The Empire Wants You…

(Image credit: EA)

“Rogue One to Vanguard Squadron, come in Vanguard Squadron…” – probable Wedge Antilles quote but this is how I felt about the story for Star Wars: Squadrons, was it even there? The good news is that none of the story matters because the action and gameplay are on point and almost make Squadrons what I dreamed of for a Star Wars VR flight simulator since X-wing Vs. Tie Fighter. When the game trailer came out earlier this year, I was cautiously optimistic that this game would hit all the marks. It missed some of my expectations for the graphics and the story, but the gameplay was worth playing for those who waited. The story was not as compelling as the one I was hoping for from the Star Wars universe, more in line with The Last Jedi. However, at a $40 price point Star Wars: Squadrons is well worth it.

On launch day there were some issues that made the game almost unplayable. I was worried that my dreams were going to be crushed. I put down my VR headset in anger and did not pick it up until three days later. I was glad that I waited to try the game again, because most of the graphics issues I experienced were resolved with an update. My cockpit now turned to keep my head the right way as I moved with my Xbox One controller and my ship did not come to a dead stop in space, the two issues that were frustrating the most to me.

The update did not add touch controls, you still must use keyboard and mouse or certain controllers. Right now, the game accepts an Xbox One controller and HOTAS controllers. If you use a HOTAS controller you may have to remap the buttons to your liking. If touch controls were enabled, I would love to be able to “push” all the cockpit buttons and “flip” all the switches. I found that playing with the Xbox One controller allowed me to get into the action quickly with a basic flight controller layout that I could use while being blinded by my headset. The only unresolved gameplay issue is that viewing Squadrons in the spectator window was problematic since the UI moves wildly with head movement but not in the VR view. If you are sharing your experience with others you cannot move during any movie clips.

Unfortunately, those beautiful clips were shown on a video display within VR. It is hard to get into a VR storyline that is shown this way, and it breaks the feeling of being in the action. After those clips play you get dumped into the Hangar for the side you play next to continue the narrative. That story is by far the weakest point of Squadrons, its uncompelling nature gets in the way of the awesome gameplay that I have always wanted. It has moments like broadsiding a Star Destroyer and surviving more than one dog fight against an overwhelming force.

(Image credit: EA)

It is a shame that in between the intense action you are taken back to that Hangar where there is nothing urgent going on, even when your fleet ship is under attack. Some of your crewmates can be interacted with in the Hangar, but those conversations rarely revolve around the direct story. Most of those characters seem like the same model with different skins and their body movements frequently do not match the dialogue.

Adding to the wobbliness of the story was the fact that it bounces from New Republic to Imperial at random intervals. I could not get wrapped up into the story when I play both sides directly in a battle of attrition for a bigger killing machine, which is a familiar sounding storyline? Maybe like A New Hope, Return of The Jedi, and The Force Awakens. Worse yet, as the Imperial Titan Squadron, you attack civilians and must decimate their supplies to get all the level medals. It is not often that I get to break the Geneva Conventions in a video game.

The story is not the only issue with Squadrons, the overall graphics were problematic as well. For my frame rate to be consistent I had to turn the graphics way down. Motion sickness does not describe what happens when your framerate drops to a noticeable level in VR. Once you get a stable framerate this is a gorgeous game, and EA is working on fixing frame rate reliability through updates. The cockpit design is great and embeds all player UI elements into logical places on the layout. Each level has its own unique beauty, some had meteor storms, star destroyers, and even a partially exploded moon. I loved using the tight cover provided by pieces of the exploded planet to outmaneuver helpless Empire forces. Bursting out from cover to take down entire enemy squadrons in time to hide from the next wave never got old.

(Image credit: EA)

The combat graphics are great, dynamic lighting and shadows within the cockpit bring it to life as laser cannons blast across your hull if your frame rate remains stable. Particle and visual effects add to the realism especially when your ship is about to blow up. You do not need to see your ship’s life meter when you can see smoke from your engines, flashing lights on your dash, and cracks all over the glass between you and the void of space. The dynamic 3D audio also adds to the realism by giving you another clue through loud explosions and laser cannon reports.

In the storyline you are often directed to the action by following another ship or by getting to a specific marker, in multiplayer the 3D sound can make a difference between crushing your foes and bitter defeat. In Star Wars Squadrons there are two multiplayer modes that I highly recommend playing: Dogfight and Fleet Battles. Dogfight is a team death match mode where Fleet Battles challenges teams to destroy the enemy’s Capitol Ship. You must level up online before Fleet Battles are available. Both game modes have teams of up to 5 players and 6 different levels to compete on. Some levels have asteroid fields to hide in while others have giant space stations to provide cover. Players will not fly in typical patterns or formations like in the story levels, so battling among 10 pilots can turn into a ballet in zero gravity quickly. If you want to get into some quick X-wing versus Tie Fighter action, then multiplayer is for you.

Despite some first day hiccups, a dry story, and graphics that can cause an inconsistent frame rate, Star Wars: Squadrons hits the mark with this longtime fan. The story offers some excellent combat moments but lacks compelling dialogue and has disjointed video sections. When I play through the story again, I will definitely skip talking to side characters and go right to the briefings. Once you get into the game and start fighting you will understand how the gameplay can make up for everything else, because it does. Now I just need to get my squad together online so that I can defend the Empire or destroy it.

Star Wars: Squadrons

• Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One

• Developer: Motive Studios

• Publisher: Electronic Arts

• Release Date: Oct 1, 2020