Star Wars: Battlefront got a lot of things right in rebooting the franchise, but it focused exclusively on multiplayer, had some balancing issues, and had a limited number of locations and characters. Battlefront II and ME: Shadow of Mordor will eat the rest of my year. Exponentially more modes, planets, maps, heroes/villains, plus a single-player campaign that looks to have real information for SW fans about the gap inbetween Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens. The opportunity to mix all three eras, the gorgeous graphics, and-really-because this is something Star Wars, makes this must-buy. Plus, free The Last Jedi DLC content will start to arrive free for players the first week of December. If you bought the deluxe version, you’re a go at midnight tonight, but for everyone else, the game will release November 17, 2017, on Xbox One, PC, and PS4. Achievements and gameplay details below, courtesy of xboxachievements.com.
Featuring new characters created by Motive in close partnership with the story group at Lucasfilm, the Star Wars Battlefront II single player campaign will deliver a new exciting story to the Star Wars universe. Taking place in the 30 years between the destruction of Death Star II and through the rise of the First Order, the single player story introduces Iden Versio, the leader of Inferno Squad, an elite special forces unit of the Galactic Empire, who are equally lethal on the ground and in space. In addition to Iden, players will also encounter and play as other iconic Star Wars heroes and villains like Luke Skywalker and Kylo Ren during the campaign.
In addition to the all-new single player campaign, the team at DICE is evolving the game’s multiplayer to become the ultimate Star Wars battleground. With modes supporting up to 40 players, Star Wars Battlefront II takes fans through a wide range of iconic locations from all three eras: prequel, classic and new trilogy, including new in-game locations such as Yavin 4’s jungle canopies, the spaceport town of Mos Eisley, and Starkiller Base. Players can choose from an array of land and air vehicles and master their own hero’s journey, with customizable character progression across heroes, villains, troopers and starfighters.
As one of the most requested fan modes, galactic-scale space combat is also brought to life in Star Wars Battlefront II. Criterion, with a deep history of creating some of gaming’s fastest and intuitive vehicles, has built space combat from the ground up with refined handling, weapons, and customization options. Players can drop into the cockpit of the galaxy’s most iconic ships, weave between asteroid fields and fly through imperial dockyards in high stakes dogfights.
Star Wars: Battlefront II – Achievements
There are 40 achievements with a total of 1000 points.
The Cleaner (10 points)
Complete the mission “The Cleaner”.
Outbound Flight (30 points)
Win a match of Starfighter Assault.
There Has Been An Awakening (40 points)
Reach Rank 25.
The Force is Strong With This One (65 points)
Reach Rank 50.
Not All Miss (15 points)
In multiplayer, defeat 3 enemies within one Vanguard usage 5 times.
A Dominating Presence (15 points)
In multiplayer, boost 100 allies with the Officer commands.
Sentry Mode Engaged (15 points)
In multiplayer, defeat 150 enemies with the Heavy’s Sentry Gun.
Scoped (15 points)
In multiplayer, get 25 headshots with longblaster rifles.
The Interceptor (40 points)
Get 20 Killstreaks with Interceptor ships.
The Bomber (15 points)
Defeat 50 enemies using Dual Proton Torpedoes with the Bomber ship class.
Multi-tasking (15 points)
Defeat 25 Hero ships with Fighter ships.
Complete Your Training (40 points)
Complete all unique Battle Scenarios.
There is No Such Thing As Luck (15 points)
Engage in an Arcade match.
Ignore Your Instincts At Your Peril (15 points)
Destroy 25 objectives in Starfighter Assault.
What a Blast (15 points)
Win a match of Blast.
Strike Back (15 points)
Win a match of Strike.
Battle Beyond the Stars (15 points)
Win a match of Galactic Assault.
Choose Your Path (15 points)
While being marked, defeat 50 enemies in Heroes Vs Villains.
Quick Strike (40 points)
Be the first one to defeat an enemy in a multiplayer match.
Heavy is the Hand (15 points)
Win a match of Heroes vs Villains.
Do. Or Do Not. There is no Try. (40 points)
Play as all heroes in Multiplayer.
A Galaxy at War (40 points)
Win one match in each Multiplayer game mode.
We are the Spark (40 points)
Defeat 500 enemies as a hero on any Multiplayer map.
Secret Achievements
The Battle of Endor (15 points)
Complete the mission “The Battle of Endor”.
The Dauntless (15 points)
Complete the mission “The Dauntless”.
The Observatory (15 points)
Complete the mission “The Observatory”.
The Storm (15 points)
Complete the mission “The Storm”.
Royalty (30 points)
Complete the mission “Royalty”.
General Distress (15 points)
Complete the mission “General Distress”.
Under Covered Skies (15 points)
Complete the mission “Under Covered Skies”.
Cache Grab (15 points)
Complete the mission “Cache Grab”.
Until Ashes (30 points)
Complete the mission “Until Ashes”.
Discoveries (65 points)
Complete the mission “Discoveries”.
X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter (30 points)
In the campaign, destroy eight starfighters in the skies of Jakku.
Dark Forces (30 points)
In the campaign, use the Droid to shock three enemies at once.
A Job Well Done (40 points)
Complete 25 Multiplayer Milestones.
Balance Point (30 points)
In the campaign, eliminate five enemies at once using the Barrage.
Master of Deception (30 points)
In the campaign, eliminate a Scout Trooper with Iden’s melee takedown.
Outcasts (15 points)
Complete the mission “The Outcasts”.
The Battle of Jakku (15 points)
Complete the mission “The Battle of Jakku”.
SW is the one reason i’m sorry i’m not into games. I’m missing out the nearest thing to inhabiting SW characters that exists. Also once I get into the new EU I’ll be missing out on a sizable chunk of mythology.
I got burned by the old EU Dave. After the Thrawn trilogy I got so excited, but too much material was produced and there was little to no quality control. Yes I engaged in the hard work of separating the diamonds from the coal, but i’m not sure I am up for the uncertainty and frustration a second time. What is your sense so far? Has Disney learned from history, or will this be another hit or miss endeavor?
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The novels have been largely good but nothing Thrawn level except maybe Phasma or Thrawns redefining by Zahn. Video Games, this is only the second but more are coming and the story for this one looks fantastic. Rebels really tied into Rogue One and got a few moments you’d thought a film would have. The best thing about the EU are the Marvel Comics main series and various other series, the Vader 24 issue series so far being my favorite. They all sync and there is a concerted obvious effort to make them all support each other.
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Dave it is being reported that Amazon is moving forward on some kind of LOTR prequel series. I have not been keeping up on the legal situation with the Tolkien estate so I do not know if the desision to not make The Silmarillian is a result of legal chains or cowardice/stupidity. If Amazon chooses to invent new material instead of drawing on Tolkien, shame on them. If it’s the only way of continuing the franchise on tv… dammit.
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That’s not exactly true. They’re remaking LOTR as a TV series with the Tolkien estate’s blessing, something Jackson never had for reasons that escape me. They are apparently going to begin with storylines pre-Fellowship (um…The Hobbit? The Silmarillion?). It’s unclear what the starting point is, but it’s happening and they have a multi-season commitment to it (obviously). There is nothing about this I don’t hate, and that’s why there’s been no article. It went up on the Twitter and FB pages, but I’m not going to go on a screed about how stupid and needless this is less than 15 years after the climactic episode won every damn Oscar it was nominated for just because Amazon wants something Game of Thrones like (OTHER WAY ROUND) and the Tolkien estate wants to undermine Jackson’s movies. Comingsoon.net has a full article on it. It’s one of the most reliable sites I use for news for KT. I’m kinda fricking livid about it and I try to keep it positive here. Besides, given my numbers lately apparently we’re the only ones reading this stupid thing anymore. Aaaand breathe. Sorry. An 80% drop in your site traffic for no reason I can discern can sap you of your motivation to try (and WP is useless in helping). Sigh, yeah this is why I try to keep it positive.
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First… the Amazon thing is worse than I possibly imagined. There would have been merit to doing a series that began with the very start of The Silmarillian and went through everything Tolkien ever documented about his wonderful imaginary world, chronologically, including both the major works and the aniciliary stuff. That’s if Jackson had not made his masterpiece, and if you were willing to sacrifice the larger than life experience of watching larger than life events unfold on an actual movie screen. But this is so cynical on the part of Amazon, and so nasty on the part of Tolkein’s estate, and betrays such total disregard for what Tolkein’s actual fans might actually want, that I do not even know what to say, so I will say no more on the subject.
Second… I had no idea about the site. I’m so sorry to hear that. Your impulse to stay positive on your site is absolutely the right thing to always do. The other day I decided to print out the words to the George Harrison song Beware of Darkness, because I realized I kept looking up the lyrics to read on my iPhone during the day, and it would be useful to have them on my wall. I need to get around to doing that, soon. Of course there are more accomplished writings about the spirit of our times, but hell, I love George, he was the best Beatle and his songs put me in a good mood. I also like the weird lilt his singing voice acquired after he went solo.
Movies are what we watch to stay happy and sane. If one offends you, cut it out of your life. Maybe even stop reviewing the ones you don’t enjoy. I have a strange ability to find things to truly enjoy about most movies, to the point where strange ones get redeemed in my mind. I am not crazy; I know exactly all the things wrong with Cloud Atlas. I am still able to not just like it, but love it. Same with Cabin Boy. The warmth and sincerity of its ongoing Harryhausen tribute makes up for the fact that it’s Cabin Boy. Also Burton produced it, it was originally written for Burton to direct, and it contains a lot of the virtues of the golden period of his career.
I don’t know if this mindset of mine can be developed in people if they work at it, but I suspect so. Avoid the films that want nothing but your money, love the ones like TLJ will turn out to be, and always look for the hearts of gold in the others before you look for the disappointments and the flaws. Do not even consider giving up on the blog, ever. Next week try to make the meaning of Thanksgiving overshadow the irony of thanksgiving. There
will be SUCH better times, but during the bad ones I find that simple distractions and fixes tend to accumulate, and turn into habits if we doggedly pursue them. If we cannot heal the Mordor-blade wounds, we can at least get by.
Sorry I typed so much. Hope it was cogent. Stay warm.
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Thanks man. I appreciate it.
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Let’s keep our fingers crossed about Justice Leauge, all right? I can’t pretend I haven’t judged the concept of heroism against these characters since before I can remember. I can’t pretend I don’t care. This is really going to be Snyder’s movie, and I keep going to see his films because despite his spotty record he is clearly sincere, and always having fun. I stick close to that kind of person, and thier works. Hopefully he’s figured out how to hold an audience not comprised of a certain type of comic book nerd.
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Im not sure whose movie it is because Whedon cut 50 minutes and reshot enough of the rest to get a DGA credit. I’m hoping better than the others except WW. Its not topping that.
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I did not realize about Wheadon, I thought I had heard the exact opposite, or perhaps I imagined it. I hope I did not imagine it, because that means I have too many stressful things clogging my brain.
Now that you’ve told me, I’m not happy about Wheadon. A movie half-directed by one guy and half by another is a recipe for disaster, especially if the guys are as disparate as Snyder and Wheadon. And if Wheadon is flexing his muscles to try and get as much credit as he can, it does not sound like his first concern is respecting and completing Snyder’s vision. A movie split between two directors can only be worse off if one is undermining the other. Also cutting out 50 minutes sounds like something possibly done at the behest of the studio. This isn’t going to work, this is going to be a bigger disaster than I originally thought. Maybe I did know everything you said, and blocked it out.
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Well Whedon was already there for reshoots before Snyder left. The short running time makes me wonder how much they can accomplish. The telling thing is its not been advance reviewed three days before release. At this point WW was swimming in glorious reviews so I am really wary though I want it to succeed.
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As do I but I’ve written it off now. Two directors with polar opposite styles and MO’s, a studio in damage control mode after the first director left, Hollywood egos, a short running time after they rushed into a big ensemble film and left it up to the one film to make multiple character introductions… the film will have an inconsistent tone, it will be choppy, and there will be no focus.
I’m actually not upset. After BvS I was hoping for the best, but you remember my analysis of that film. Every little thing about JL will have been calculated to death by the studio and put through a blender. This is one of those films that only wants our money. It might not have started that way, because as bad as BvS is, I understand Snyder’s vision and POV for these characters and this universe, and I think he was trying to make some good superhero films that differentiated themselves from the pack. But JL will be a disaster untold, at least from an entertainment and filmmaking perspective. Maybe people will pay to go see it, but you can’t make a good movie this way.
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Sorry if I talk too much Dave. It’s a failing. But just for the record, I’ve enjoyed talking movies with you here for the past few years, and I value your friendship.
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As I do yours and I needed the pep talk, no worries
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