Star Wars Battlefront 2 will connect Return of the Jedi to The Force Awakens.
Here’s why the game’s story is significant.
Not only was the game stripped of its trademark splitscreen multiplayer, but it also lacked a story.
One of these sins is more easily forgiven than the other.
For all intents and purposes,Battlefrontadded nothing to the franchises larger narrative.
In fact, the aforementioned games could easily place in a list of the bestStar Warsstories ever told.
To my mind,Knights of the Old Republicmight actually be the greatestStar Warsadventure of all time.
(Of course, its hard to really compareKotORand the originalStar Warsfilm, for example.
One will never have the others element of interactivity at its core.)
What were the Jedi who lived thousands of years before Luke Skywalker like?
What were their struggles?
One could make the case that, likeTFA,Battlefrontdidnt really need to be anything substantially new.
After all, itsBattlefront, a series beloved by mostStar Warsfans who were gaming in the early 00s.
For years, people had been asking for a third game.
In 2015, EA gave fans just that.
EA launchedBattlefrontin November, only weeks away from the return ofStar Warsto the big screen.
(In fact, the Battle of Jakku DLC launched on the same day as the films release.)
The one thing that we got criticized for was the lack of a single-player campaign.
I think the team created a really good game based on the premise that we had.
So from that perspective, its a success.
Are we happy with the 75 rating?
Is that something were going to cure going forward?
DICE enlisted some help for the second installment.
Two of EAs other studios, Criterion and Motive, are developing specific aspects of the game.
As far as the single-player campaign goes, Motives in charge of delivering a satisfying narrative worthy ofStar Wars.
Motive Game Director Mark Thompson said inan interview with Mashable.
Thats an interesting idea a hero of the Empire.
There are things to actually like about Sloane, which makes her sort of a gray character.
Someone bad, who we might find ourselves rooting for.
But even more important than the angle is when this campaign will take place.
It picks up right after Endor,Thompson confirmed.
We were already pulling on a lot of interesting connective tissue [from Lucasfilms perspective], Thompson said.
So we created this space where Inferno Squad and a hero like Iden could exist.
His only appearance in between the two movies to date is in one issue ofShattered Empire.
That is ultimately what makesBattlefront IIs story so exciting.
You have many, many, many parts that, in my opinion, make up aStar Warsstory.
But for me what really ties it all together is this heros journey.
Even as a lowly trooper, you could evolve your character.
you’ve got the option to get better.
you might become the best trooper in the universe.
Better to what end?
John Saavedra is an associate editor at Den of Geek US.
Find more of his work onhis website.
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