Star Wars: Squadrons Review

Star Wars: Squadrons is EA’s latest release since acquiring the Star Wars license from Disney. The publisher has had a few hits and plenty of misses over the last few years. But this new game aims to continue the positive momentum following the release of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order.

For the most part, it is successful in that goal. That’s even though this is a budget title rather than the traditional AAA release that players will expect from EA. Fortunately, that doesn’t really affect just how well Star Wars: Squadrons plays or how it looks.

Story

Star Wars: Squadrons will appeal to a lot of fans of the series just because of the setting. The game takes place not long after the events of Return of the Jedi. The Emperor is dead and Imperial forces are on the run. Meanwhile, the burgeoning New Republic is attempting to seize control and establish itself as the galaxy’s government. It’s an interesting setting and explores a time that is largely untouched in the world of Star Wars. And by associating with the original trilogy, it is attractive to new and old fans alike.

Another unique aspect of Star Wars: Squadrons is that the story doesn’t simply focus on one protagonist. Instead, the narrative switches between what players might traditionally see as the good guys and the villains. Throughout the story, players will take control of both a pilot from the New Republic and Imperial navies. What this does is give players a different perspective on events. It effectively shows how the Empire is not just filled with baddies who hate democracy.

Overall, the story should take around eight hours or so to complete. That’s pretty short compared to many other titles but it is still filled with quality. As a budget title, Star Wars: Squadrons doesn’t feature fancy cutscenes and interactive dialogue. However, the story adds plenty of motivation to keep going and gives some context to the gameplay. Perhaps the best thing about the campaign, though, is the cast of compelling characters it introduces.