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Star Wars Games: What Happened?

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Let me preface this by saying that the upcoming Battlefront II looks pretty cool. That being said, its existence is indicative of one of the many problems plaguing modern Star Wars games.

When I was younger, we used to get Star Wars games left and right every single year, sometimes even multiple times a year. They weren’t all good, in fact a good chunk are pretty bad, but at the very least we got them. Now we barely get any and what we do get is either not that good or just doesn’t add that much to the existing Star Wars experience. I find this very strange considering the era of the maligned Star Wars prequels was a better time for gamers than that of the much more critically acclaimed new films under Disney.

There was a bit of a lead up to The Phantom Menace when it came to games (for example the Dark Forces games), but it was really after Attack of the Clones where it picked up greatly. However, we did get hit games Episode I: Racer and Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader in between the two.

After the second prequel but before Revenge of the Sith we got a huge amount of great Star Wars games. Knights of the Old Republic, Knights of the Old Republic II – The Sith Lords, Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast, Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy, Bounty Hunter, the original Battlefront, and so on and so forth.

Finally, after Episode III came out, we got such hits as the original Battlefront II, Republic Commando, all the good LEGO Star Wars games, etc.

There are plenty of games I’m not mentioning, mainly since I just wanted to focus on how many quality games we got. However, Star Wars games started to taper off from there. There were a few good ones like the original The Force Unleashed and The Old Republic but, for the most part, things had changed.

From there it was almost nothing but cancellations, poor entries, and lack of content. The Rogue Squadron, Jedi Knight, Knights of the Old Republic, Republic Commando, and Battlefront series all had cancelled sequels. New IPs like 1313 and a Darth Maul game were cancelled as well. After that, the overall continuity was reset with Disney’s purchase of Lucasfilm, LucasArts was shut down, and EA was given the rights to Star Wars games.

EA’s first Star Wars game came four years after The Old Republic, the previous Star Wars game (we don’t talk about Kinect), and disappointed fans everywhere. Since then, we’ve gotten an underwhelming LEGO adaptation of The Force Awakens and some DLC for the rebooted Battlefront, for The Old Republic, and for Disney Infinity. With EA’s 2017 E3 conference behind them, we have a confirmed Battlefront II for this fall with “three times more content than Battlefront 1”, whatever that means, and nothing else. We also didn’t learn that much since the game had already been announced a month prior. What we saw was mainly EA trying to drive home the multiple eras feature of the new game.

Both Visceral Games and Respawn Entertainment have been confirmed to be working on something. However, we got absolutely nothing regarding those two games at E3 so they’re no doubt far away from being released. This is especially considering EA’s history with Star Wars announcements, having had something to show at E3 2013 with Battlefront finally coming out after two more years of conferences.

As I said in the beginning, Battlefront II looks great. However, it’s both a reboot and the sequel to a reboot of a franchise that I (and many out there) preferred under Pandemic and LucasArts rather than Dice and EA. Things have declined greatly for fans of Star Wars games. Hopefully, I’m wrong and EA really is turning things around, but I’m not holding my breath after their disappointing E3 2017 conference.

Trailer for Battlefront II

I spend most of my days working towards my Writing and Rhetoric degree at the University of Central Florida, but I spend a lot of my down time keeping up to date on the best TV, movies, and video games the industry has to offer. Here I put all of that extended time to use discussing each of them in-depth.

Gaming

Gran Turismo 7 Update 1.46 introduces an exciting addition to the roster of exclusive cars available in the PS5 and PS4 racing game

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Gran Turismo 7 has just received an exciting update to version 1.46 on both PS5 and PS4. This latest update introduces a unique addition to the game: the Škoda Vision Gran Turismo, a car that you won’t come across in any other game. Škoda makes its debut in the franchise with a visionary study of a single-seater, all-electric racing concept car, designed exclusively for the Polyphony Digital racer.

Once you’ve downloaded update 1.46, you’ll have the opportunity to test drive not one but two additional cars: the AFEELA Prototype 2024 and the iconic Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454 Sport Coupe ’70. Get ready for an exhilarating ride! Watch as they take to the track in the video above.

Additionally, the update introduces a new menu for players to tackle in the GT Café. At Collector Level 38, players have the opportunity to delve into the fascinating world of Ferrari 12-cylinder engines, gaining knowledge and expanding their collection. In World Circuits, players can look forward to exciting new events such as the Japanese Clubman Cup 550, the American FR Challenge 550, and the Vision Gran Turismo Trophy. For all the avid fans of Photo Mode, there’s an exciting opportunity to explore the captivating city of San Diego in a brand new Scape.

What are your thoughts on the latest update for Gran Turismo 7? Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments section.

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ReFantazio Takes a Different Approach to Romance, Setting Itself Apart from the Persona Games

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Atlus’ highly anticipated RPG, Metaphor: ReFantazio, appears to incorporate familiar systems reminiscent of the developer’s acclaimed Persona series. The game features turn-based battles that heavily rely on exploiting enemy weaknesses. Additionally, players have the ability to summon warrior spirits during combat. However, the most significant aspect of this game, which will be discussed in this article, is the bonding system. Through this system, players can spend time with important characters and gain deeper insights into their personalities and stories.

In contrast to the Persona games, the bonding system ends at that point. Unfortunately, players will be unable to pursue romantic relationships with their beloved waifus, which may come as a disappointment to those who have developed strong feelings for Hulkenberg, the party’s charismatic red-haired elven knight.

According to Siliconera, the absence of romance came up during a recent question and answer session. Atlus emphasized the continued opportunity to develop meaningful relationships with your allies while also introducing additional narratives through substories. In addition, familiarizing yourself with the supporting characters will grant you access to new archetypes, which serve as the game’s character classes.

In the Persona games, romance is not obligatory; rather, it serves as a means to customize your playthrough. However, it is quite unexpected that Metaphor has chosen not to pursue such a venture, considering the significant amount of discussion it typically generates!

Were you anticipating any romantic elements in Metaphor? If you’re not satisfied with your pre-order, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below.

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Shift Up unveils the intriguing details behind the physical packaging of Stellar Blade for the PS5

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It appears that many

are eagerly anticipating the launch of the highly anticipated PS5 exclusive, Stellar Blade. Shift Up, the developer, has shared a lengthy video showcasing the “secrets” found in the physical box of the game for PS5. From what we can gather, these secrets include a reversible cover/dust jacket and a download code for cosmetic items.

We must clarify that while we do appreciate the variant cover, it may be more appealing than the game’s standard art. However, it is not something we would typically classify as a “secret.”. However, what’s interesting is that Shift Up has confirmed through the comments section that this will be the case in all regions. Additionally, the visually striking action RPG will remain uncensored worldwide.

It’s refreshing to witness a developer going the extra mile for physical collectors, and it’s evident that the developer is determined to leave a favorable mark in the console realm. Stellar Blade is set to make its highly anticipated debut this Friday, April 26th, exclusively on the PS5.

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