I've got a bad feeling about this...
I don't quite know what it is, but something tells me this game is going to be loaded with frustration just like all the other Star Wars games made by EA/dice/motive/etc. It's not that battling it up in a classic starfighter doesn't sound cool or that the graphical/visual display isn't fancy. But it's that these games always start with the wrong direction.
For one, they center everything around mutliplayer. Since when is a game not made for the individual player anymore? IMO, any game should be fully immersive and deeply customizable for offline singleplayer first and foremost, and then have the option to connect and play online multiplayer as an added bonus. It is currently just the opposite, where they make the game super limited with all of the coolest features built around competitive multiplayer, using the singleplayer campaign as a training ground before going competitive. This also typically means that the cool designs and unlocks are set behind a competition wall, where you can only get the good stuff if you can accomplish certain achievements through tiresome grindy online play. That in and of itself is extremely frustrating and the game is not even out yet.
Another issue with the game is that it seems like the designers are pushing a super heavy feminist/diversity agenda down the players' throats. I absolutely love character customizations in games. Star Wars is literally full of awesome and unique alien races. What do we get for the most part in this game? Predominantly non-white-women characters. Overall it just feels a bit like a staged political stunt that doesn't need to be there. The solution is simple, just let the players choose from a multitude of races from the Star Wars universe. Don't decide for us like in Jedi Fallen Order. That was ridiculous.
Choice and freedom is what makes for a truly remarkable gameplay experience. Not forced multiplayer with everything in the game designed to be a service for paying customers.
I'm definitely looking forward to the multiplayer aspect, and let me say I abandoned Battlefront 2 pretty quick in disappointment. It was just an arcade shooter to me, not something that had rich strategy and coordination.
I'm actually optimistic about the multiplayer aspect of Squadrons being more than an arcade dogfighting game for many reasons, but one of the main ones that may seem unobvious: There is no 3rd-person view. The fact that everyone is locked in their cockpits says pro-competition to me (and not an obvious choice if a studio is just looking to make it as easy/playable/simple/fun as possible), and the gameplay videos I've seen look like energy management is more than just basic (the fact that you can focus shields forward or rear as well as directing power toward them) and that components on ships are interchangeable... there's some nice variety that could lead to interesting builds AND unique team compositions. While it will be far from a more accurate space simulator like Elite: Dangerous, it seems to at least be moving in that direction more than any of the other EA Star Wars titles so far.
I'm definitely stoked there will be VR support (I have a good setup here for Elite heh), though that might give a player a potentially sizeable advantage... So, maybe there will be lobby locks (only VR players, or only full-HUD players, etc.).
It does have a single player campaign; but I agree it looks like this is multi-player focused. As for selecting race/body/gender... I think every game should just randomize it and force you into whatever you get (a la Rust), just like in real life! 😃
I'm certainly ready to be disappointed, but I think this one has a good shot at being a longer-term success AND reasonably entertaining for streaming/e-sports/etc. Here's hoping!
