E3 2017 is just around the corner, and Star Wars Battlefront II is going to be in the spotlight!
E3 is just under 2 weeks away, and there is no doubt that there will be some amazing looks into the upcoming Star Wars game; Battlefront II. This is the follow-up to 2015’s Star Wars Battlefront, which was a relaunch of the Star Wars Battlefront series.
Fresh off the latest in-depth look into this game at Celebration Orlando in April, Battlefront II will be one of the heavy hitters at the convention. While the game doesn’t hit consoles till November, there is still a bit more to be released to keep the buzz going. During the wait, I’ve put together a compilation of what they’ve released so far.
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The Battlefront II Story
Looking to address one of the most vocal complaints about Star Wars Battlefront, is the addition of an actual story to Battlefront II. The original series from back in the day didn’t have too much in the way of a central story line either. The lack of a single player campaign for the reboot was a thorn in the side for many fans. I’m not much of an online gamer, so for me, it felt like a missed opportunity. Taking the feedback in stride, EA Dice is looking to make it up to fans in a big way. They are promising an expansive story, one that stretches from Return of the Jedi to The Force Awakens.
Centering on the protagonist (or antagonist, depending on the point of view) of Iden Versio, players will take command of her and the Imperial special forces unit – Inferno Squad.
Picking up at the climax of Return of the Jedi, Inferno Squad is faced with a questionable future as the second Death Star explodes over Endor. Potentially following the final orders of the Emperor, Operation Cinder, the campaign will land players on different worlds in the galaxy far, far away.
Operation Cinder was a final contingency directed by the Emperor as a way to tie up loose ends and destroy some of his most important secrets. Some of this has been touched on in other media like the comic series Shattered Empire and Chuck Wendig’s trilogy of Aftermath novels. In this story, it looks like their visiting some familiar worlds; Tatooine, Endor, Yavin-4, Kamino, Hoth and Starkiller Base. I can’t wait to see how they play out in the game and how they integrate in to the larger story. Also being visited is a new world, Iden’s own Imperial homeworld of Vardos.
Classy
Some of the ways that Battlefront II will be distinguishing itself from the original is in the form of a class system. The player will be able to choose their class to better fit their preferred style of game play. Whether the preference is for soldier or sniper, there is a more defined role over just enhancements that were available in the first game.
The game is also introducing some new play mechanics. Some footage that has been shown has teased things like stealth takedowns and espionage.
Previously only available as a VR DLC mission, space battles are back and look incredible! Another cause of criticism in 2015 was the complete absence of wars in the stars; if you catch my meaning. More vehicles will be available on land and air too, including the ability to ride a Tauntaun.
Heroes, new and old, will be back in multiplayer and from across all the different eras of the saga. Favorites such as Darth Maul, Yoda, and the classic Battle Droids can go against newcomers Rey and Kylo Ren. EA has also hinted at the inclusion of Heroes into the single player campaign, but details are scarce at this time.
Hard Copy
The novel Twilight Company by Alexander Freed was released in conjunction with Battlefront in 2015 as a tie in novel. A great book, it had only minor connections to the game. This will be vastly different to the Battlefront II novel; Inferno Squad. The novel will tackle the origin story of their formation in the wake of the destruction of the first Death Star. Their first mission is to hunt down Saw Gerrera’s Partisans; a great tie in to Rogue One too! It’s written by Star Wars veteran author Christie Golden, and is out ahead of the game on July 25th.
For those looking to pre-order the game, their are two different editions. A Standard Edition, which is just the game on it’s own, and a Deluxe Edition. The Deluxe includes 3-day early access to the game and additional ability modifiers for characters and vehicles. The Last Jedi skins for Rey and Kylo Ren are an added bonus, worth the pre-order alone.
And while at Gamestop picking up the game, don’t forget to grab the Gamestop Exclusive Black Series Inferno Squadron figure!
Honestly, this game looks stunning. The addition of content from all eras and a dedicated story mode guarantee that I’m pre-ordering this game.
Since it comes out on November 17th, I can’t think of a better way to spend the month leading up to The Last Jedi.
Mike Harris hails from the suburbs of Chicago and has been a fan for most of his life. Working as an industrial radiographer and raising a family with his wife take up most of his time, but there’s always room for Star Wars books and podcasts! Just looking to give back to Star Wars and the fan community, it’s been a source of fun and learning for him for so long.