By Stephen David Hyland
In anticipation of the upcoming 2015 title Star Wars Battlefront, I thought I’d put a little article together on the history of (in my eyes) one of the best gaming series of all time. I guess it all started ten years ago with the release of the first game of the series, Star Wars Battlefront. It was every Star Wars fanboy’s wet dream. This game was the first based on the movies that would actually let you partake in the battles we know and love from the Star Wars saga.
In anticipation of the upcoming 2015 title Star Wars Battlefront, I thought I’d put a little article together on the history of (in my eyes) one of the best gaming series of all time. I guess it all started ten years ago with the release of the first game of the series, Star Wars Battlefront. It was every Star Wars fanboy’s wet dream. This game was the first based on the movies that would actually let you partake in the battles we know and love from the Star Wars saga.
The first game allowed you to be on the front lines of the most gripping and vicious wars of the film series, ranging from Hoth to Endor, and Geonosis to Kashyyyk.
You could either play a campaign in which you’d choose between taking on the role of an Imperial Stormtrooper or a soldier of the Seperatist Army. The campaign would take you on a vicious and adrenaline-fueled ride as you battle your way across the galaxy, letting you choose between different classes each with a unique ability or weapon. Halfway through the campaign, the narrative would change to either the perspective of the Clone Army or the Rebel Alliance (scum). Other modes included 'Galactic Conquest' which involved a bit of strategy as you’d have to capture and control different planets within the Star Wars universe, and then there was the fan-favourite 'Instant Action' mode, within which you’d be able to immediately jump into any available war zone. Now Battlefront was good, but Battlefront II improved on everything that the first game had to offer. At the mere age of 7, I had started playing on the PS2. One of the first games my parents had bought for me on the console was Star Wars Battlefront II, released in 2005.
Seeing as I was more interested in the Episode III game adaptation that had been recently released, I sort of ended up chucking it to one side. Upon completing the brilliance that was Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith - The Game, I thought I’d give Battlefront II a try. And wow. That’s all I could think. “Wow”. I’d sit there for hours, playing this spectacular game. I’d played the first one round a friends house previously to it and thought of it as “yeah, pretty cool”. But nothing could prepare me for the awesome that was Battlefront II.
You could either play a campaign in which you’d choose between taking on the role of an Imperial Stormtrooper or a soldier of the Seperatist Army. The campaign would take you on a vicious and adrenaline-fueled ride as you battle your way across the galaxy, letting you choose between different classes each with a unique ability or weapon. Halfway through the campaign, the narrative would change to either the perspective of the Clone Army or the Rebel Alliance (scum). Other modes included 'Galactic Conquest' which involved a bit of strategy as you’d have to capture and control different planets within the Star Wars universe, and then there was the fan-favourite 'Instant Action' mode, within which you’d be able to immediately jump into any available war zone. Now Battlefront was good, but Battlefront II improved on everything that the first game had to offer. At the mere age of 7, I had started playing on the PS2. One of the first games my parents had bought for me on the console was Star Wars Battlefront II, released in 2005.
Seeing as I was more interested in the Episode III game adaptation that had been recently released, I sort of ended up chucking it to one side. Upon completing the brilliance that was Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith - The Game, I thought I’d give Battlefront II a try. And wow. That’s all I could think. “Wow”. I’d sit there for hours, playing this spectacular game. I’d played the first one round a friends house previously to it and thought of it as “yeah, pretty cool”. But nothing could prepare me for the awesome that was Battlefront II.
They had done everything right. They created space battles, had added Jedi into the combat and had introduced an online multiplayer service. They made it possible for the heroes and villains of the Saga to battle it out in the barren streets of Mos Eisley! This game was my childhood, and then some. To this date I herald this game as the best ever made. Something like 1,000 hours went into that game, at the age of 7! Battlefront II never got boring, just due to the sheer amount of creativity the game allows you to have. Bored of going in as an Assault class soldier? Cool, hop on the balconies of the Jedi Temple as a Sharpshooter instead. Bored of that? Well just call in Darth Maul. Really, still bored? That’s cool; just play a game of ' Rebels vs. Wampas'. The possibilities were endless! Following the release of the second Battlefront game, there was a PSP exclusive Battlefront game entitled Renegade Squadron, which was released in late 2007. The game was praised for its online play and customizability, although criticized for its “bland” and “boring” single player. The most recent Star Wars Battlefront game to date is Star Wars Elite Squadron. This entry was solely playable on the Nintendo DS and PSP, and unfortunately did little to add to the spectacular franchise. Rather than having large open battlefields, the game had tight; smaller areas all connected which was disliked by fans of the series.
The next game in the series entitled, just like the first game, Star Wars Battlefront, is set to be released in 2015. With not much publicity as of yet, with there only being a short thirty second cinematic trailer released at E3 2013, and then a dev diary shown at E3 2014, it’s looking like we’ll be getting some more information very soon… Hopefully.
The next game in the series entitled, just like the first game, Star Wars Battlefront, is set to be released in 2015. With not much publicity as of yet, with there only being a short thirty second cinematic trailer released at E3 2013, and then a dev diary shown at E3 2014, it’s looking like we’ll be getting some more information very soon… Hopefully.
May the Force be with you ... Always.
So that’s it folks, a brief history of Star Wars: Battlefront.
What was your favourite game of the series? Got a favourite Star Wars game in general?
Let us know in the comments below and/or come find us on Facebook and Twitter!
What was your favourite game of the series? Got a favourite Star Wars game in general?
Let us know in the comments below and/or come find us on Facebook and Twitter!
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