Is Star Wars' new space battle simulator inclined to the dark side, or inspires new hope in the genre?
It's hard to believe that a lot of people would want to play Star Wars Squadrons, the new space art simulator from Electronic Arts, which takes place in the world of "Star Wars".
Not because it's a bad or disappointing game, God forbid, but because it's simple ... a pure space battle simulator, a particularly niche genre that gets very little attention from giant companies like EA, and probably from super-brands like "Star Wars".
In fact, one must go back more than twenty years, to the classic X-wing series that came out on the computer in the 90s, to
Remember when a similar game came out (although EA did not develop and distribute that series, but the Luxarts company).
Anyone who grew up on X-Wing games and wondered what the battles between Rebel / Republic and Empire spacecraft would look and feel like in today's gaming technology, Squadrons will not be disappointed.
But anyone whose idea of being crammed into a crowded cockpit, with no option to get out of it for the entire mission and not even change the camera angle outside the spacecraft to get a slightly more arcade feel, may shy away from the limitations.
In this game you only look forward, through the spacecraft's windshield, chase and dodge other spaceships, go on sabotage, escort and backup missions, fire lasers, launch missiles and bombs, against the computer but mostly against - and alongside - friends.
The good news is that Squadrons is doing well the only thing it is supposed to do: give the actor the feeling that he is inside a Star Wars spaceship, and allow him to take part in fascinating and sometimes merciless battles in this all-too-familiar cinematic world.
Is it true that the movies have the famous scenes in which the spaceships infiltrate with record speed through tunnels, tunnels or asteroid fields, with enemy spaceships chasing after them?
This is exactly what you will get here, solely from the pilot's point of view.
Greetings from Baby Yoda!
Squadrons is divided into three parts: a short plot mode of ten not very long missions, whose plot takes place during the original film trilogy (it spans several years and presents a whole new story, but to avoid spoilers, just say that both the good and the bad are played here).
Some would say that the plot mode is actually the secondary part of the game, which is only meant to train the player and accustom him to the different types of spaceships before diving into the multiplayer.
The average mission length is about half an hour for those who have basic experience in flying spaceships in video games, and between them you can walk around the base, talk to characters (some familiar, but most do not), tinker with the spacecraft's equipment and receive a briefing for the next mission.
The second part is Dogfight - a Team Deathmatch-style multiplayer mode familiar from shooting games.
Five good spaceships against five spaceships in battles for life and death.
Each side has four types of spaceships to choose from: basic and balanced combat spaceships (Tie Fighter and X-Wing belong to this type, for that matter);
Fast and accurate spacecraft that are also more fragile than the others;
Heavier, slower spacecraft that specialize in heavy bombardment, and low-power support spacecraft that aim to arm and repair the other spacecraft.
Speaking of armament - before any battle it is recommended to equip the spaceships with weapons, shields, camouflage and various accessories (including a baby yoda doll from the "Mandelorian" to put on the dashboard!).
Your battle performance, as well as completing changing daily missions, gives you points that will allow you to advance in ranks and gain access to better equipment - just like in the Voice of Duty, for that matter, only in spaceships instead of military shoes.
The third and final part, Fleet Battles, is a more complex five-on-five multiplayer mode with different missions, including battles from the previous mode, in addition to bombing and conquering missions until the opponent's flagship is destroyed.
In this mode you can play with friends against the computer and not just against human enemies, and it is intended mainly for experienced pilots who know how to work in a team, and not for individual wolves.
Space on time
With very good graphics, soundtrack and effects taken straight from the movies (hearing an R2 robot beeping kindly from its position in a spaceship is something that always warms the heart) and most importantly - a complex control interface, but not too complicated that can be learned quite easily thanks to the first plot missions, Star Wars: Squadrons Is the most fun space battle simulator to come out in recent years.
Not that many came out like that, but still.
Although we would not object to a few more plot missions and more varied game modes, but taking into account its cheap price - less than NIS 150 in some stores - fans of the genre will be pleased.
Squadrons supports (but does not require use) the PlayStation PSVR reality system, which enhances the gaming experience.
In our opinion, this is one of the most impressive and stable virtual reality titles we have experienced.
We really felt like we were inside the spaceship, including the initial nausea and everything.
If you have a PSVR, you will not find a better quality space battle simulator (Eve: Valkyrie much less successful in our opinion).
Score: 7/10
Tested version: PlayStation 4. Also available in versions for Xbox One and PC.