When we first log into the game, a screen appears for us to customize our characters. Here, we adjust the character's face, voice, body structure and name according to our own preference for both of our characters. After completing this stage, we see a screen that allows us to choose the difficulty option in the game according to our own playing style.
After choosing the right option for us, the game welcomes us with a small cinematic. Then we start the game as a TIE Interceptor pilot. In the story part of the game, we have the opportunity to play on both sides. We switch between two sides in certain parts.
Pros
+ The atmosphere and visuality of the game
+ Environmental design and interior design
+ Variety of ship and character customizations
+ No micropayments and no lootboxes.
Cons
- Load times are quite high
- It has a partially repetitive structure.
The story part of the game consists of 14 episodes, excluding the introduction. It took me about 7 hours to complete the story at Pilot level. Although the missions seem easy at first, you start to have difficulties as you progress in the story. Although I almost never died in the first few hours of the game, when I approached the end, I died 4-5 times in almost every episode. We can say that it has a very reasonable story time for a game that focuses on multiplayer. Tasks are relatively repetitive. Although we are faced with a different environment and task in each section, the tasks are basically based on the same structure. However, even if you bought the game just for multiplayer, it is a good idea to take a look at the story. Because while playing the story, you also master the controls and basic mechanics of the game. The game aims to add something to you in terms of gameplay, even if it is small in the story part. That's all I have to say for the story part. Let's take a look at ship and character designs if you wish.
Character and ship design
There are no micropayments in the game. This is another plus of Star Wars: Squadrons. But that doesn't mean you can have every item instantly. Let's say you have a helmet cut in your eyes and you want to buy it. For this, it is a must to enter the multiplayer and level up in the game. So if you want to buy cosmetics in the game, you have to play the game enough to level up and get in-game money.
When we look at it cosmetically, I can say that there is a lot of variety in the game. You can adjust the character's race, gloves, helmet, voice and many other things. There is enough variety to create a character that suits you. Will Star Wars: Squadrons be released with additional content in the future, we will wait and see.
When we come to the ship customization department, things get a little more complicated. There are four classes in total in the game: Fighter, Bomber, Interceptor and Support. Each class has its own pros and cons. For example, Bomber class ships are better at destroying larger warships, while they are slower and cumbersome than Fighter class ships. Small details like these play a big role in the multiplayer part of the game.
The development of the ships depends entirely on how you play the game. For example, if you say "I fly straight, I have no business maneuvering", you can install a jet engine on your ship. When you install a jet engine, your maximum speed increases, but your maneuverability decreases significantly. The same goes for the remaining parts of the ships. As another example, you can change the shields of ships according to your choice. I liked the shield protection system called Nimble Deflector the most in terms of shields in the game. Your cooldown to reuse the shield is shortened thanks to this system, but you lose 30% of the efficiency of the shield. So every weapon, shield, engine has its own pros and cons. You can make the personalization that suits you best according to your own experience. But still it is worth repeating; You have to level up in the game to make these boosts.
Ship customization doesn't stop there. Cosmetics are not just limited to our characters. There are also a wide variety of visual modification options for ships. You can make small additions such as paint or coat of arms to your ship according to your own preference, which I do not think Electronic Arts will throw this game aside with just this amount of content. It is highly likely that we will see much more of these contents in the future. Let's not forget: The game also has a mission completion system called Operations. By completing the daily tasks in this system, you can both save money for cosmetics and have cosmetic items that cannot be obtained through purchasing and change every 2 months.
As we have mentioned the customization part of the game, let's take a look at the main focus of the game, multiplayer.
There are two game modes in the multiplayer part of the game. One of them is the Dogfight mode and the other is the Fleet Battles mode. Dogfight mode is actually a team deathmatch. You are trying to hunt the other 5-person group with your 5-person group and the first to reach the score threshold is considered the winner of the match. Dogfight mode does not take much of your time and gives you a lot of fun. Although I died, I can say that I lived the action there to my bone marrow. Behind the enemy ship and follow him, wondering if he can dodge if I throw a rocket, and when another enemy ship suddenly appears behind you and when the guided rocket fires at you, your escape efforts are all well placed. This and such events play a big role in getting you into the game. I cannot help but say that the map designs and graphics are also beautiful. In this game, it is once again revealed how quality and beautiful the Frostbite 3 engine is.
In the Fleet Battles mode, the situation becomes completely different. In this mode, our main goal is to destroy the other team's Flagship together with our team. Basically, I have to say that this game mode is the most important and demanding part of the game as it is easy. This mode also stands out as the competitive mode of the game. There are three basic stages in the mode: The first of these is the dogfight stage, the second is to destroy the ships that protect the middle class and mother ship, called Capital Ships, and the last stage is to destroy the mother ship. The first stage is basically the same as the Dogfight mode I mentioned above, but a mechanic called Morale has been added to the job as an additional feature. This is positive energy that comes to your team when you destroy a mechanical enemy warship. If this has increased in your favor, you can counterattack, but if there is an increase against you, the enemy team will attack, in which case you have to go on the defensive immediately. After completing this stage, it is time to destroy the second stage, Capital Ships. At this stage, you have to destroy the enemy's two medium-level ships. After this stage, there is no obstacle for you to destroy Flagship. To destroy the Flagship, you have to do enough damage to certain areas. Electronic Arts stated that the most effective class for this is the Interceptor.
In this article, we tried to explain the pros and cons of Star Wars Squadrons. To sum up, although the structure of the game has a somewhat repetitive structure, the promised content makes the game playable. For now, I have to say that the most glaring problem of the game is the loading times. It took me about 15 minutes to access the main menu on the first attempt. The loading time of the missions and the multiplayer is also a little noticeable. Apart from that, if you are looking for a game that can take you for a long time and spend time during the pandemic period, it is a good idea to give Star Wars: Squadrons a chance. Hope to see you in our next review, stay well.
