Star Wars Battlefront II’s multiplayer went into a semi-open beta today for players who preordered. I’ve spent most of the day blasting away. A few small changes from the previous game makes it much more focused and exciting to play.
2015’s Star Wars Battlefront felt fragmented at launch, thin on content and lacking the grand scope found in 2005’s Battlefront II. The 2005 game had numerous classes to pick, a ton of vehicles, and great maps to play on. Battlefront II (not to be confused with Battlefront II) brings back classes and revamps how bonuses work. These changes aren’t revolutionary, but they make the multiplayer a ton of fun. Whether you’re defending a space tank in the objective heavy, ground battles of Galactic Assault mode or blowing up ships in Starfighter Assault, everything feels a lot more streamlined.
Returning to classes helps everyone find a role on the battlefield. Players can choose from four classes: assault, heavy, officer, and specialist. Assault and heavy classes are standard infantry units that can swarm objectives with heavy firepower. The officer buffs nearby allies to give them more health and boost their damage. Meanwhile, specialists can mark enemies with thermal binoculars and use sniper rifles. The classes creates a team dynamic that 2015’s Battlefront was sorely lacking.