Needless to say, the last couple of days have been pretty big for Star Wars fans. Not only did we get the first look at Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (nostalgia overload) in a slightly teaser trailer format, but on Friday we also got our first real look at the eagerly anticipated Star Wars shooter sequel, the aptly named Star Wars: Battlefront (funny that).
With all our nerdy juices flowing we've managed to put together all the information we know on the fantastical sci-fi shooter so far...
Release Date - 17/11/15
Considering we've heard pretty much nothing about the game since its initial, jaw dropping reveal at last year's E3 convention, this is perhaps the most amazing news of all - Star Wars Battlefront is set to release this year on the 17th November in the US, the 20th in the UK, and the 19th in Europe. After the tiny trickle of that teaser trailer and a singular developer diary, some of us had relegated this game into a 2016 slot, but it seems releasing alongside the new film made just too much financial sense for it to miss this year.
The Reveal Trailer teases us with possibilities
So, here's the biggie. The main event. The reveal trailer. If you have even the slightest interest in anything even slightly Star Wars-y, then we dare you to watch this and not get a shiver down your spine. With settings, characters, weapons, vehicles, and everything else your teenage self would put in their dream Star Wars game, it's safe to say the game looks amazing - although as of yet, there's no actual game play footage.. Still, let's break it down shall we?
Play as Darth Vader & Friends!
Yes, you can play as Vader in this game, which in itself should be worth the purchase right there. Imagine running through the battlefield force choking your enemies. Utter bliss. That's not all though, as you'll be able to play as other iconic Star Wars characters like Boba Fett. Now all we need is the announcement that R2-D2 is playable and we'll have our Game Of The Year. That said, we can only imagine there's going to have to be some restrictions on these characters - or else every game's going to turn into one big Fett vs. Vader brawl.
Vehicles, vehicles, vehicles...
Fighting on the ground? Pfft, that's old news. The 'new cool' is being able to jump into any number of Star Wars vehicles/ships you like and gunning down any Empire pawns or rebel scum. This was of course expected given DICE's involvement, but it's good to see dogfights confirmed here. And that x-wing cockpit view? What we wouldn't give for a new X-Wing game...
Still, if anything, the possibilities in a game like Battlefront are even greater. If the past Battlefield games have taught us anything, it's that we'll be able to fly an x-wing over the battlefield, jump out and land on an AT-ST, hijack it and then blast the tie fighter that was chasing you out of the sky. Well we hope at least.
First and Third Person Gameplay
Yes, it looks like Battlefront will feature both first and third person perspectives - something sure to please those who aren't a fan of first person shooters, whilst giving us a handy extra bit of choice. When you take into account all the vehicles in a game, it's a decision that makes even more sense - it's much easier to fly a speeder when you can see everything around you (or is that just us?).
New Toys!
Bubble shields and jet packs?! Regardless of how much you know your Star Wars lore, everyone knows that jet packs are kind of a thing (see the badass Boba Fett for example), but man-sized portable shield generators? We'd call out the obvious Halo rip-off but on further examination the device looks like it might be a militarized take on the Personal Energy Shield device used in the now non canon extended Star Wars universe (or a smaller version of the things Boss Nass' buddies used in Episode 1). Still, this means we'll be seeing all sorts of tech that hasn't necessarily been featured in the movies.
Locations
So the Ice Planet Hoth (from the Empire Strikes Back), and the Forest Moon of Endor (from Return of the Jedi) were always going to be safe bets to be included as playable locations, but little has been specified about any of the other maps. While we love to speculate, the trailer actually shows us snippets of a few more locations, such as the Tatooine-alike pre-order bonus planet Jakku, and this random lava planet, below. Regardless of where it fits into the canon, it's always nice to see a variety of settings.
Crashing onto a lava filled Battlefield? Yes please...
Oh, and this guy...
Many of you know him as the laughing alien (you know the one on the Millennium Falcon in Return of the Jedi) - yet he (or perhaps more specifically, his race), are one of the new, playable races in Battlefront. He's a Sullustan for those of you not in the know like us cool kids (nerds) - and his diminutive height gives him the potential to be one of the most annoying characters in the game.
Having a playable non-human race also ramps up opportunities for other non-human races. A game mode pitting Wookies against Ewoks would be a firm favourite. Fingers crossed we'll be running around as our very own Admiral Ackbar-ian creation, screaming "IT'S A TRAP" at anyone in sight.
Pre-order Bonus - The Battle of Jakku
While pre-ordering a game this far in advance isn't something we'd usually encourage (considering the barely working state many games have released in at launch as of late), we can't help but be excited about the newly announced 'Battle of Jakku' bonus - a location (which we first thought was Tatooine) that ties directly into the new Star Wars: The Force Awakened film (as you'll see from the trailer).
"Pre-order Star Wars™ Battlefront™ and on December 1st, 2015, be among the first players to experience the Battle of Jakku, the pivotal moment when the New Republic confronted key Imperial holdouts on a remote desert planet in the Outer Rim.
Taking place in the aftermath of the Rebel victory in the Battle of Endor, players will experience the events that created the massive, battle-scarred landscape of Jakku shown in Star Wars™: The Force Awakens™. Players who pre-order Star Wars Battlefront can fight the battle one week early. All other players will get access to this content on December 8th, 2015."
Keep in mind pre-ordering only means you get the downloadable level a week early, so it's not that big a deal as it's a free download. However, brand new official Star Wars levels are definitely something to be excited about. You can see the aftermath of the Battle of Jakku they speak of in The Force Awakens trailer below.
So that's all the info we have on Star Wars: Battlefront at the moment. We're excited to see just what other little nuggets of awesome DICE will drop over the coming months, and we're sure that it will have a huge presence at E3.
Until then, what features, locations, weapons, characters, etc. would you like to see in Star Wars: Battlefront. Be sure to let us know in the comments below.
