GREY BOX, SIX FOOT AND YAGER OFFICIALLY LAUNCH DREADNOUGHT ON PLAYSTATION®4
HOUSTON and BERLIN – Dec. 5, 2017 – Grey Box, Six Foot and independent developer YAGER have officially released the class-based spaceship action game Dreadnought on the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system. Players who download the title for free today through the PlayStation®Store can grab the console-exclusive Hactar hero ship and two themes for free. PlayStation®Plus members can also receive a bonus Dead Man’s Hand Decal and Emblem as part of the “Dreadnought Maverick” DLC bundle.
“Dreadnought delivers an exciting blend of team-based competitive and cooperative action combined with gorgeous visuals and a galaxy of customization choices. There’s never been a better time to hop into the captain’s chair and start your adventure,” said Mike Donatelli, Product Director at Six Foot. “This next leap forward is just the beginning for Dreadnought, and we’ll be continuing to provide players with new content, experiences, features and improvements in the future.”
https://youtu.be/ums77uAN7XE
As part of today’s Dreadnought launch on PlayStation®4, captains will be introduced to day and night variations for a new game map – Amirani – as well as voice chat, optional aim assist functionality, a new bonus reward for first win of the day and all-new trophies to earn and add to their collections. Previous major updates during the open beta period added a revamped training mode called Proving Grounds, Onslaught mode, which pits players against each other and an AI faction, and the console-exclusive co-op Havoc mode, which features its own unlockable Junkyard Prince hero ship available only on PlayStation®4.
Created for PlayStation®4 by lead developers YAGER and Six Foot and co-developer Iron Galaxy Studios, Dreadnought puts players in command of massive capital ships on the front lines of all-out team battles across a variety of multiplayer game modes. Five distinct ship classes, specializing in tactical roles like frontline assault, long-range bombardment, strategic support and more, offer captains unique powers to exploit the enemy team’s weaknesses and claim victory. There are more than 50 playable vessels to master, each customizable with an array of weapons, modules, coatings and decals.
Dreadnought is also currently in free open beta on Windows PC and rated T (Teen) by the ESRB. For the latest updates on all platforms, visit www.dreadnought.com, and follow the game on Facebook, Twitter and Twitch.
About Grey Box
Grey Box is a video game publisher that champions the idea that games are an influential art form and players should be treated as sophisticated consumers. Grey Box aims to set a unique standard for quality in interactive entertainment. www.greybox.com
About Six Foot
Six Foot was founded in 2000 as an interactive agency, building digital experiences designed to make connections between people, brands and technology more human and meaningful. Now, as a full-service games company with offices in Houston, Los Angeles and Berlin, we apply that same passion to building extraordinary video games and providing creative direction, marketing and brand management, front- and back-end development, customer service and community support for game publishers. www.6ft.com
About YAGER
Founded in 1999 in the heart of Berlin, YAGER is one of the gaming veterans of AAA development. The award-winning studio is dedicated to the creation of vivid and meaningful multi-platform gaming experiences. The YAGER team comprises gaming enthusiasts, technical experts and creative minds from across the world who all share a passion for great action games. YAGER was most recently recognized for its gripping military shooter Spec Ops: The Line. www.yager.de
About Iron Galaxy Studios
Iron Galaxy is one of the world’s largest independent video game developers, delivering both home-built, original experiences and their partners’ visions to all platforms. Founded in 2008, Iron Galaxy has touched an astonishing number of projects, large and small. www.irongalaxystudios.com
UBISOFT CELEBRATES THE HOLIDAY SEASON WITH FREE DIGITAL PC GAMES
Holidays are the perfect occasion to spend time with friends, family and have fun playing games. Just in time for the festive season, Ubisoft is giving two digital PC games for FREE as part of its Happy Playdays! Players will have the opportunity to polish their strategies with World in Conflict and experience the Golden Age of Pirates with Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag.
Ubisoft Massive released highly acclaimed World in Conflict in September 2007, an innovative RTS / RTT game in a Cold War setting. A single-player expansion called Soviet Assault followed in 2009. The game features both a strong and captivating single-player campaign and an intense multiplayer section that supports up to 16 players. With many other features, including Voice Over IP, amazing graphics and completely destructible battlefields, World in Conflict is an intense strategy experience unlike anything you’ve ever seen before. Released to high critical acclaim, it has been called one of the best strategy games ever made.
Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag includes compelling characters, an extensive world, and an infinite amount of pirate activities to engage in. It begins in 1715, when pirates established a lawless Republic in the Caribbean and ruled the land and seas. These outlaws paralyzed navies, halted international trades, and plundered vast fortunes. They threatened the power structures that ruled Europe, inspired the imagination of millions, and left a legacy that still endures. From Kingston to Nassau, explore 50 unique locations where you can live the life of a pirate as Edward Kenway. Captain and customize your own ship, search for lost treasures, hunt rare animals and loot underwater shipwrecks.
World in Conflict (including the expansion Soviet Assault) will be FREE and downloadable for PC from December 4th to December 11th, and Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag will be available for FREE from December 11th to December 18th on PC.
Find this offer and more at ubisoft.com/happyplaydays_pr
TOM CLANCY’S THE DIVISION® FREE UPDATE 1.8 “RESISTANCE” AVAILABLE TONIGHT
The Division Free Weekend and Free DLC Week Offers Starting This Week
SYDNEY, Australia — December 5, 2017 —Ubisoft has announced that Update 1.8 “Resistance” for Tom Clancy’s The Division will launch simultaneously on PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, Xbox One and Windows PC platforms tonight from 7pm AEST. Coinciding with the release of Resistance, The Division Free Weekend is coming to all platforms from December 7 to December 10. Additionally, all Division owners will have free access to all of the expansions included in The Division’s Season Pass (Underground, Survival, and Last Stand) from December 5 to December 10.
Update 1.8 “Resistance” is the largest free update thus far for Tom Clancy’s The Division and expands the game map with a new area accessible to all players: West Side Pier. In addition to the variety of open world activities available across the whole map, West Side Pier will be home to two new game modes:
Resistance (PvE mode) – In Resistance, the different factions are teaming up for the first time to fight against Division agents. Varied enemy NPCs continuously spawn in waves as up to four agents try to survive for as long as they can. Enemies drop resources that can be used to either set up defenses or extend the battlefield, offering more tactical options to the players. Players need to cooperate and find the best strategy to complete as many waves as possible and get greater rewards.
Skirmish (PvP mode) – In Skirmish, two teams of four players compete against each other to get the highest number of kills before the time expires. Teams earn points each time a downed enemy player is eliminated.
Additionally, Update 1.8 “Resistance” will include a new social hub, improvements to the Underground DLC, a revamp of the rogue mechanics, as well as an optimization of the gear system letting players improve the stats of their favorite equipment.
To celebrate the release of the 1.8 “Resistance” update, Tom Clancy’s The Division will offer a free DLC week as well as a free weekend:
Free DLC Week
From December 5-10, all The Division players will get free, unlimited access to all three expansions included in Tom Clancy’s The Division’s Season Pass offer, including Underground, Survival and Last Stand. This free period will be available across all available platforms and accessible to free weekend players.
Free Weekend
From December 7-10, the full game will be accessible to new players on all available platforms. The current free trial offer, which gives players full access to the main game until they reach level 8 or complete six hours of playtime, will be on hiatus during the free weekend but reinstated once the free weekend promotion ends. Players who have downloaded the free trial before December 7 will see trial restrictions lifted until the end of the free weekend.
In conjunction with this free weekend, there will be discounts on Tom Clancy’s The Division’s Standard and Gold Editions on the Ubisoft Store. All progress from the free weekend will carry over to the full game if players purchase it.
Tom Clancy’s The Division takes place weeks after a devastating pandemic sweeps through New York City on Black Friday. One by one, basic services fail and in only days, without food or water, society collapses into chaos. The Division, an autonomous unit of tactical agents leading seemingly ordinary lives among us, is activated to save society. In this immersive online open world action RPG, discover a hostile and dynamic environment where exploration and player progression are essential. Team up with other players to investigate the sources of the virus and reclaim the city from the overwhelming turmoil.
Tom Clancy’s The Division is now available for Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and Windows PC. For more information, please visit thedivisiongame.com.
ABOUT UBISOFT
Ubisoft is a leading creator, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and services, with a rich portfolio of world-renowned brands, including Assassin’s Creed, Just Dance, Tom Clancy’s video game series, Rayman, Far Cry and Watch Dogs. The teams throughout Ubisoft’s worldwide network of studios and business offices are committed to delivering original and memorable gaming experiences across all popular platforms, including consoles, mobile phones, tablets and PCs. For the 2016-17 fiscal year Ubisoft generated sales of €1,460 million. To learn more, please visit www.ubisoft.com.
The “PS” Family logo is a registered trademark and “PS4” is a trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. “PlayStation” is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
Windows, the Windows Start button, Xbox, Xbox LIVE, and the Xbox logos are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies, and “Games for Windows” and the Windows Start button logo are used under license from Microsoft.
An Official Licensed Product of the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018
Sydney, Australia — December 5, 2017 — Today, Ubisoft® announced that Steep™ Road to the Olympics, an expansion to Steep, the open world action-sports game that launched in December 2016, is now available on PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system (includes enhanced features on PS4 Pro), Xbox One (includes enhanced features on Xbox One X) and Windows PC.
The Steep Road to the Olympics expansion will feature fresh Alpine and Freestyle events, including Giant Slalom, Slalom, Super-G, Downhill, Parallel Giant Slalom, Halfpipe, Snowboard Cross, Slopestyle, Big Air, Ski Halfpipe, Ski Cross and Ski Slopestyle.
The Steep™ Road to the Olympics expansion features a new mode where players embark with pro athletes on the “Become a Legend” journey. Newcomers and players who want to build up their freestyle tricks and discover the new Slopestyle discipline will follow the journey of an athlete on their way to the Olympic Winter Games. Players will also be able to explore the mountains of Japan, carving through unique powder and exceptional environments.
Before each challenge in the ‘Become a Legend’ mode, players will be treated to training tips and insights from Olympians on the variety of Steep™ Road to the Olympics events, track designs and the competition itself. Video interviews from 10 legends and rising stars are integrated in the game:
Lindsey Vonn, American Alpine Skiier who has won numerous competitions including a gold medal in the Downhill event at the Olympic Winter Games Vancouver 2010.
Kevin Rolland, French freestyle skier and progressive risk taker who won an Olympic bronze medal in the Halfpipe at the Olympic Winter Games Sochi 2014.
Sage Kotsenburg, American snowboarder who won the first-ever Olympic gold medal in Snowboard Slopestyle at the Olympic Winter Games Sochi 2014.
Ayumu Hirano, Japanese competitive snowboarder who won an Olympic silver medal in the Halfpipe at the Olympic Winter Games Sochi 2014.
Alexis Pinturault, French alpine ski racer and Olympic medalist in 2014 for Giant Slalom.
Tessa Worley, French competitor of all five alpine disciplines and specialist of Giant Slalom.
Scotty James, Australian snowboarder, two-time world Halfpipe champion and 2017 superpipe champion.
Gus Kenworthy, American freestyle skier who won the silver medal in Ski Slopestyle at the Olympic Winter Games Sochi 2014.
Julia Marino, young American snowboarder and 2017 Slopestyle snowboarding champion.
Bode Miller, Olympic gold medalist and the most decorated male American alpine ski racer of all time.
With development led by Ubisoft Annecy*, Steep – the open world action sports game to feature ski, snowboard, paraglide, wingsuit, rocket wingsuit, sled, base jump and speed riding – is designed for a culture that’s all about sharing experiences with the world. Steep features seamless multiplayer, populating the world with players as they explore the Alps and Alaska. Players and friends across the globe can take on challenges together, or compete with each other to snag the top spot on the leaderboards. Players can also participate in several competitive live programs such as the monthly Steep World Tour, where players take on specific challenges to qualify in tournaments and have a chance to win exclusive rewards.
For more information about Steep, please visit steepgame.com and follow us at facebook.com/SteepGame and twitter.com/Steep_Game.
To learn more about other Ubisoft games, please visit blog.ubi.com.
*Associate studios are Ubisoft Kiev, Ubisoft Pune and Ubisoft Belgrade
About Ubisoft
Ubisoft is a leading creator, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and services, with a rich portfolio of world-renowned brands.The teams throughout Ubisoft’s worldwide network of studios and business offices are committed to delivering original and memorable gaming experiences across all popular platforms, including consoles, mobile phones, tablets and PCs. For the 2016–17 fiscal year Ubisoft generated sales of €1,460 million. To learn more, please visit www.ubisoftgroup.com
CAPCOM REVEALS NEW MAINLINE MEGA MAN™ TITLE IN CELEBRATION OF VIDEO GAME ICON’S 30th ANNIVERSARY
Legendary Series Returns in 2018 with Brand New Mega Man™ 11 Game and Legacy Titles for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation®4, Xbox One, and PC
Dec. 5, 2017– Today during the Mega Man™ 30th Anniversary Livestream in partnership with Twitch, Capcom, a leading worldwide developer and publisher of video games, revealed Mega Man™ 11, the next evolution in the long-running 32 million unit-selling action platformer series. Led by a talented, veteran development team at Capcom, the new game features tight side-scrolling action gameplay the series is known for while completely revolutionizing the experience for modern consoles. Mega Man 11will be a great entry for both fans and newcomers to the series to dive into as it retains its signature challenge while offering a variety of difficulty options. The game is coming to Nintendo Switch, PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, Xbox One, and Windows PC in late 2018.
The classic seriestakes a leap forward in visual presentation inMega Man 11with a 2.5D design direction introducing beautiful, completely hand-drawn characters and environments. A freshly redesigned Mega Man takes on Dr. Wily’s berserk machines, defeating Robot Master bosses and taking their weapons, in an ever-evolving fight for justice with new and unique enemy designs. This is just a small taste of information of what’s to come in Mega Man 11alongside the start of the series’ 30th anniversary year, and fans can look forward to more details on the game in Summer 2018.
Visit www.capcomeuro-press.com to download the new Mega Man 30th anniversary trailer featuring the first-ever gameplay footage of Mega Man 11 plus screenshots and concept art, including a first look at a mysterious new Robot Master. In these assets, players can also see the hero’s new look and take note of how he takes on characteristics of defeated Robot Masters when wielding their weapons.
The anniversary celebrations don’t stop with the thrilling announcement of Mega Man 11! Throughout 2018, fans and newcomers to the franchise can look forward to revisiting some of the most noteworthy games in the series’ history. Confirmed today, both Mega Man™ Legacy CollectionandMega Man™ Legacy Collection 2 are coming to Nintendo Switch in Spring 2018, making all 10 of the numbered series games playable on Nintendo Switch leading up to the release of Mega Man 11 later next year. The first collection, which includes the original six 8-bit games, sees the addition of a new Rewind accessibility option to go back in time following blunders. This feature will also roll out to existing owners of the game on PlayStation® 4 system, Xbox One, and PC.
Also confirmed today, all eight games from the futuristic Mega Man™ X series are coming to Nintendo Switch, PlayStation® 4 system, Xbox One, and PC in Summer 2018. The X series introduced features such as powerful armor upgrades and wall-jumping, with more mature themes in this action platforming series. Fans can expect more information on these games in the coming months.
Since the initial release of Mega Man on the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1987, the character has become a legendary icon in gaming history. This is an exciting time to be a fan of Capcom’s beloved hero. Fans can stay tuned all throughout 2018 for more news on all the games announced today and other celebratory activities going on during the 30th anniversary year.
##
ABOUT CAPCOM
Capcom is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment for game consoles, PCs, handheld and wireless devices. Founded in 1983, the company has created hundreds of games including ground-breaking franchises Resident Evil®, Street Fighter®, Monster Hunter™, Ace Attorney®, Mega Man® and Devil May Cry®. Capcommaintains operations in the U.S., Canada, U.K., France, Germany, Tokyo, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Korea, with corporate headquarters located in Osaka, Japan. More information about Capcom and its products can be found at www.capcom.com or www.capcom-unity.com.
Capcom, the Capcom logo, Ace Attorney, Devil May Cry, Mega Man, Monster Hunter and Resident Evil are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Capcom Co., Ltd., in the U.S. or other countries. Street Fighter is a registered trademark of Capcom U.S.A., Inc. “PlayStation” and the “PS” Family logo are registered trademarks and “PS4” is a trademark of Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.
With Niantic’s attention focused on Pokemon Go and the upcoming game Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, the announcement of an Ingress reboot comes as a bit of a surprise. Originally developed with Google, Ingress is the original alternate reality game developed by Niantic. The game also provided a lot of the data that Pokemon Goeventually leveraged. While Ingress still has a very dedicated community of players, it has yet to (and probably never will) reach the same popularity that Pokemon Go has. This doesn’t mean that Niantic has completely forgotten about Ingress, however.
The reboot is called Ingress Prime andis going to shake the very foundations of the game by redesigning the user experience and introducing a brand new story arc. To mark the new chapter, Niantic announced they will reset the global leaderboard upon Ingress Prime’s release, though individual progression will be retained. Niantic will accompany the new story arc with an anime series, though no word who will be producing the show.
Ingress Prime is set to launch for iOS and Android in 2018.
Square Enix announced they will be releasing a very limited number of physical copies of the Secret of Manaremake. It is not clear if the physical copies will make their way to Australia, but North American buyers will be able to snag a copy at GameStop in the US, EB Games in Canada, and a few unnamed retailers in Latin America.
In addition to physical copies, gamers can also snag a digital copy of Secret of Mana for PlayStation 4 and PS Vita via the PlayStation Store and on Windows via Steam. Secret of Mana will carry a $39.99 USD price tag when it launches on 15 February, 2018. Those who pre-order the game will be able to get three special costumes for Randi, Primm, and Popoi.
Originally released in 1993 for SNES, Secret of Mana has been ported to a variety of platforms, including iOS and Switch. The new Secret of Mana remake features new 3D graphics in the similar style as Square Enix’s other classic JRPG remakes like Final Fantasy 3 remake. The gameplay has also been reworked to better reflect modern action RPGs.
KOEI TECMO EUROPE ANNOUNCES RELEASE DATE FOR UPCOMING EPIC, A.O.T. 2
Action-Packed Trailer Released Highlighting the Game’s New Characters, Features and Experiences
Hertfordshire, 4th December 2017 – Today KOEI TECMO Europe proudly revealed that A.O.T. 2 will be released on the 20th March 2018 for the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, Nintendo Switch™, and digitally on Windows PC via Steam®!
To celebrate the news KOEI TECMO Europe shared an action-packed new trailer, giving a taste of the thrilling narrative players can come to expect from A.O.T. 2. In addition, they have unveiled new details on additional playable characters: Hitch Dreyse, Marlo Freudenberg, Mina Carolina, Nile Dawk, Thomas Wagner, Annie Leonhart, Bertholdt Hoover, Reiner Braun, the Armored Titan, the Colossal Titan, the Female Titan and a yet to be revealed Mystery Titan.
Players will be able to create their own custom Scout in A.O.T 2, an all-new addition to the series, offering a fresh perspective on the events of both seasons of the worldwide anime hit, ‘Attack on Titan’. With enhanced Titan movements, Scouts will have to strategically use a plethora of new abilities in order to survive; from evade-style attacks like the hook drive ability, to long-rage sneak attacks – carefully strategised with the help of the new monocular tool!
Additional RPG elements have been implemented into A.O.T. 2’s Town Life segments; allowing players to build relationships with their favourite characters from the Attack on Titan universe to gain a deeper understanding of their comrades.
KOEI TECMO EUROPE LTD. is a publisher of interactive entertainment software for current generation consoles, handhelds and digital download content based in Letchworth, Hertfordshire, UK. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of KOEI TECMO HOLDINGS CO., LTD., headquartered in Yokohama, Japan. TECMO is best known for the Dead or Alive® and Ninja Gaiden® series. KOEI is best known for its Dynasty Warriors® and Samurai Warriors® franchises. On April 1, 2009, KOEI TECMO HOLDINGS CO., LTD was established as a result of the TECMO, LTD. and KOEI Co., Ltd. merger. More information about KOEI TECMO EUROPE LTD and its products can be found at www.koeitecmoeurope.com
The Vivaldi browser releases for Raspberry Pi and other ARM based Linux devices
OSLO, Norway – 5 December, 2017 – The Vivaldi browser releases an experimental build for Linux on ARM devices, including Raspberry Pi. With this debut, Vivaldi – the most feature-rich browser on the market – continues on its path to provide a versatile internet experience for its users.
In addition to Windows, macOS and Linux (x86/x86_64), Vivaldi is now available for a range of ARM based Linux devices. This includes the Raspberry Pi Zero, Raspberry Pi 2 and Raspberry Pi 3 – single-board ARM based computers with over 14 million units sold worldwide – as well as CubieBoard, ASUS Tinker Board and others.
“We are excited to unveil Vivaldi for the popular development board Raspberry Pi and other Linux based ARM devices. Enthusiastic Raspberry Pi users who are looking for a more feature-rich and flexible browser, will find Vivaldi a thrilling experience,” says Jon von Tetzchner, CEO at Vivaldi Technologies.
Vivaldi offers a range of features and customizations for users who like to optimize their web browsing for maximum productivity. This experimental build gives even more options for DIY fans using devices such as the Raspberry Pi.
“Vivaldi is a web surfer’s complete toolbox that you can personalize and make your own. We strive to add more flexibility for the thriving culture of computer hobbyists and hope that every owner of Raspberry Pi will have fun using Vivaldi,” says Jon von Tetzchner.
Running on Raspberry Pi, Vivaldi lets users optimize settings to boost overall performance. To reduce resource usage, they can turn off animated GIFs or use the advanced Reader Mode for a clutter-free reading environment. Vivaldi also has built-in functionality such as tab grouping, screenshot capture, ability to take notes right in the browser and so on – in combination, resulting in a speedy browsing experience.
Download Vivaldi for Raspberry Pi
The Vivaldi web browser is available free of charge and can be downloaded here. Installation on Raspbian is as simple as double-clicking on the downloaded installer.
Installation on Raspbian is as simple as double-clicking on the downloaded installer.
What is Vivaldi?
The Vivaldi browser, launched in 2016, is a flexible, customizable browser that adapts to the user. Vivaldi offers more features than any other modern browser and does not track its users. Some of the highlight features include:
• Advanced tab management – ability to group, tile, move and pin tabs.
• Side Panel with easy access to bookmarks, downloads, a “tree-style” access to tabs, notes, browsing history and websites of users’ choice.
• Built-in functionality such as the screenshot Capture tool, Notes and Image Properties.
• Powerful History overview that lets users explore their browsing patterns, backed by statistics and visual clues.
• Unique and customizable look and feel of the browser interface with custom Themes and more.
• Keyboard Shortcuts and Mouse Gestures for quick browser commands.
With the impending release of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, EA and DICE have released the next iteration of the Star Wars: Battlefront franchise. Star Wars: Battlefront II builds on the 2015 title by addressing one of the biggest complaints with the game: the lack of content. This year adds a single player campaign bridging the gap between Star Wars: Return of the Jedi and Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The multiplayer also sees a bump of content, including the new Starfighter Assault mode designed by Criterion.
Story
Spoiler Warning
The single campaign stars Iden Versio, daughter of an Imperial admiral and commander of Inferno Squad, an elite special operations unit assembled by the Empire. The Emperor’s last orders is a ridiculous Wile-E-Coyote type scorched earth type plan that makes little sense beside fulfilling a need for having straight forward bad guys and good guys in the new Star Wars universe. So, off the players go to fight for the Rebellion once again.
Star Wars: Battlefront II’s campaign feels like a rushed afterthought. The campaign itself is short, which leaves little time for character development or plot development. The plot that is there just feels silly and a little forced. We get it. Empire bad. Rebellion good. Worst of all, the plot doesn’t even provide enough content to really bridge the time between the fall of the Empire and the rise of the First Order. The entire package makes me wonder if the single player story was just a last minute addition once everyone realized the movie and the game would be released just weeks apart.
Gameplay
Star Wars: Battlefront II continues to be Battlefield-lite, a combined arms shooter simplified to be accessible to as many gamers as possible. The game is very easy to learn thanks to its simple, refined mechanics and the accessible control scheme. The game dispenses with ammo, opting for an active reload system that rewards skilled players who can time their clicks well. Dropping the ammo relieves a lot of the team play pressure found in the more challenging Battlefield franchise. Instead of the usual primary and secondary weapon, characters have only one weapon and three abilities on cooldown. Earn enough points in game by completing objectives and participating in eliminating an enemy, and players can respawn as powerful heroes. The controls are very easy to pick up. The ground combat is a riff on the basic shooter controls. The new Starfighter Assault mode’s ships are incredibly easy to handle with its mouse and keyboard friendly control scheme.
All the simplicity isn’t perfect though. Some parts have been simplified to the point basic quality of life features are missing. For example, the game has no server browser or any way to find out your latency in game. PC gamers will rightfully balk at the exclusion of either features as there’s no way to figure out if you need to find a better server to improve your gameplay experience because the ping is awful, let alone jump into a game playing your favourite map. The new squad system rewards double points for sticking with the players who spawn with you at the same time, which actually punishes groups of friends plan on working together as a team. The group function for friends is pretty barebones too, forcing players to either use the in-game voice chat in open microphone mode or mute each individual group member every if the group plans on using a third party software like Discord.
The game actually offers a really solid slate of game modes. The campaign is pitifully short at around four to five hours and serves as more of an extended tutorial. However, the single player content is buffered a little by the arcade mode that offers players bot matches and a series of single player team deathmatch and holdout challenges with modifiers and limited character selections. The two crown jewels in this year’s multiplayer game is Galactic Assault and Starfighter Assault. Galactic Assault is a 20 vs 20 combined arms mode DICE has been known for throughout the years with the Battlefield series. The maps are solid, with intense flashpoints and plenty of side areas to flank. The four classes are well designed, as each have plenty of alternate abilities for players to create their own customized sub-class. The tight execution really shows how much DICE has perfected the formula over the last decade. The Starfighter Assault mode really steals the show. It’s a 12 vs 12 objective based dogfighting mode that is new to the Battlefront series. It’s fast paced, exciting, and fulfills every childhood fantasy. This mode is what makes it a Star Wars game. Supporting the two main modes are small, fast paced modes like Heroes vs. Villains, the objective focused Strike, and the close quarter battle mode Blast.
Of course, it’s impossible to review Star Wars: Battlefront II without discussing the disastrous implementation of microtransactions and its effect on the game. While it’s great that EA has opted to release all future DLCs for free, it’s come at a huge cost on the game itself: it seems like the entire system has been designed to encourage microtransactions. Look, making video games isn’t cheap. Most indie developers will never turn a profit on their title, and the cost to develop big budget games has skyrocketed over the years. But at the same time, the system EA and DICE have created is a monster. In its quest to make Star Wars: Battlefront II as friendly as possible to the casual gamer, the developers have opted to give players a flat amount of credits no matter how well or poorly they performed, meaning it’s a set period of game time to unlock new heroes and then even more hours to grind out the loot boxes. After the outcry of how many hours it would take to unlock all the heroes EA initially slashed prices by 75%, and when that failed to quell the fury, completely disabled microtransactions until they hit the right balance.
Whatever that balance might be, the current situation is a mess. Starting players only get the basic loadout for each basic class, vehicle, and hero. To gain access to alternative abilities or minor character buffs, players must either grind out credits to purchase a crate or craft a specific card using crafting materials found in crates. This severely limits the flexibility of players to respond in situations right off the get go. Certain heroes are also caught behind the credit wall. Though EA and DICE consider these heroes a sidegrade from he existing heroes, the different abilities can be quite handy in certain situations or for certain styles of play. While prices have been axed by 75%, the prices are still quite high. Combined with the standardized credit rewards, we get the AFK players farming credits plaguing the game to the detriment of people actually trying to play. At the end of the day, it feels like EA and DICE created some great core mechanics by simplifying the proven Battlefield formula into a more accessible format, then promptly hamstrung their efforts with a poorly thought out monetization strategy.
At this point, I’m not entirely sure how EA and DICE are going to sort out this situation. It’s clearly a problem that can’t be fixed by just disabling microtransactions. The issues are running a lot deeper and may require a more aggressive overhaul if EA and DICE plan on supporting Star Wars: Battlefront II in the long term. I doubt EA and DICE have the nerve to completely get rid of tiered cards and buffs at this point, which creates the feeling of a pay to win title gamers already payed good money to buy; however, significantly decreasing the time it takes to collect new cards is probably the next best compromise. Increasing the credit gain per hour, addressing the AFK player issues, and replacing credits for duplicates with the original plan of crafting parts are all good starts. This would also help newer players get up to speed with veteran players. The microtransaction situation is in theory salvageable, the challenge is figuring out the exact way to do it.
Visuals
Star Wars: Battlefront II is a good looking game. The realistic art style does a great job recreating the feel of the movies. The cinematics are well directed. The models and textures are fantastic. For the most part, the animations are solid, but there are a few that could be improved. The crouching movement looks a bit off, and I ran into a repetitive issue with the injury animation chaining oddly in a way that turned Iden Versio into a twitching horror worthy of The Ring franchise.
On the technical side, DICE’s pedigree as a PC developer is clear. There are plenty of customization options for tuning the graphics. While I will have to cede the full technical breakdown to others better equipped to do so, I can say that my test rig did not run into any issues with the game.
Audio
The audio experience in Star Wars: Battlefront II is excellent. The soundtrack is exactly what you would expect from a Star Wars title. The sound effects are of high quality. The voice acting is great. The only thing that could be improved is the lousy VoIP system built into the game. It needs more modern features like push to talk to make it useful.
Overall
Star Wars: Battlefront II feels like a lot of wasted potential. The Starfighter Assault mode is fabulous and DICE has generally delivered a tight Battlefield-lite core experience that can appeal to just about everyone. There’s a lot of potential story to be told between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens. Unfortunately, EA and DICE have really dropped the ball. The campaign feels like a lame last minute addition and the microtransaction plan is so tightly woven into the game mechanics that it turn the game into an unpleasant grind. The AFK plague is just a symptom of the game’s ills. EA and DICE will need to make some serious changes to Star Wars: Battlefront II in the coming weeks, if not days, to right this starship.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
