Even though we left early in the morning for EA PLAY, a pre-event before E3 2017 performed by EA, the queue was already so long that we had to stand at the back of it and wait for almost 2 hours. We then managed to see Andrew Wilson, the CEO of EA. The venue was already packed with audience members, and EA’s sports games as well as their new BioWare release were introduced. Despite how much time had passed however, the excitement was still as high, as everybody knew that the main protagonist of this event was Star Wars: Battlefront 2.

I still remember the excitement I felt when I first watched the trailer for Star Wars: Battlefront in 2015. Ever since the first time I watched Star Wars, which my confused aunt in the US sent me while thinking it was Starcraft, I just couldn’t get enough of that massive and beautiful universe. I purchased Battlefront without hesitation, and still play it now and then. I even bought a subscription to a VPN program so that I could use matchmaking while living in South Korea.

I have to admit that the game is not perfect, but it surely is a phenomenal game nonetheless. Utilizing the frostbite engine to its maximum limit, the game’s graphics and animation truly captured the atmosphere of Star Wars, especially with Hoth and Tatooine. I lined up with a fellow reporter to experience the game right after the media briefing. Although we had to wait for another 2 hours, it was still worth it. After the long waiting time, the game finally began.

Unrevealed, yet solid progression
The Strengths remain and the weaknesses are no more

The first notable part is the class system. The previous game had no such concept as classes, making players play either as a stormtrooper or rebel trooper. The weaponry (called Blasters in the game) or the star cards (a type of additional equipment) were therefore the only system that could alter playstyle, but it was not that influential as almost everyone used the same weapon and cards.

However, Battlefront 2 introduces four classes with star cards available for each class, allowing more strategical play. The composition is simple and yet intuitive - Assault Trooper: a basic attack class found in any FPS game, Heavy Trooper: a tank-like class with high durability and a personal body shield with solid firepower, Officer: a support class that applies powerful buffs to surrounding troopers and installs turrets, and Specialist: a stealthy class that employs traps and snipes enemies. Thanks to the distinct classes, varying playstyles for every player are now available.

Power-ups and ride cards are no longer on the battlefield. In the previous game, hero cards, along with ground and air rides, were randomly generated. Players who wanted a specific role would sprint towards these cards right at the beginning of the game. Newbies then faced the dilemma of whether they should take the cards or not. Because the abilities of the heroes were so great, an experienced player could turn the tide even in a losing battle. Newbies would rarely take the cards even if they wanted to, as they thought it too great a responsibility for an inexperienced player.

The field card system has changed to the battle points system in Battlefront 2. Players receive some amount of battle points depending on how well they performed during one life, and they can use the points to select the role they would like to play in the next respawn. A fighter is available with 500 points, a heavy armor droid with 2000 points, and Darth Maul or Boba Fett with 5000 points.

This change was a necessary improvement from the previous game. New players can now use the points to become a hero or use rides, and the amount of points received during the game is reasonably good, so players usually have at least one chance to use a hero. Moreover, the specs of heroes has been nerfed, preventing situations where Luke Skywalker kills you three times in a row. Even Darth Maul cannot withstand focused damage for more than 5 seconds. This blocks the possibility of experienced players dominating the game with heroes.

On the other hand, the strengths of the previous game have not changed much. The graphics and animations are still impeccable. There haven’t been any major advancements from the previous title with these elements, but since the graphics were already outstanding in Battlefront, I see no reason to be disappointed. The sound of the blaster, the sensation of firing weapons, and the murmuring background music are all the same in Battlefront 2 as well. I felt that EA DICE has done a really good job by finally completing the game.

The Battlefield is full of new stories
Battles with more profundity than before

And that’s not all of it. The previous game may have had flashy appearances, but was actually quite simple in terms of how it was designed. The imperial army must protect the AT-AT, and the rebel troopers are to use the Y-Wing and destroy the AT-AT.

However, the game design has changed completely with Battlefront 2. The battlefield I was able to play in at EA Play was the battle of Naboo, the planet where Padme Amidala appeared and where little Anakin flew the skies in Star Wars: Episode 1. The battle was between the clone troopers of the republic protecting Naboo and the droids of the trade federation (the sulky-eyed, horse-headed ones).

The trade federation needs to escort the MTT to the Theed Royal Palace, and the republic is to stop the march of the MTT. You will see AT-RTs running around, fighters flying above, and Darth Maul as well. This does not seem so different from the previous game, but the second part of the battle begins when the MTT approaches the palace. The battlefield completely changes to the inside of the palace, and the type of engagement is now based on infantry rather than heavy firepower. The fighters are obviously not available, and neither is the tank.

The importance of specialists is drastically decreased as you cannot use sniping anymore, and the game is filled with heavy troopers that possess high HP and firepower. Melee heroes who couldn’t even take a few steps because of the focused fire turn into the embodiment death itself from this moment on. The moment when you see Darth Maul swinging his lightsaber like a windmill and flying towards you, it can certainly make your heartbeat quicken.

And that’s the whole game of Battlefront 2. The battles have become much more diverse compared to the previous one. The background of the battlefield that talks about the Naboo incident was also good. Whereas the previous game was mostly based on the battlefields of three old episodes - although I have to admit that they were the golden age of the Star Wars series - they are almost a story of legend to those in their 20s, who are the main consumers of the game in recent years. The new episodes and recently released products would be more familiar to them. Even I am more familiar with Naboo than Hoth. I have to say that the appearance of Jar Jar Binks in my first Star Wars was disappointing though.

All you need to do is wait…
A younger brother who is better than the older one

We have a proverb in South Korea that goes ‘there is no better younger brother than an older one’. This is doubtful in the current era where technology is being developed almost every day, but it still seems applicable to the gaming industry where often the next product cannot surpass the previous one. This was the case with EA. A recent example would be Mass Effect: Andromeda.

However, I would like to add one opinion that EA’s attempt at differentiating the game from the Battlefield series does not seem successful. The features of Battlefront 2 such as classes and the changing battlefields do resemble the Battlefield series. However, this in turn added more spice to the game. When I experienced Battlefront at Gamescom 2015 in Cologne, Germany two years ago, I wrote the title of the review as “It is not Battlefield with a Star Wars skin”. I may not be able to say that anymore, but one thing is clear. Battlefront 2 is more approachable than the previous one, and is a great teamplay game.

I honestly did not have much expectations. Many follow-ups of good games could not escape the original’s shadow. However, Battlefront 2 has shown better moments compared to the original. Of course, we need a few moments where new surpasses the old.