DLC still remains a “touchy” subject for some people.  It’s one of those things where you have to take into account how some are too stingy to recognize what they’re getting for their money is good value while also accounting for the possibility that some companies are, indeed, being greedy rip-offs.  There’s a give and take, and over the course of my DLC reviews, my message about DLC will become clear.

BESPIN

If there’s one thing that the Bespin DLC gets correct right off the bat, it’s that it sticks to a larger game mode spectacle.  All of the game modes are 32 players, and while this is actually a drop from 40 players for already “big” game modes such as Walker Assault, this is a SIGNIFICANT increase in head count for a majority of the game’s modes.  This turns out to immediately be a good thing.  Were you tired of Team Deathmatch (aka “Blast”) only having 20 players?  Now it’s 32.  Were you tired of Fighter Squadron only having 20 players?  Now it’s 32.  If you know me, then you know that last one really got my giblets exploding in moisture.  Fighter Squadron with 32 players is an absolute blast.  See what I did there…?  Anyway, it’s the move to larger player counts on normally small modes that makes Bespin take on the larger scale warfare that made the game more exciting to begin with.  This includes bringing more heroes into the fight concurrently as well as a few new ones who I have zero care in the world for.  Seriously, you have to be a Star Wars fan to care about either of those cocky bastards.  The additions include some new weapons, some new cards, and naturally just about the worst possible vehicle to use against star fighters… literally.  They might have patched it by now, but the Cloud Car is absolute garbage in the skies, and I highly recommend NOT using it.  Lastly, the maps themselves are more of what can be coined as “modular” maps using a single set of assets leading to a “repetitive” appearance.  Even so, the various configurations all look pretty and play well having diversity between long range sniping opportunities and close quarters chaos.  Unfortunately, these new maps see some odd issues, and much like the Cloud Car being useless in the skies, so too is the Walker in many situations on the ground.  These can be troubling moments, as ones excitement can be completely destroyed by absolute futility like not being able to get a single kill in the Walker or seeing yourself blown up from every which way in the Cloud Car.  Despite these obvious problems, though, I definitely found myself having more fun much like the original game offered me with its big modes, except now it includes the once-small modes as well.

CHANGES

There have been just so many patches, so instead of telling you each one or key changes, I’ll tell you what has changed in the overall feel if you haven’t played the game since a few months after launch.  In short, it’s been catered to the majority of “gamer” complaints about things being OP.  A lot of overall effectiveness has been toned down to “level” the playing field, so don’t be surprised if your favorite weapon is just so much less deadly than you remember.  The easiest example I can give you is the major nerf to the Pulse Cannon.  This was the go-to sniper’s choice, but now it’s been brought down to the “gamer” level, requiring you to be well within range of just about any long range blaster.  While none of these changes are DLC specific, let me just be clear with a few choice words: overall worse.

CONCLUSION

While Star Wars Battlefront continues its fade from existence as hot titles are incoming, the Bespin DLC brought me back in a fun way.  It reminded of why I scored the game the way I did to begin with, and while overall patches have made the game’s overall operability cater to the lowest common denominator, it was nice to actually enjoy bigger versions of the original game’s smaller modes.  Unfortunately, my enjoyment did see marring by poorly designed vehicular problems, the standouts being the Cloud Car and the Walker.  In the end, 32-player Fighter Squadron and 32-player Blast put me back in the fun seat with new blasters, but only for a time.  Here’s hoping the Death Star DLC takes what this DLC does do right, and at least rids itself of design flaws.

I give the Star Wars Battlefront – Bespin DLC…

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