is still much to be excited about it’s never good to see a fair amount of negative press coming out of preview builds of a game. DICE is treading on thin ice by working on a franchise that many fans have fond memories with, so will they pull it off or is Star Wars Battlefront – with perhaps too much expectation on its shoulders – doomed to fail? Let us know your thoughts.
For more on Star Wars Battlefront stay tuned to Gamespresso, and check out our other recent articles on the game.
Battlefront dev: “We are making it our own”
DLC concerns addressed by Star Wars Battlefront dev
Guide: what’s included in the new Star Wars canon?