Star Wars: Squadrons. Smash Hits Inbound! The Best Upcoming Games of 2020

What is Star Wars: Squadrons?

Star Wars: Squadrons is a return to the big hits of the 1990s., which began a series of extremely successful games set in the Star Wars universe. The iconic X-Wing and X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter allowed players pilot space fighters (and bombers) and the same will be possible in SW: Squadrons. Instead of the Force, blasters, and lightsabers, we'll find here proton torpedoes and laser guns. Locked in the cockpit, players will face other pilots in quick dogfights or big space battles, where they'll also be accompanied by fleets of AI-controlled spaceships.

Star Wars: Squadrons will focus on online gameplay, but there will also be a single-player story campaign featuring both Rebel and Imperial pilots. Iconic ships (including models such as X-Wing, Y-Wing, TIE Fighter, and TIE Interceptor) will return and this time will be highly subjected to personalization. The game will also provide support for VR hardware and crossplay with other platforms.

Is it still a shooter or is it a simulator?

Everything points to something in between, with little emphasis on simulation. The good news is we're definitely not getting a cut-out space combat module from the second part of Star Wars: Battlefront. Squadrons is prepared entirely from scratch, precisely for battles in space battles. As with the older titles of the X-Wing series, the key to success will lie in managing shield power, and continuous transfer of protection to the back or front of the ship. Before combat, players will choose weapons that offer a variety of effects, e.g. dealing more damage at the expense of slow tracking. So there are a lot of tactical decisions to be made during dynamic clashes and we're up for a game that will provide quite a challenge.

1. More about Star Wars: Squadrons

WHY AM I WAITING?

To me, Star Wars is about the Force and lighsabers. But in this vast universe, there is one of the most interesting and elaborate "machine parks" that begs for better use. I didn't play the space simulators of the first half of the 1990s. I only played the demo of X-Wing Alliance, but I didn't have the right computer to fully appreciate it. Now that the Force is really waking up in the world of virtual entertainment (I'm an optimist and believe Fallen Order is a harbinger of better times, not a work accident), I'm taking Star Wars: Squadrons in my sights. This nice, classic, well-priced game with no and pay-to-win mechanics promises to be good. Unless, of course, the singleplayer campaign turns out to be implemented at a push and the effort of the developers will be directed towards the online experience. Then I'll reflect on my enthusiasm.

Phil Grabski

WHY AM I WAITING?

All indications are that Star Wars: Squadrons will prove to be a worthy successor to X-Wing and TIE Fighter. The game has all the basic features from its iconic predecessors and perhaps the only thing that could spoil it could be the ill-conceived mission structure. We haven't seen the campaign yet, so I hope that the developers will be able to get past all the pitfalls of poor design, but it's better to be safe. I completed TIE Fighter several times without sound, as my then 486DX 40 MHz with 4 MB RAM did not yet have a sound card. As a maniac fan of the movie saga, I was charmed by the game. I'd like to feel the same again. Just... that space is too colorful. Isn't that right?

Ghost