FIRST PLAY STAR WARS BATTLEFRONT 2

Despite offering more dogfights and drama than you can shake a lightsaber at, decent Star Wars spin-off games have been few and far between. 2015’s Battlefront was meant to change that but the novelty of running around Hoth soon wore thin, especially with no proper single-player mode to fall back on.

Our demo of its sequel’s Disneyapproved campaign began aboard a Star Destroyer, with a surprise assault by the Rebels forcing Imperial squad commander Iden Versio into the pilot’s seat of a TIE fighter. Tasked with shooting down the attackers, the new dual analogue ship controls make flying feel far more natural than the solo-stick manoeuvring of the last game, although that didn’t stop us crashing into the hangar of a Rebel ship, before jumping out and taking on waves of soldiers. While fun, this felt more like a shooting gallery than any kind of decent story.

In comparison, our time with the multiplayer left us desperate for more. As a supporting army of droids dodged laser fire, we charged around Theed, the capital city of Naboo, placing sentry turrets and lobbing grenades. Blasters feel more forceful to fire, while hero characters –including Darth Maul – are more devastating than before.

In Galactic Assault, objectives change as you advance, from protecting a tank to storming the city’s palace. It’s an exhilarating experience and one that captures the scope of a cinematic Star Wars battle. If the campaign can match it for drama perhaps we’ll learn to love spending time with Iden, even if she is part of the Empire.