- This page is about the 2004 video game. For the 2015 reboot, see Star Wars Battlefront (DICE).
Star Wars: Battlefront is a first and third person shooter video game based around battles featured in the Star Wars films, as well as in the Expanded Universe. It is the first game of the highly successful Star Wars: Battlefront Series. It was developed by Pandemic Studios and LucasArts, and released on September 21, 2004 for Xbox, PlayStation 2, and Microsoft Windows, the same day as the release of the Star Wars Trilogy DVD set. Aspyr released a Mac port in July 2005. People can either play Battlefront online with up to 32 players on PC, Mac and Xbox, and 16 players on PS2, or offline with up to 2 players. The Xbox version is compatible with the Xbox 360.
A sequel, Star Wars: Battlefront II, was released on November 1, 2005 for Microsoft Windows, Xbox, PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable. In late 2004, LucasArts released the Star Wars Battlefront BFBuilder, an unsupported mod that allowed fans to create new battlefields for Battlefront I.
A spin off game, Star Wars: Battlefront Renegade Squadron was released October 2007.
A reboot, respectively called Star Wars Battlefront, was announced at E3 2013. It was developed by EA Dice.
Gameplay
Battlefront centers around battles between four main factions from both the Prequel and the Classic trilogies. They are the following: the Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems (CIS aka Separatists) of the prequel era, and the Rebel Alliance and Galactic Empire of the classic trilogy. However, factions can only play their historical adversary; there can't be any Rebel vs. Separatist fights, for example. Within each unit, five different classes of characters become available. Four of the classes are fairly similar for each faction: a basic infantry soldier (a Super Battle Droid for the Separatists), a heavy weapons soldier, a pilot, and a sniper. Each faction also has a special fifth unit with unique abilities and weapons.
Jedi heroes are featured in the game: Luke Skywalker for the Rebellion, Darth Vader for the Empire, Mace Windu for the Republic, and Count Dooku for the CIS. Jedi characters appear but are not playable; they may only be allies in battle, under certain circumstances. They cannot be killed with direct fire, but can be knocked off of ledges or crushed by vehicles. When the reinforcement meter reaches 10% of its original number the Jedi hero dies and does not return.
There are also non-playable characters (NPCs): Tusken Raiders in the Dune Sea of Tatooine, Jawas on the streets of Mos Eisley. Ewoks aid the Rebellion on the forest moon of Endor, Gungans aid the Republic on the Naboo Plains, Geonosians help the CIS in battle at Geonosis, and Wookiees aid the Rebellion and Republic on Kashyyyk.
Playable classes
Click the links below to view each category of units.
Planet battlefields
- Bespin: Cloud City
- Bespin: Platforms
- Endor: Bunker
- Geonosis: Spire
- Hoth: Echo Base
- Kamino: Tipoca City
- Kashyyyk: Docks
- Kashyyyk: Islands
- Naboo: Theed
- Naboo: Plains
- Rhen Var: Citadel
- Rhen Var: Harbor
- Tatooine: Mos Eisley
- Tatooine: Dune Sea
- Tatooine: Jabba's Palace (Update 1.02) [1]
- Yavin 4: Arena
- Yavin 4: Temple
Critical response
| Publication | Score | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 7.9/8.2 (X-box) of 10 | ||
| IGN | 8.4 of 10 | |
| GameSpy | 4/5 | |
| GamePro | 4/5 | |
| Computer Gaming World | 3.5/5 | |
| PC Gamer | 80/100 |
Although receiving very good reviews, there were some criticisms for the game
Factions
Some players were disappointed that the factions from different time periods couldn´t play each other (E.G: CIS Vs. Rebels). Although this is understandable from a chronological point of view, many players thought that the enjoyment of having such battles would balance out the historical inaccuracy.
Maps
Many players complained that the maps were bias, i.e. designed for one side to win. Even on the easy setting, some players couldn't complete various missions. The infantry orientated maps (I.E maps with no vehicles) were also criticized for being unimaginitively designed, and containing obvious choke points, which were confining and prevent many players from enjoying those particular maps.
Vehicles
Many of the vehicles in Star Wars Battlefront were deemed to be overpowered. This is because it would usually take infantry from many different classes to bring down one vehicle, something which the AI were criticized for not being able to do. This was shown particularly on the AT-AT vehicle, on which infantry weapons did negligible damage. As the AT-AT acts as a mobile command point, this caused maps with AT-ATs very hard to win as the Rebel forces.
Infantry
The infantry in the game were criticized for their blandness, I.E every race had a blanket infantry selection (Basic Trooper, Rocket Trooper, Pilot & Sniper), thought this was balanced out a little by the addition of special units (Jetpack Troopers for both the Imperials and Clone Troopers, Wookie Smugglers for the Rebels and Droideka for the Federation). Also, many players complained that the Federation special unit (The Droideka) was overpowered compared to the other races special units.
PS2 Version
The PlayStation 2 Version was criticized as the weakest version of Battlefront. It had limited multiplayer support, the textures were blurrier and the models had no shading whatsoever. The multiplayer was the most criticized part of the PS2 experience. The PS2 version could only support 16 players, but that was via a PC using special software. If such software wasn't used, then the PS2 could only have 4 human players with 6 AI-controlled bots, which on larger maps, proved to be inadequate and unsatisfactory to many players. However, the PS2 version for single-player still remained just as fun as the other versions.
Cast
Voice cast
- G.W. Childs as Imperial Infantry
- Chris Cox as Alliance Infantry, CIS Infantry, CIS Officer, Gungan Infantry
- Nick Jameson as Alliance Officer, Darth Sidious
- Tom Kane as Admiral Ackbar, Yoda
- Temuera Morrison as Republic Infantry, Republic Officer
- David Robb as Imperial Officer
Archive footage appearances
- Kenny Baker as R2-D2
- Silas Carson as Nute Gunray
- Peter Cushing as Grand Moff Tarkin
- Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia
- Harrison Ford as Han Solo
- Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker
- Samuel L. Jackson as Mace Windu
- Christopher Lee as Count Dooku
- Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan Kenobi
- Peter Mayhew as Chewbacca
- David Prowse as Darth Vader
- Billy Dee Williams as Lando Calrissian
All scenes are taken from Episodes I, II, IV, V, and VI.
External links
- Official site
- Star Wars: Battlefront at IMDB
- Official SWBF PS2 Ladder
- Gametoast: Get More From Your Game
- Jedi-Masters Database entry
    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. | |