Star Wars: Squadrons

 PlayStation 4
User Score
5.6

Mixed or average reviews- based on 393 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 161 out of 393
  2. Mixed: 87 out of 393
  3. Negative: 145 out of 393
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  1. Clauz3530
    Oct 3, 2020
    10
    If you dont love this game You are not a true star wars fan, you are just some fake that likes to pretend but doesnt really know **** about the lore. This game in VR is AMAZING!!!!!!
  2. FreedomFighters
    Oct 15, 2020
    7
    While I’m not much of a fan of the “Star Wars” series, I find that I can’t really escape it. Maybe it’s because I have so many friends that enjoy the series, or maybe it’s because I see so many people talk about it on social media, but I feel like it’s hard to fully ignore it. And lately, it feels like most of what I hear about “Star Wars” is how much the films have been ruined, and howWhile I’m not much of a fan of the “Star Wars” series, I find that I can’t really escape it. Maybe it’s because I have so many friends that enjoy the series, or maybe it’s because I see so many people talk about it on social media, but I feel like it’s hard to fully ignore it. And lately, it feels like most of what I hear about “Star Wars” is how much the films have been ruined, and how the recent entries have been so much worse than the originals. I wouldn’t know, since I don’t watch them, but I’ve gotta say that I’ve been enjoying the recent wave of video games in the “Star Wars” series. Last year’s “Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order” has obviously been the biggest highlight, but a little over a month ago, I also enjoyed my time with “Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series.” “Star Wars: Squadrons,” however, snuck up on me: perhaps it’s because the game was announced in June and released just four months later, but I wasn’t exactly expecting this game for a while. After playing it, though, I was definitely happy with my experience.
    “Star Wars: Squadrons” is quite an immersive game, and the approach it takes to space combat feels excellent. Even though it might take a bit of getting used to, the ship controls are fantastic, and they hit that perfect borderline between being accessible and challenging. I also love the depth and scope of view from within the ship, as while it’s a seemingly minor thing, it made me feel closer to the action than I expected at first. I also think the visual design for the game is pretty great, capturing the aesthetics of “Star Wars” wonderfully to craft lovely space environments that are exciting to explore. The game also features VR support on several versions, and it’s definitely a nice touch: it’s thrilling without feeling too dizzying, and it makes the game feel even more immersive than it already is. It’s perfectly fine without the VR, but it’s certainly a great addition.
    There are definitely a few flaws with the game that hold it back from being as good as it could’ve been. For starters, I wouldn’t say the story is all that captivating. It’s your typical “Star Wars” stuff, and I don’t think it’ll do anything that will actively anger “Star Wars” fans, but it doesn’t do anything to stand out, either. On top of that, the game is pretty short, and while that’s not the worst thing ever given that it costs $40, don’t expect it to be much more than a side game that you can play between other, longer titles. Also, I was a bit disappointed that there wasn’t a lot of content here: beyond the aforementioned short story mode, there’s not a whole lot of modes to enjoy in the multiplayer, and there’s not a huge variation in that component of the game, either. This might be even worse for some, given that the game’s developers recently announced that the game would not be received any post-launch content. While I appreciate that they’re not taking the money-grubbing approach that you might expect given that they’re owned by EA, this is the kind of game that feels like it’s begging for more content, and the fact that it’s not getting that is disappointing.
    Overall, “Star Wars: Squadrons” is an enjoyable, immersive space combat adventure. Yes, it’s flawed, and it probably won’t stand as tall as some of the best games to grace the “Star Wars” name, but it’s definitely a solid adventure that even non-fans of “Star Wars” can find some enjoyment in. And hey, as someone that doesn’t particularly care for the series, if the games can continue to be consistently solid as they have been, that’s all I could really ask for.
    Final rating: 7 out of 10 “Good”    … Expand
  3. martinhl
    Nov 9, 2020
    10
    A childhood dream come true! Absolutely brilliant. Drifting alone makes it a 10.
  4. callito
    Nov 2, 2020
    9
    This is a really good game - and when played in VR, it's basically a dream come true for any Star Wars fan! Don't believe the haters who vote this down for political reasons or whatever. I try not to even read the things they write but from what I get, they complain there are characters there of unclear gender or whatever. But even if you're sensitive about this topic for whatever reason,This is a really good game - and when played in VR, it's basically a dream come true for any Star Wars fan! Don't believe the haters who vote this down for political reasons or whatever. I try not to even read the things they write but from what I get, they complain there are characters there of unclear gender or whatever. But even if you're sensitive about this topic for whatever reason, I played through the story and I don't even know what they are talking about. Nothing is shoved in your face or anything, and tbh, who can know all the genders of all characters in the Star Wars cantina? So these complaints and petitions to "remove these characters from the game" are just completely made up and/or based on lies. So even IF you are from the dark side and would like to annihilate any kind of diversity in species, don't be afraid, even YOU can enjoy this super awesome Star Wars game ;D… Expand
  5. Shenandoah
    Oct 18, 2020
    7
    This game could habe been a great game for VR, but it isn‘t. The cutscenes are pre-rendered videos with many compression artifacts, thats just a shame. Also in VR the cutscenes are not stereoscopic ... why not? It would be very easy to do that. The game itself feels really bad in VR, the resolution is one of the badest I’ve ever seen on PSVR, just the cockpit looks good. It could have beenThis game could habe been a great game for VR, but it isn‘t. The cutscenes are pre-rendered videos with many compression artifacts, thats just a shame. Also in VR the cutscenes are not stereoscopic ... why not? It would be very easy to do that. The game itself feels really bad in VR, the resolution is one of the badest I’ve ever seen on PSVR, just the cockpit looks good. It could have been such a good game ... I‘m pretty sad about that.

    Edit: +1 for removing compression artifacts

    Edit: +1 for adding story experience in VR and more content    … Expand
  6. JSweaty009
    Oct 5, 2020
    9
    So I made a decision to preorder this game since I have a PSVR and needed to experience something like flying iconic Star War ships in VR. I couldn't of been anymore happier once midnight came around and I can finally play it. The moment you sit in the cockpit of the famous X-Wing and able to look around freely it is something that any Star Wars fan needs to experience. I completed theSo I made a decision to preorder this game since I have a PSVR and needed to experience something like flying iconic Star War ships in VR. I couldn't of been anymore happier once midnight came around and I can finally play it. The moment you sit in the cockpit of the famous X-Wing and able to look around freely it is something that any Star Wars fan needs to experience. I completed the campaign and even though it was nothing groundbreaking it was still a fun story that I plan to return to so I can get the trophies for it. Fleet battles is where its at, whether you're playing against AI or players, the constant tug of war is intense. the amount of customization will make any fans smile. Highly recommend this game with or without VR, especially with a $40 price tag.… Expand
  7. Pj7
    Oct 5, 2020
    10
    A great tactical team game in space. Really like how the ships and power systems were designed, as you’re flying you must decide which sub system needs priority (engines, weapons, shields), also if the ship has a shield you can focus them (front, back, or balanced). There are differences between imperial and rebel ships but it seems balanced so far, no one side seems to dominate/loseA great tactical team game in space. Really like how the ships and power systems were designed, as you’re flying you must decide which sub system needs priority (engines, weapons, shields), also if the ship has a shield you can focus them (front, back, or balanced). There are differences between imperial and rebel ships but it seems balanced so far, no one side seems to dominate/lose matches consistently from what I’ve seen.

    I was a big Eve Valkyrie fan and this feels like a spiritual successor. They took the good parts of that game (fleet battles, VR, etc.) and built in even more awesome features using the Star Wars universe.    … Expand
  8. rvcalrissian
    Oct 5, 2020
    9
    Its like the old xwing VS tie figther saga.... I love it ¡¡¡

    to the people who talk trash only attending if they can feel identified with the main characters...and editing a critic readed right here... """Where is fat and ugly peoples ?? Again playing with a hot guy??? The biggest quantity of people’s who buys your game is ugly and without life, So think about it fatties peoples    Its like the old xwing VS tie figther saga.... I love it ¡¡¡

    to the people who talk trash only attending if they can feel identified with the main characters...and editing a critic readed right here...

    """Where is fat and ugly peoples ??
    Again playing with a hot guy???
    The biggest quantity of people’s who buys your game is ugly and without life, So think about it
    fatties peoples pay you money"""

    obviusly, im being sarcastic here...but really, you can identify yourself with a hotass with conan body jedi twilek, but no with other gender/colour people??? oh,the irony...    … Expand
  9. Infinite1111
    Oct 4, 2020
    8
    Very pleasant gameplay without stress could be more content but anyway for evenings perfect.
  10. sketchdrayton
    Oct 5, 2020
    9
    Fantastic squad based experience. Controls on HOTAS and in PSVR are smooth. ship handling is phenomenal, intuitive and a complexity to master that in fun.
    Matchmaking seems to be largely fixed. and the story they tell in the timeline is perfect.
  11. Dionysoz
    Oct 5, 2020
    9
    First good Star Wars Game for very long Time, with VR. Everthing i was dreaming about
  12. Tohtori_Jamba
    Oct 17, 2020
    10
    ...I don't usually play flight games and my expectations for this one was already low to begin with due to it being EA game, but I cautiously bought it because I was desperate for good VR game.

    After playing a bit story and then jumping to multiplayer, I was blown away, both literally as my ship exploded and by the fact that it's really good game. This game will keep me occupied for long time.
  13. Itchybug
    Oct 14, 2020
    10
    The game is a lot of fun, especially in VR. If you’re looking for an amazing Starfighter experience, one that cements the past Star Wars Starfighter games, then this is it. It has its issues, but I have had nothing but fun playing it. I feel like I’m a pilot when playing.
  14. Krixmeta
    Oct 5, 2020
    9
    This game is fantastic. It's exactly what I've been waiting for. Last game that was similar was X-wing Alliance, which released about 20 years ago. It's an improve in a lot of ways. I love the customization. I'm hopping that the game continues to grow as I would like to see new ships and game modes.
  15. LowKeyGamer1
    Oct 14, 2020
    9
    If you aren't playing this in VR you are stuck in the stone age of gaming. I can't tell you enough how much fun this is- to sit in an x-wing cockpit and to turn around and see R2D2 fixing your ship while you see a tie fighter shooting from behind you. This is the future of gaming.

    I gave it a 9 because I couldn't help but notice that Kathleen Kennedy's woman empowerment was a HUGE    If you aren't playing this in VR you are stuck in the stone age of gaming. I can't tell you enough how much fun this is- to sit in an x-wing cockpit and to turn around and see R2D2 fixing your ship while you see a tie fighter shooting from behind you. This is the future of gaming.

    I gave it a 9 because I couldn't help but notice that Kathleen Kennedy's woman empowerment was a HUGE distraction to me. identity politics is getting old.    … Expand
  16. Jaumecen
    Oct 13, 2020
    8
    It's a good game, not a masterpiece but you can buy this game at 36$ more or less (search discounts) in it's releasing date.

    Let's see what we have for 36$: -10-12h Of story with some replay value (medals and difficulties) -Multiplayer with tons of replay value; ranks, cool cosmetics, events... -Practice mode, just sit down and enjoy beating up spaceships. (Optional) If you have    It's a good game, not a masterpiece but you can buy this game at 36$ more or less (search discounts) in it's releasing date.

    Let's see what we have for 36$:

    -10-12h Of story with some replay value (medals and difficulties)
    -Multiplayer with tons of replay value; ranks, cool cosmetics, events...
    -Practice mode, just sit down and enjoy beating up spaceships.

    (Optional) If you have VR you'll enjoy the mentioned above x10.

    And now my personal score:

    -Story: 8
    -Characters: 5
    -Gameplay: 10
    -Graphics: 7
    -Multiplayer: 8
    -Content (for it's releasing price): 8.5

    (If you had VR i would add 1 point extra because it's an awesome experience)

    Conclusion:

    I don't now why there are so bad reviews when for the first time in a lot of time we have EA giving us a fully fledged game/experience without ripping our wallets. I could understand Mixed reviews or maybe some negative ones, because of occasional bugs (that i haven't experienced). But this game doesn't deserve 0's, 1's, 2's or 3's (In my opinion those are just hate reviews without being impartial).
    If you love space shooters and star wars buy this game, or if you aren't sure wait a little bit.    … Expand
  17. Katuno52meta
    Oct 11, 2020
    10
    A medio camino entre simulación y arcade, nos encontramos ante un juego exigente en lo jugable del mismo estilo de los x-wing de los años 90 y primeros 2000, en el que debemos fijarnos en el tablero de mandos de la nave para poder jugar correctamente. Su modo Vr es inmersivo y fantástico
  18. Curt65
    Oct 10, 2020
    10
    As a fan of the Lucasarts sims, this was an unexpected gift, an old school space sim/shooter with a lot of controls and beautiful graphics. I'm playing with throttle and stick and VR and it is amazing. The single-player campaign does a good job of introducing each fighter and the different gameplay elements and is fun. The real meat of the game is the multiplayer dogfights and fleetAs a fan of the Lucasarts sims, this was an unexpected gift, an old school space sim/shooter with a lot of controls and beautiful graphics. I'm playing with throttle and stick and VR and it is amazing. The single-player campaign does a good job of introducing each fighter and the different gameplay elements and is fun. The real meat of the game is the multiplayer dogfights and fleet battles. In these you join a small squad and fight together. Voice communication works well and you can customize your loadout for each mission. The majority of the negative reviews seem to be from people who haven't played the game but are upset that the squads are so diverse, don't worry, you can still play as a white guy.… Expand
  19. Botnic
    Oct 8, 2020
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Great game, amazing mechanics. Story is short but it is a multiplayer focused game. Honestly for 40$ they knocked it out of the park.… Expand
  20. nemesisjunkie
    Oct 8, 2020
    10
    Incredible in VR and miles ahead of BF2 star fighter modes. Campaign is entertaining, and dog fighting is easy to get into, but a challenge to get good at.
  21. Traxillion
    Nov 1, 2020
    8
    The gameplay is pretty fun which is the most important part IMO.
    PC port is also very good, props to EA for getting it right this time.
    It could be better story-wise since they made the empire generic bad guys again and the idea to mix in the empire and rebel campaigns into one didn't really pan out but the single-player is still engaging and fun. Almost deducted a point for that    The gameplay is pretty fun which is the most important part IMO.
    PC port is also very good, props to EA for getting it right this time.
    It could be better story-wise since they made the empire generic bad guys again and the idea to mix in the empire and rebel campaigns into one didn't really pan out but the single-player is still engaging and fun.

    Almost deducted a point for that republic ending tho.    … Expand
  22. SpadeCR
    Oct 8, 2020
    10
    Absolutely amazing game. the low review score is just people mad simply because it is published by ea. no logic whatsoever. half the people dont even have the game. 10/10 game for me
  23. CatsPawDigital
    Oct 5, 2020
    7
    When my copy arrived from Amazon I was expecting- no, I tell a lie, I was HOPING for rogue squadron in VR. That would have been amazing. Alas, that's not quite what I received. Now don't get me wrong, ANYTHING that puts me in both an X-wing and TIE Interceptor cockpit in VR is going to be of immense interest to me.

    BUT. Anything that REEKS of identity politics to this extent in    When my copy arrived from Amazon I was expecting- no, I tell a lie, I was HOPING for rogue squadron in VR. That would have been amazing. Alas, that's not quite what I received. Now don't get me wrong, ANYTHING that puts me in both an X-wing and TIE Interceptor cockpit in VR is going to be of immense interest to me.

    BUT.

    Anything that REEKS of identity politics to this extent in addition to the nonsense that is the game's story is a huge turn-off. But before I go off on a tangent -and let me add that I found that while they made me uncomfortable I could pretty much ignore the presence of such politics for the sheer joy of being in a starfighter cockpit with a joystick in my hand- let's get some hard numbers.

    SOUND: Star Wars has always had great audio (sound and music). At least, if you can forget that sound waves don't travel through space so you cannot, for instance, hear an alarm on a star destroyer simply by flying close to it. But since this is an issue with practically every science fiction movie or game ever made I think we can safely ignore it. Sound gets a 2.

    GRAPHICS: It was kind of a shock going from a Vive Cosmos to Playstation VR. This isn't so much a fault of the game as hardware limitation. That said, while it was often difficult to tell what exactly I was shooting at at range, the cockpit interiors looked amazing, especially the the Reaper and U-wing. Though this probably belongs in another category, major props for the display functionality. While you don't have the functionality of, say, the No Man's Sky cockpit controls the instruments are not mere decoration but actually useful. Not to the extent that you could fly and fight by them but far more functional than I would have expected. Since the only graphic issues I had were a product of the limitation of VR hardware, we have a 2 here as well.

    STORY: Here we begin to run into trouble. Identity politics and box-checking aside, the story is ridiculous. Without giving too much away, the story revolves mostly around a New Republic superweapon. And a pretty silly one at that. It would have made much more sense, as one of the in-game characters points out, to simply build another Death Star. And let me talk about the level design for a moment. The mission environments are great- nothing wrong with them. EXCEPT for how the story uses them. So.. WHY, exactly, would a huge ship fly THROUGH a debris field instead of simply going around? For cover, maybe. Makes sense. But why would a fleet that knows that ship's destination follow behind with (metaphorically) "please ambush me" painted in huge letters on each ship's hull? And... it gets sillier from there. When you add the identity politics back into the mix... I'm sorry, I've gotta give this a 0. If you're playing this game for the flying you can sort of shove both the story and the politics to one side of your brain and try to ignore it but unless you're a blind idiot it's *still* going to bother you at least a *little*.

    CONTROLS: I had a few issues here but most of that went away when I downloaded the update and plugged in my joystick. All in all, I didn't really have any issues here. There is somewhat of a learning curve and I often found myself flying into objects- which I invariably bounced off of instead of crashing for some reason. Everything worked, but I couldn't help harboring a nagging feeling that there could have been some tweaks and improvements. 1.

    EXECUTION: Everything worked and looked pretty doing it. The mechanic that allows the player to divert shield power fore and aft was an especially pleasing surprise, as this is something that x-wings at least could do in the canon (ie, not Disney) movies. My biggest issue here is that in spite of how much fun I had playing the game (and ignoring the story and trying to ignore the politics) the intent seems to be online play. Each side (NR and IMP) gets exactly 4 ships, each of which fills a specific role balanced for online play. And that's it. Where are the B-wings? What about E-wings? Maybe a TIE Phantom would be nice. Even a Z95 or K-wing. One of the things I liked about Rogue Squadron was the off-the-shelf variety of unlockable ships, and we don't see that here. And NO, it is NOT okay to sell extra ships later as DLC. This was my biggest disappointment of the game. This isn't a deal-breaker because, hey, VR. But a 1 is the best I can give here.

    PERSONAL EXPERIENCE: Word limit so this will be short. The crap story, apparently box-checking politics and lack of variety in ships takes a heavy toll here. But it's VR and that in this context counts for a lot. In spite of those negatives, I still enjoyed the game. these cancel each other out. +1.

    Total score: 7. -2 if you can't ignore the awful story or identity politics.    … Expand
  24. Joynas
    Oct 8, 2020
    10
    The game is awesome some other reviews have said what’s positive. Have to go full 10 because of the dweebs rating 0 for a damn agenda. Awesome game and I hope it gets content.
  25. TEMP0
    Nov 1, 2020
    10
    Because Galaxy of Heroes, Dice's Battlefront 1, and Jedi Fallen Order were complete garbage I was scared that this game was going to fail too. However, EA has proven me wrong. Actually, you can tell this game wasn't made by EA because they told Motive to hurry up and create the game just put whatever you want and not update it again. Spectacular game, best space simulator since X-WingBecause Galaxy of Heroes, Dice's Battlefront 1, and Jedi Fallen Order were complete garbage I was scared that this game was going to fail too. However, EA has proven me wrong. Actually, you can tell this game wasn't made by EA because they told Motive to hurry up and create the game just put whatever you want and not update it again. Spectacular game, best space simulator since X-Wing Alliance, only an EA supporter with downvote this review.… Expand
  26. Redsnigami
    Oct 6, 2020
    8
    The game is perfect for any star wars fans if you read any bad review is just the people keep hating ea and star wars disney thats it those that not read the novels not see the animated series wont understand jack..s.... about history so if you dont know about nothing of the novels not the animated series then this game is not for you
  27. Bman0491
    Oct 6, 2020
    9
    Utterly brilliant game if you've always dreamed of playing a star wars star fighter game. Graphics look insane on the PS4 Pro and a 4K TV and sounds incredible with a good surround sound system. Can be quite a hard learning curve to get used to but if you stick with it you'll find there is alot of fun to be had. Fleet battle is a fun mode for online matches and you can even practice soloUtterly brilliant game if you've always dreamed of playing a star wars star fighter game. Graphics look insane on the PS4 Pro and a 4K TV and sounds incredible with a good surround sound system. Can be quite a hard learning curve to get used to but if you stick with it you'll find there is alot of fun to be had. Fleet battle is a fun mode for online matches and you can even practice solo or coop with others against AI to get yourself ready or just to mill some time. I'm also a big fan of the components mechanic for the different starfighters which allows some good builds to give you the extra edge.… Expand
  28. Gurthug
    Oct 5, 2020
    9
    This game is great on VR with a PS4 Pro. I thought there would be terrible motion sickness but because the cockpit gives your eyes a large stationary reference point at all times I managed to play for 4 hours straight with no ill effect (I've never kept a VR headset on that long, that's how imersive the experience is). You have a realy advantage due to being able to look around the cockpitThis game is great on VR with a PS4 Pro. I thought there would be terrible motion sickness but because the cockpit gives your eyes a large stationary reference point at all times I managed to play for 4 hours straight with no ill effect (I've never kept a VR headset on that long, that's how imersive the experience is). You have a realy advantage due to being able to look around the cockpit windows and keep your target in sight without needing the radar.

    There are a few imperfections and occasional bugs and glitches as there would be with any new release but It's a really fun experience.

    Make sure to put the controls on max sensitivity and switch to the aviator mode for best results. It can be a bit difficult getting used to keeping your speed at the right setting while using L3 to help turn but beyond that the controls work well.

    The moments where you line up a perfect kill on another player or speed and turn within inches of an asteroid to outmanvouver someone are what it's all about.

    Don't bother looking for HOTAS as the Thrustmaster 4 is out of stock or really expensive and you loose rumble imersion. The Hori Flight Stick is expensive and has terrible reviews.    … Expand
  29. Ezio-926
    Oct 3, 2020
    9
    An absolute no brainer if you have VR or if you're a fan of the old flight sim games.

    Simply brilliant.
  30. TheQuietGamer
    Jan 3, 2021
    6
    At some point or another every Star Wars fan has wondered what it would be like to pilot one of the series' iconic starfighters. While there have been plenty of games over the years dedicated to letting you take control of the galaxy far, far away's most notable ships, few have done so with the same level of immersion as Squadrons. With it's highly detailed cockpits and plethora of HUDAt some point or another every Star Wars fan has wondered what it would be like to pilot one of the series' iconic starfighters. While there have been plenty of games over the years dedicated to letting you take control of the galaxy far, far away's most notable ships, few have done so with the same level of immersion as Squadrons. With it's highly detailed cockpits and plethora of HUD options that allow you to turn the experience into a borderline flight simulator should you please, this is the first time players can feel like they're actually sitting in a X-wing or TIE fighter. Particularly if they have VR. However, while a ton of work clearly went into ensuring that piloting feels both authentic and believable, a lack of content means that there isn't enough here to keep players engaged long-term or compliment the amount of depth you can find in the complex systems underneath the hull.

    If you're looking to get familiar with the mechanics before jumping into the competitive scene, the single-player campaign is where you're going to want to start as it does a great job of teaching you the various ins and outs of each ship. Unfortunately, that's about all it's good for as while there are a few neat ideas here and there their implementation feels half-baked, making it impossible to hide the fact that it's just a glorified eight-and-a-half hour tutorial at best. Then there are the narrative and writing deficiencies...

    Squadrons' story mode tries to sell you on the feeling of being the newest addition to a tight-knit fighter squad by letting you make your own pilot and interact with your AI teammates in-between missions. Your customization options are limited to a handful of pre-made faces though that don't even give you the choice of every race for each gender and conversations with other characters are one-sided affairs where they talk at you because your avatar never speaks. Your battle buddies aren't the most interesting bunch either. They, along with the plot, feel rather inconsequential and small-scale compared to those in the other games you can find in Disney's new EU.

    That's not to say there aren't some positives. I did appreciate seeing some of the more creative alien species fill lead roles rather than just being used as mere window dressing like they would anywhere else in the franchise, and getting to witness the conflict from the perspectives of both the Empire and the New Republic was a breath of fresh air. In fact, I'd say it's the mission structure that really brings the offline portion of the package down. With few exceptions every stage plays out exactly the same way with you awkwardly flying around in circles trying to target enemy fighters before destroying a bigger ship or two after they're all gone. It's a very noticeable loop that not even the beautiful space environments can hide.

    Multiplayer fares a bit better. Matches provide the kind of arcade style aerial dogfighting action I had hoped for in Battlefront II, while still allowing the depth and intricacies of the flight and combat systems to shine through. Which is why it's such a shame it doesn't offer more to do. There are only two modes. One a standard 5v5 team deathmatch and the other an objective based battle where the goal is to rack up enough kills to get a shot at the opposing side's flagships. Both are fun, but given that's all there is the game has a serious issue with longevity. Something that isn't helped by a shallow progression system that allows you to craft an ideal loadout for your playstyle early on that you'll never need to change, leaving you with nothing but cosmetics you don't even really get to see while playing due to the first-person perspective to chase from then on out. It gets old far too quickly.

    I can't heap enough praise on how good it feels to fly these much loved Star Wars vehicles. I just wish there had been a bigger game built around them. With so little content I can't help but wonder if this might not have been better off as a virtual reality exclusive, as due to the relative newness of the technology VR has been able to get away with delivering products that are more experience over substance. On hardware where we've come to expect a bit more, Squadrons simply fails to deliver enough to demand consumer's attention no matter how close it comes to delivering the fan base's dream starfighter game. It does at least provide an incredible foundation for EA and developer Motive Studios to build on.

    6.5/10    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

64
#64 Best PS4 Game of 2020
30
#30 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2020

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 50 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 41 out of 50
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 50
  3. Negative: 0 out of 50
  1. Game World Navigator Magazine
    Nov 18, 2020
    73
    Moderately hardcore, a tad nostalgic, devoid of AAA luster, but engaging nonetheless – Squadrons is a nice choice for those who miss Star Wars: X-Wing Alliance. [Issue#249, p.56]
  2. Playstation Official Magazine UK
    Nov 15, 2020
    80
    It’s the game PS VR was made for; dogfighting is fast and nuanced, but it’s the physical act of sitting inside some of the Star Wars universe’s most iconic cockpits that never fails to impress. [Issue#181, p.84]
  3. GameCritics
    Nov 10, 2020
    80
    While Squadrons has likely already come and gone for those who can’t experience it as its best, I can’t overstate just how vital it is for Star Wars fans fortunate enough to play in VR. This is arguably the first productive thing EA has done with the Star Wars franchise — I don’t know what took them so long, but I hope it’s a sign of things to come.
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