With Battlefront 2 entering 2020 at lightspeed, here are some tips to get you locked and loaded for battle.
Few video games have a greater story of redemption than that of Star Wars: Battlefront 2. It seems like only yesterday that the game — or, at least its developer — entered Reddit infamy after a microtransaction-fuelled protest of rage from the Star Wars faithful.
Fast forward more than two years, and Battlefront 2 has slowly but surely redefined itself as an impressive ode to the Star Wars saga: the new; the old; and, yes, even the coarse and rough.
Star Cards? Gone! Microtransactions? Obliterated! Paywalls and unrealistic grinds? Crushed! And what remains? Think a post-Empire galaxy, brimming with hope, celebration and change.
To put it mildly — and with no more lame Star Wars analogies — Battlefront 2 has come back from what could only be described as gaming hell, with developer DICE mastering the basics, opening the gates, and, ultimately, making the game fun for everyone. This is Battlefront 2.1, and it’s as good a time as ever to jump in.
First timer, or returning for the first time since 2017? Here are some tips to help you get going in Battlefront 2.
Do a barrel roll!
Okay, wrong franchise. Nonetheless, this is a simple one but a gameplay component that really needs to be mastered if you have any hope of mastering the game’s gameplay basics.
Knowing how (which is easy) and when to roll is far more important than you think: it can be the difference between escaping a thermal detonator’s explosion radius, or getting the upper hand in a 1v1 against a similarly skilled player.
The roll can also help crossing clear, open paths, making you a tough target to hit and aim at from a distance.
Cool down, man!
Perhaps the one mistake I kept making time and time again when I returned to Battlefront 2 was that I wasn’t paying enough attention to my weapon’s cooldown. I’d often shoot off until it locked for cooldown, and I’d just stand their waiting until I could fire again.
When in a fire fight, this can prove especially deadly as you’re essentially useless, especially if your secondary abilities are also in cooldown.
It wasn’t until I realised that you can both reset your weapon temperature before it overheats, and also immediately reset the cool down if it does overheat, did I find myself moving far more freely, and winning more battles.
So, if you’re in a battle and it ends, press X/Square to immediately cool down your weapon. If your weapon does overheat, watch the temperature gauge, and press X/Square when it hits the blue or yellow section of the meter to speed up the process.
Play the squad game
In typical DICE fashion, the big-game multiplayer experience is really built around squad performance and structure. You’ll be put into a squad with randoms if you’re by yourself, but squad’ing up and communicating with friends will obviously optimise your experience and performance.
You also stand to increase the rate at which you earn Battle Points if you’re near other squad mates, so stick close, mark objectives, and support one another.
Don’t underestimate Officers
The Officer class is one that can be greatly, greatly underestimated, although the tide may be turning now with more and more players realising how important this class is.
The Assault or Heavy classes may seem the easiest and most fun to play, but the Officer class is OP from a Battle Points perspective, rewarding you for simply being a good survivor, provider you stick close to your teammates.
The Inspiring Presence ability will heal teammates at a faster rate, and will net you a lot of battle points in the process. This means that, at least early on, the Officer class is undoubtedly the easiest class to rank up with and really beast-out on.
Structure your loadout correctly, and not only do you stand to be the most useful and beneficial for your teammates, but you also stand to be incredibly devastating and powerful in battle.
Master 2-3 Heroes/Villains
When it comes to Heroes, you need to think and play smart. Darth Vader is probably the most enjoyable of the heroes, but on a large map with long sightlines, he’s not going to last long. On the flip side, Boba Fett isn’t anywhere near as effective in tight areas as, say, a Yoda, or General Grevious, who can just devastate entire teams.
It’s tough to not just jump onto that lightsaber-wielding hero when they’re available, but consider the environment. Chewbacca can really turn the tide of battle on more dynamic maps, whilst a Leia is fantastic for defensive tactics and holding objectives.
Further to the above, use the co-op modes to play through and understand these heroes. Some are fairly easy to grasp (Leia, Anakin, Yoda), whereas others might seem easy, but really excel through their abilities rather than their lightsaber prowess (Grevious, Dooku).
Don’t overcommit
Sticking on the topic of Heroes, don’t overcommit to battles. Sure, you’re powerful, and far more powerful than anyone else that isn’t a hero, but you can only deflect and attack what’s in front of you, and things can quickly turn against you if you rush into enemy territory.
Stick to your squad, and play patiently. If you must rush in — suitable for a Palpatine or even Grevious — then know your exit points, and find the right time to move in and out quickly. Pick your targets first, focus your energy and stamina on them, and then get out.
Have any tips for the Battlefront 2 faithful? Sound off in the comments below!
