Mired in controversy and widely considered the gaming PR disaster of the year, EA's Star Wars Battlefront II is finally here and as a life-long Star Wars fan I find myself questioning almost every aspect of it. At its core, Battlefront II is a sound game, a great addition to any fan's collection, but the nagging issues that plague it stem far beyond the micro-transactions that have been so widely publicized of late.

I thoroughly enjoyed 2015's Star Wars Battlefront, not just because we had a Star Wars game drought in the years leading to its launch, but because it was a lovingly crafted multiplayer adventure into a galaxy far, far away. While it certainly wasn't without fault, it was an accessible and welcoming game that did little in the way of shoving anything down the player's throat and boasted some of the most immersive gameplay ever seen in the famous science fantasy universe. The most glaring issue for many was that of a lack of single-player campaign, something so essential to any Star Wars experience.

No surprise then that the sequel serves up a palatable storyline to satiate the critical masses and it is in this promising campaign that Battlefront II first stumbles. Set just before the Battle of Endor and destruction of the second Death Star, Battlefront II's story follows an elite Imperial unit known as Inferno Squad. Led by the likable Iden Versio, Inferno Squad is tasked with completing a series of last requests laid down by the now deceased Emperor Palpatine. On the positive side the first half of the campaign sets an intriguing plot into motion and is made even more engaging by taking the stance of the Empire as the do-gooders. A particularly poignant mission leads the team down onto an Imperial stronghold planet, Vardos, and it's here that the scale and might of the Empire really felt tangible and menacing. Propaganda and military might loom like a dark shadow over the entire mission, something many fans have longed to experience. In addition to some truly jaw-dropping set pieces, like running along the flanks of a burning Star Destroyer, there are some genuinely heartfelt moments between characters but these are short lived and character exploration is kept to a bare minimum.

Unfortunately, the plot quickly begins to fall apart in a very predictable manner after the first two or so hours. Tired tropes return and begin to sour the experience after such a promising start. This is further exacerbated when familiar faces return to serve up some of the dullest missions in the game adding little to the ongoing narrative. As someone who loves Star Wars and finds it hard to fault almost anything about it (except the prequels), I found the campaign testing my resolve multiple times. The varied locations are welcome, but it's hard not to feel like these were shoehorned in to show off the exotic locales boasted in the meat of the game's multiplayer. Weapons and pickups all feel like they were placed to teach you how to use them in multiplayer. The promising characters and plot become disjointed and fall away all too quickly and leave a bit of a bitter aftertaste when all is said and done. I, for one, never felt that the original game needed to feature a campaign, but this certainly isn't what I was hoping for from the sequel.

The real heart of Battlefront II's offering is the multiplayer, and for the most part, there has been a great improvement. The addition of classes add a degree of tactical variety that its predecessor simply couldn't match. Special units and heroes are now earned via battle points which add up as you complete objectives, kill enemies and play as a team. Previously, heroes and units were picked up on the field via random spawn tokens. The new method works as you can spend an entire match saving up those precious battle points to play as Kylo Ren or Rey now, but it doesn't feel like this change was entirely necessary. It hardly felt that Battlefront needed an overhaul on its gunplay, but there are noticeable improvements to the look and feel of weapons as well as an increased armoury which can only ever be a good thing.

The scale of Battlefront has never been bigger than it is here as all three eras in 11 locations of the cinematic universe and beyond are present. From the drenched grey platforms of Kamino to the swampy marshes of Kashyyyk during the Clone Wars to the lush moss covered temples of Yavin 4 during the Imperial era. Fans of the new films will be happy to know that even Starkiller base makes an appearance alongside other locations from the Force Awakens. All locations and their contents are painstakingly built to replicate their theatrical counterparts which makes for some of the most immersive and enjoyable Star Wars gaming this side of the sun. Added to these are vehicles and special units from their respective eras and all are accurately depicted and well detailed. I swooned at the chance to run around the cloning facility on Kamino as a first generation clone trooper or take it to the Republic as a Super Battle Droid on the beautiful streets of Theed. These experiences are further enhanced with some of the most incredible sound design in gaming, every single blaster bolt fired and thermal detonator explosion are perfectly delivered and when coupled with one of the most iconic scores in history and you have a recipe for success.

With multiple modes to boot Battlefront II boasts some pretty addictive gameplay. The overhauled Fighter Squadron mode now known as Starfighter Assault is an impressive expansion to the experience. Objective based gameplay and some of the most exciting dogfights in recent years leave little to be desired. Smaller modes like Blast return alongside the fan favourite Heroes vs. Villains and pepper the entire experience with varied gameplay. The main mode, Galactic Assault is a marvel and adds tactical prowess and encourages team play to complete successfully on both sides.

Unfortunately it does have an ugly side, and unless you have been living under a rock, you know all about the Star Card system and dreaded loot crates. Battlefront II's most painful misstep is monetizing its progression to a large extent. Star Cards are nothing new to the series, but sadly the implementation of the system here is nothing short of evil. Developers tread a fine line between grinding and sheer cheek when implementing a level based progression system. Battlefront II has been lambasted over the past few months since the beta over its tediously slow progression and pay to win system of loot crates with powerful star cards. At the time of writing this EA has since rescinded the system from all online storefronts and made adjustments to the pricing of in game unlockables like Darth Vader as a playable character, and they must be commended for this.

But the fact that an unfair system like this existed in the first place cannot go unnoticed. One might argue that if you play enough of the game, these rewards may eventually become unlockable, but with the high-speed era of gaming in its current state its hard not to buckle for a purchase to stay relevant. Especially when you are getting utterly devastated in multiplayer by players who have paid to unlock additional shield buffs or extra damage on a primary weapon with a certain Star Card. I applaud EA for their commitment to the community for tailoring the experience post launch but the entire scenario may have already done too much damage for the title, much like its predecessor. Even still, the loot crates are not gone for good and may very well return in the future albeit with some changes.

Star Wars Battlefront II was probably one of my most anticipated titles of the year, one that promised so much for fans of the saga. Unfortunately it is let down by the stifling progression system and a disjointed main campaign. There is so much depth to the game within the walls of multiplayer with exotic new locations and fresh experiences to be had, but I cant help but feel like we are bearing witness to a shift in the way games are made and nothing makes me sadder than seeing this happen in what is without a doubt my most beloved franchise. There was great promise and in many ways it delivers, EA have altered the deal, let us pray they do not alter it further.