Star Wars Battlefront 2: More Than a Game! (Star Wars: Battlefront II (PS2))

Member Name: Xenyph

Product:	Star Wars: Battlefront II (PS2)
Date:	15/10/09 (16 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Online experience.

Disadvantages: Offline game modes.

In my opinion, this is one of the best, or THE best, Playstation 2 game that you can buy. It is a 3rd person futuristic shooter, based on the Star Wars series.

I bought this shortly after it came out after enjoying the first in the Battlefront series and even though only a year spaces them, in release times, it is far, far better.

The story mode is improved with Jedi's, proper objectives as opposed to simple conquest maps, galactic conquest is improved and instant action has more game modes.

The real improvment though, is the online experience. I am a Playstation 3 gamer, who plays quality games such as Metal Gear Online, Call of Duty 4 etc. yet Star Wars Battlefront 2 (SWBF2 from now) still attracts me. The online is incredibly addictive, and far more balanced than SWBF1. You need real skill to do well, as opposed to some games, where all you need is a good gun. If you are good enough you can conquer all with any weapon.

The online has a class system as opposed to COD's style involving customisable slots. There are 6 units per faction each with unique attributes:
1. Grunt - This is a machine gun, front line fighter.
2. Rocket - This is designed for attacking vehicles although it is used against infantry online.
3. Sniper - Long range killing.
4. Engineer - Meant for support, but it's powerful shotgun can beat most if used well.
5. Special Unit 1 - This is generally a unit with a recon droid for support and a special powerup.
6. Special Unit 2 - This is generally a light class with a special ability such as Invisibility.

The four factions are Rebels, Empire, Republic and CIS. The Rebels and Empire don't play with the Republic and CIS in any games, as they are from different time periods.

One of the best parts, though, is the incredible, tight-knit community that has been built around this game. Because you don't find many people playing online at once (up to around 60 people on the busiest days), you get to play with the same people more than once, and you get to understand they're playing styles, and get to know them.

There are a few clans (for example www.327sc.com) and the people in them, as I said, have become very close. Buying SWBF2 is more than buying an almost 4 year old PS2 game, it is buying into a whole new world.

Summary: Stunning game for an old system.