Star Wars: Battlefront: Elite Squadron is the fourth release in the Star Wars Battlefront series. It was released on both the PSP and Nintendo DS. The PSP version is technically superior, with player counts (including AIs) able to reach 40 in a single match. Each side can have 8 people online, and another 12 AIs. Without using a Gamespy Server, the limit is 6 people. The DS version can support only 4 people under the best conditions, due to the DS's limitations. It is the only game in the series where both classes and customization are featured together. This was the last game in the series to be developed and published by Rebellion Developments and LucasArts, respectively, before the latter was shut down, and DICE and EA were given the rights.
Features[]
Classes[]
Instead of the console versions, you can create your own class and custom character similarly to Renegade Squadron. A unique feature is the ability to unlock a Jedi class which you may also customize. Unlike in SWBF2, or the hero classes in Elite Squadron, you do not need to earn the Jedi class each match, and your health does not drain over time. It is just like a regular class. The Heroes in Elite Squadron function in the same way as SWBF2, however.
Unobtainable units and ships[]
In Elite Squadron, there are a number of units and ships that can be seen in the Campaign mode, but cannot be chosen or used in the game. They are:
- Phase I Clone Troopers-- These units erroneously appear alongside Phase II Clone Troopers during the Cato Neimoidia mission, but cannot be chosen.
- Imperial Fleet Officers-- These units are fought aboard the Death Star and inside Star Destroyers
- Red Guards are also fought inside the Death Star and in Star Destroyers. They wield Chain Guns
- Phase III Dark Troopers-- These units are fought on Bespin and Mustafar, even though Phase 0 Dark Troopers are selectable.
- Wookiees that have been cloned by X1 on Mustafar
- Ewoks, on Endor
- Jawas, on Tatooine
- ARC-170 Starfighters are used by X2 in the Coruscant and Cato Neimoidia missions, but aren't selectable in any other game modes.
- TIE Interceptors can be seen in Hoth and some subsequent missions. These are AI Units.
- TIE Defenders appear in the Mustafar Missions. These are AI Units
- TIE Bombers appear in the Yavin IV Missions and some subsequent missions. These are AI Units.
Battles[]
Players can play on foot, or hop in a starfighter and battle in space in the same real-time battle, a feature unique to Elite Squadron, which allows the player's actions to directly influence the outcome the battle. The forces on the ground also have access to an ion cannon which they fight over in an attempt to use it to drain a capital ship's shields. Just like Star Wars: Battlefront II, you can enter an enemy ship to destroy it from the inside as well.
Vehicles are also available on the ground, and there is a very wide variety, ranging from AAT's to AT-AT's to Snowspeeders and AT-ST's. The vehicles are noticeably less powerful than in the previous Star Wars Battlefronts, but are still more than a match for a few troops.
Galactic Conquest[]
In this game mode, players attempt to take over the galaxy by deploying certain forces to take over planets as well as defending planets. The player also has access to a variety of upgrades to tip the scales into their favor. Like Renegade Squadron, one of the planets is occupied with a home planet, signified by the crown, and 3 planets from the game are present in quadrants. Unlike Renegade Squadron, there are only two heroes that can be hired through a quadrant, their abilities varying depending on the hero, and players can only spend a maximum amount of 30 troops per planet. Much unlike Renegade Squadron which featured a certain artwork depending on the faction would appear after the player conquers the galaxy, they are instead given the main menu loading screen with a grey text in front saying, "You've Won, The Galaxy is yours!".
Story[]
Act I: Rise of the Empire[]
The story is about two force-sensitive clones, X1 and X2, who are cloned from the DNA of Jedi Master Falon Grey. They are assigned to training the Grand Army of the Republic alongside Jedi Master Ferroda. While training clones on Tatooine, the camp is attacked by CIS forces, and sets siege to the planet. Though caught off-guard, the CIS is eventually repelled when X1 and X2 blow up the CIS Capital Ship. The brothers would later assist in defending Coruscant against CIS invaders, which ended in X2 dueling General Grievious alongside Mace Windu. It was during this battle that Windu takes notice of X2's prowess with a melee weapon, which "defies expectations."
The two brothers would later assist in invading Cato Neimoidia. During the battle, Ferroda also notices X2's capabilities, and considers bringing him to Coruscant to examine X2's abilities. While X2 shuts down the Droid Defense Network, Ferroda uncovers information regarding the formation of the Empire, and urges X2 to meet him alone. Unfortunately, Order 66 is issued by Palpatine, and X1 orders X2 to eliminate Ferroda. Though the Jedi Master puts up a fight while warning X2 that X1 has fallen to the Dark Side, Ferroda is eventually defeated by X2, and X1 congratulates him on defeating Ferroda, and orders him to hunt down the other Jedi. This murder deeply troubled X2, and eventually led to him deserting the Empire while X1 remained and rose throughout the ranks of the Imperial Army.
Upon deserting the Empire, X2 meets his genetic father Falon Grey, one of the last Jedi, on the planet Dantooine. The Empire eventually invades Dantooine, with the objective of eliminating Grey as well as X2. Though the rebels successfully defend the village, X1 eventually enters the battle himself and shoots X2. X1 then engages Grey in a duel, force pike versus lightsaber. Grey eventually wins the duel, but spares X1 with the notation that "You should realize that you destroy your enemies when you make peace with them." In return, X1 fatally wounds Grey and takes his lightsaber and retorts, "You should realize that you can only make peace by destroying your enemies completely." Upon seeing X2 recovering, X1 wounds him again with Grey's lightsaber, and shoots Grey upon seeing him recovering before leaving. Grey dies from his wounds, but X2 survives and lives on the planet for a while, after Grey uses his last energy to heal X2 with the force.
Act II: Dark Times[]
X2 is then found by General Kota, and is inducted into Rebel Alliance. After joining, X2 forms Grey Squadron, in honor of Falon Grey. They first launch an attack on the Death Star to rescue the prisoners inside the space station as well as obtaining new information regarding the superlaser aboard. During the attack, X2 learns that X1 had become an important officer of the Imperial Army, and uses the superlaser to destroy a nearby Star Destroyer before escaping from the space station.
After the destruction of the Death Star, X2 alongside the bounty hunter Shara assisted in the evacuation of Yavin 4 after Imperial forces invaded the planet. Though the communications array was damaged by TIE Bombers, X2 Force jumps up to the array and repairs it. He then assists Commander Col Serra in destroying a Star Destroyer surrounding the planet.
During the Battle of Hoth, X2 assisted in holding off Imperial transports in space and Snowtroopers on the ground to allow the Rebel personnel to escape the planet. After boarding the nearby Star Destroyer and disabling the Orbital Strike Cannon, X1 appears, and is surprised to see X2, whom he left for dead on Dantooine. The two clones engage in a fight, and eventually escape from the Star Destroyer moments before its destruction.
During the Battle of Endor, X2 was one of the pilots attacking the Death Star before realizing that Palpatine led them into a trap. He was then ordered to defend Admiral Ackbar's flagship, Home One, from invading Imperial forces before heading to the planet's surface. On the ground he rescued Ewoks held prisoner by the Empire. X2 then destroyed the communications array on Endor along with two AT-ATs with the help of Col Serra.
Act III: The Shattered Empire[]
By this era, X2 had become a full-fledged Jedi training under Luke Skywalker. At the same time, X1 plans to establish a new Galactic Empire with himself at the throne. Before tracking down X1 however, X2 must help Lando Calrissian liberate Cloud City on Bespin from its Imperial garrison, which includes stormtroopers abd the more dangerous Darktroopers in Phase III armor.
X1 eventually declares himself a Sith Lord, but still lacks the knowledge of the dark side of the Force. To solve this, he pays a visit to Bast Castle, Darth Vader's fortress on the planet Vjun. By the time X2 reached the planet however, X1 had already left. However, X2 manages to retrieve Falon Grey's lightsaber as well as information regarding X1's whereabouts after fighting through the stormtroopers garrisoning the castle as well as Vader's security droids and Dark Troopers.
With the full knowledge of the dark side of the Force, X1 travels to Mustafar, where he plans to create an army of Dark Jedi. Luke Skywalker attempts to stop him,but is captured. X2 boards a Star Destroyer and destroys the reactor core, but X1 appears and engages him into a duel. Eventually, the two brothers engage in a dogfight above Mustafar, but X1, upon being defeated, departs to the planet surface while sending his TIE Defender fleet the destroy X2. X2 eventually destroys the fleet and regroups with Grey Squadron on the ground, and fights through X1's forces consisting of twisted stormtroopers and IFT-Ts. X2 eventually fights X1 in a cloning facility, but X1 escapes again while sending Wookie clones after X2. While many Darktroopers and Wookie clones are sent to kill X2, Grey Squadron holds them off while X2 duels X1, resulting in X1 running off and sending Imperial Guards after X2. After defeating the guards, X2 finally confronts X1 for the final duel. X2 overpowers his brother, but doesn't kill him. X1, sets a trap by throwing away his lightsaber then summoning his lightsaber back to him to impale X2, but X2 dodges the lightsaber and it impales its owner instead. He staggers backwards into the lava and falls to his death, effectively ending the threat to the New Republic.
In the closing scene, X2 ponders over the problems that the New Republic must face, but amends that the Jedi will meet them all.
Gallery[]
Battlefront Series | |
---|---|
Pandemic's Battlefront | Star Wars: Battlefront (2004) • Star Wars: Battlefront II (2005) • Star Wars Battlefront Classic Collection (2024) |
DICE's Battlefront | Star Wars Battlefront (2015) (Expansion Packs include: Outer Rim, Bespin, Death Star, Rogue One: Scarif • Star Wars Battlefront Companion) • Star Wars Battlefront II (2017) |
Spin-Offs | Renegade Squadron • Elite Squadron • Mobile Squadrons |
Other | Star Wars: Battlefront III • Battlefront: Twilight Company • Battlefront II: Inferno Squad |
* denotes upcoming content. |