I know people think Battlefront should have a more prominent singleplayer campaign as opposed to a series of semi-canonical missions. Star Wars is about character arcs and narrative, right? I get that. I agree. I wanted a Battlefront campaign, too, believe me. But also believe me when I say that it's okay that Battlefront doesn't have a narrative campaign, and it's possible that the game, and us as fans, are better off with a multiplayer shooter right now.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens is a month away and it has already captured our collective fan-minds with mysterious glimpses into the story and characters. Hell, I love Finn and Rey and I don't really know them yet! I know that no matter what despicable thing Kylo Ren does, I'll still love him because I've got a thing for hooded masked character designs. Needless to say, the world is counting down to Star Wars more than anything else this holiday.
Strange obsessions aside, I don't think we could handle or really want an additional narrative right now. Especially not one that gets shoved into the "canon" and blasted out in time to meet a deadline like November 2015 ahead of a major film release. Yes, there are books and comics, but these things have yet to intertwine with The Force Awakens in a significant, consequential way. Star Wars: Aftermath kept its distance, Shattered Empire barely even scratched the surface of the time between Jedi and Awakens and I don't think a video game could have helped. And a game set during the original trilogy with the theme of Battlefront would have been what? A war game? A military-centric plot and character set about the toils of war and the struggle of a soldier within the bigger picture? Oh, you mean Rogue One: A Star Wars Story? You'll get that next year.
Right now, I want to feel the way I felt when I saw Star Wars as a kid. The way I feel when I see Star Wars now as an adult. I want to experience the joy of a familiar world. I want comfort, not the uncertainty of wading through new characters and stories because I'm waiting for a full fledged film. So, why not submerge myself in an interactive version of the original trilogy that doesn't carry the burden of trying to captivate me with a new tale all while I'm more than preoccupied with The Force Awakens? I can't be the only one who is thrilled with the way The Force Awakens looks with its lived-in set pieces and wondrous alien worlds akin to the original trilogy. JJ Abrams and Lawrence Kasdan have purposefully made a movie that evokes the same feeling as the original trilogy, so a game that doesn't muddy the water or tread over narratives in its attempt to give me that feeling in preparation for The Force Awakens fits the bill.Star Wars: Battlefront looks, feels and sounds (for the most part) like the films. The pyrotechnics are theatric, not realistic. The way a stormtrooper moves and subsequently dies looks like an actor taking the fall. The sparks flying off the wall with a missed shot scream "film," not real life. There are a ton of game modes, and maybe they aren't all amazing, but I'm sure there's something for every fan in this game. I'm quite partial to Fighter Squadron because it brings me back to the Nintendo 64 days with Rogue Squadron. I played the hell out of that game. Battlefront isn't a game of the year contender, and it isn't the greatest entry into the Star Wars catalogue, but it is serving the purpose it was intended to ahead of The Force Awakens.
Star Wars: Battlefront may not be the imaginative canonical singleplayer campaign we wanted, but it's the multiplayer shooter we need right now.
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