It’s worth noting that Squadrons doesn’t seem like it will be for everyone. I was completely out of my league in most situations, fighting against a mix of experienced EA pilots and other demo players that could pull off inexplicably complicated aerial maneuvers and accurately aim their blasters under extreme duress. These modes are where the real depth of the combat shined through. I got to experience a few of the main modes: a squad-based five-versus-five battle, a one-on-one dogfight mode, and then a larger objective-focused mode called Fleet Battle reminiscent of Battlefront’s Conquest. The real meat of the game, however, is in the multiplayer. Motive wouldn’t say exactly how long the campaign is, but creative director Ian Frazier insinuated that it’s about the length of a standard story mode for a multiplayer-focused shooter, so perhaps eight to 15 hours by my estimation. There are some standard cutscenes, but most of the story takes place while you’re in a ship and flying around as part of a squad of AI-controlled companions.

It’s an engaging enough story, featuring strong writing and dialogue that plays out through the communications channels in your cockpit. You play as both a resistance pilot with the New Republic and a member of the fading Empire, which is caught up in a power struggle after the defeat of its leadership. It contains some names familiar to those steeped in lore, but it’s mostly an all-new narrative set between the events of the Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens. The demo began with the game’s prologue, which teases a unique story built in bits and pieces from the expanded Star Wars canon. The game will also support HOTAS (Hands On Throttle And Stick) controllers for a true flight sim experience, but I used a mix of gamepad and mouse and keyboard to test out the different everyday schemes. You’ll even be able to play VR multiplayer with non-VR users the game supports full cross-platform play across PC, PS4, and Xbox One, with VR an optional add-on for the campaign or multiplayer wherever you see fit. I did not get the chance to play the game in virtual reality, but Motive says the entirety of Squadrons will be playable on PC VR headsets and PlayStation VR.

Once you’re acclimated, everything in ‘ Squadrons’ starts to feel like an exhilarating theme park ride

Star wars battlefront cockpit view