Pew-Pew (Laser Noises)--Star Wars: Squadrons

Free games?  Yes, please!  Although, I will be the first to admit that the number of freebies that I've actually played are probably significantly outnumbered by those that are lingering unplayed in my various gaming libraries.  I decided to snag Epic Games' latest big name freebie--Star Wars: Squadrons.  As someone who grew up playing a slew of various Star Wars games, notably including X-Wing and TIE Fighter, I was excited to see Squadrons offered at the sweet $0 price tag.  I've played through the singleplayer story campaign and I've uncharacteristically been tooling around with the multiplayer mode.  I've gotta say, I'm greatly enjoying my time with Squadrons.

*Not my image, but a taste of what being in the cockpit is like.

Pros:

+ It looks amazing.  The graphics are great (and I'm sure they're even better for the leets with 4K) and the environments in the game are unique and very cool.  Unlike the classic flying games, you're not just flying through the vastness of space (though much filled with a conglomeration of enemy and friendly ships), and each zone features plenty of floating hazards to make combat a much less straightforward affair.  There are zones featuring the remnants of a fractured moon--you zip around in your ship with a giant, glowing wreck scattering chunks of planet all over the place or you're buzzing through the many jutting towers of a space station.

+ The singleplayer story is enjoyable and features a storyline that bounces back and forth between the Rebel Alliance and the Empire.  The story itself is a pretty stock-standard Star Wars kind of deal--the Empire is doing something big/bad, the Rebel Alliance is trying to counter them, there's betrayal, there's friendship...you know, right?  The missions themselves have varied goals, so you're not just in a dogfight, but you might be trying to take down a capital ship, or to target special systems on a space station.  One aspect of the story that is fun is the fact that you can chat with your squadmates between missions--it's not like you're clicking dialogue, but it does give you some background about them and both sides feature memorable characters.  All-in-all, the singleplayer campaign probably clocks in around 10-15 hours.

+ Classic Star Wars fighters to choose from.  You've got your Rebel Alliance ships--X-Wings, A-Wings, Y-Wings; and your Imperial fighters--the classic TIE, the TIE interceptor, and the TIE bomber.  In singleplayer you don't always get to choose which ship you're going to be flying and each has its own specific strengths and weaknesses.  You can also personalize your loadout on each ship to fit your own playstyle preferences.

+ Two multiplayer modes to choose from--the Co-Op "fleet battle" mode pits your team against a team from the opposing faction to see who can destroy an enemy capital ship first; or "dogfight" mode which pits two groups of five fighters against each other.  I've steadfastly avoided the "fleet battle" mode but the dogfight option is a lot of fun.  Unlike the singleplayer campaign you can choose your ship before every fight and personalize your loadout.  The multiplayer also offers up a few other options for ships--support ships (U-Wing/Reaper) and specialized ships (B-Wing/TIE Defender).  To win the match teams must be the first to score 30 kills or be ahead when the timer runs out (I think it's 15 minutes, but I have yet to be in a match where the time expires).  Matches are quick and generally enjoyable--even when you're getting stomped.

There aren't any microtransactions and you earn experience for each multiplayer match you complete.  The rewards for levelling up are requisition which allows you to unlock specialized options for your ships (things like different weapon or missile types) and a currency that is used for cosmetics.  There are tons of cosmetic options both for your character and your ship.  The system is not pay-to-win in any way.

And, the best part, you can completely mute all chat!

+ VR!  I don't have VR, but if you do, you can pop on your little headset and blast ships in stunning detail.

Cons:

- Character creation is pretty basic and once you start playing multiplayer you get the feeling you're playing with a bunch of clones.  Luckily, once you start earning enough cosmetic currency you can start to make your pilots more unique.  Character creation consists of choosing from a set list of pre-made faces...and that's really it.

- Matchmaking in multiplayer can be a bit odd.  I've been in matches with players who have a level over 1000 and people who are level 1.  Since it's an older game don't expect for the playing field to always be exactly even (generally, it's still enjoyable though--plus, matches are so short that if you're getting stomped, it's over quickly).

- Nesting launchers.  Yes, you will have to use Origin even when launching through Steam or Epic.  Ick.

Recommendation:

I've had a great time playing Squadrons and as someone who avoids multiplayer like the plague, I've been pleasantly surprised at how much I've enjoyed playing it.  If you were lucky enough to snag it while it was free, awesome!  I'm not sure I would pay the full $39.99 for it, but it does seem to frequently go on sale.  If you're a fan of Star Wars flying games and can grab it on the cheap, give it a go.