Instead, the company focused on a form of visualization that feels intuitive whether you’re staring at a TV or the insides of an Oculus Rift. Motive could have made an alternative HUD that worked with an exterior camera angle. And during your first few missions, you’ll be looking at them a lot, regardless of how you’re playing. Each interior also has a virtual screen that confirms what ally, enemy or defence system you’re currently tracking in outer space.Īs a result, these controls never feel like a nuisance or something you’re supposed to mentally block out. And there are always one or two that display the ship’s structural integrity and, if you’re lucky enough to have them, the strength and placement of its shields. Others represent the throttle and how much boost you have left. Some instruments explain how the ship’s power is being distributed. The instrumentation isn’t just for show, either - it’s the game’s primary HUD. Every time you step into a new ship, you’ll want to spend a good five minutes just admiring the detail that’s gone into the seat, windows, switches and readouts. But the experience is just as compelling on a TV or PC monitor. If you’re wearing a VR headset, it’s marvelous fun to stare at your legs - which are covered in orange or black overalls, depending on the side you’re fighting for - or quickly glance left and see what’s rushing past your window. That child-like joy transcends platforms. Seeing them all on screen, beeping and flickering, is satisfying on its own. I’ve always dreamed of sitting inside an X-wing and its various controls have been etched in my brain since I first watched A New Hope. That’s partly because my interest in starship interiors vastly exceeds hypercar cabins. But I didn’t mind the perspective this time. Some of the screen is always taken up by fictional computers, making it tougher to keep track of fast-moving enemies. And those fears were justified, to an extent. I feared that Squadrons would feel similarly restrictive and limit my ability to see what’s happening around me. I’ve dabbled with the first-person perspective in racers like Gran Turismo Sport and Wipeout Omega Collection, but always switch back to an exterior camera angle because I don’t like having my vision obscured when I’m trying to set a fast lap time. Before picking up the game, I was worried about this design decision. You’re always stuck inside the cockpit, peering out through virtual sheets of angled glass. Unlike Battlefront II, for instance, there’s no option to move the camera behind the ship. To pull this off, though, developer Motive Studios had to make and lean into a very specific type of game. Combined with the multiplayer suite, it’s an attractive proposition for any Star Wars fan, regardless of how you like to play. And while the eight-hour campaign isn’t the longest, it’s perfectly respectable by VR standards. That, in turn, has allowed EA to be more aggressive on the price - which could increase the player base even further - and raise its production values. Catering to both playstyles has dramatically increased the game’s reach. The exception, of course, is when a massive company like Oculus funds the entire game.Ī game like Squadrons has that potential, though. The latter category usually has a lower budget because the VR install base is so much smaller than traditional consoles and PCs. Or they make something like Vader Immortal, a game that was designed specifically with VR’s unique features and limitations in mind. Most developers take one of two routes: they either craft something that’s designed primarily for TVs and monitors, but has a secondary VR mode like the original Battlefront’s X-wing mission. That’s a rare move in the video game industry. The title is fully playable in VR but you don't need a headset to enjoy it. Instead, it’s been wisely pitched at $40, reinforcing the notion that it’s a smaller game with one simple objective: to deliver the most thrilling and authentic Star Wars space battles to date. Unlike Star Wars: Battlefront II and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, it’s not a ‘full price’ $60 title. Instead, I’m referring to the game’s size, budget and widespread VR support. When I say that, I don’t mean the targeting system found on a Tusken Raider’s rifle. Star Wars: Squadrons feels like a masterclass in scoping.
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