If anyone hasn't read it,
this Polygon interview with creative director Ian Frazier is very thorough -- and it definitely got my hype levels up even more. I especially like him saying that it isn't a "game as a service" thing where they are going to roll out modes and elements as time goes on; instead, they wanted it to be a complete experience out-of-the-box. Considering that lower price point, I'm into a smaller game that does what it aims to do successfully.
Thanks for the link. That's an interesting read, even though it has tempered my optimism a little.
Frazier specifically cites Poe Dameron's drift at the start of TLJ as an inspiration, and then mentions how they've built the gameplay/handling/boost functions around that. That moment took me out of the film, every time, as inconsistent with how SW space combat had been portrayed before. So that's a concern.
On the plus side he mentions how TIE Fighters don't have shields, and that they don't even allow shields as customisable add-ons for TIEs. Great stuff. Fans know that the Empire works by sheer volume of craft; one TIE is not a challenge for one X-Wing, but three TIEs are different.
But then he mentions that they've looked at TIE hull integrity instead, implying that there's a balancing going on that shouldn't be. I
really hope I'm wrong there.
Then, at the end of the article, Frazier explains how the different weapons upgrades work. This sounds great, and like it'll be a fun mechanic.
So overall I just don't really know what to expect.
The success of the original X-Wing series was in how immersive it was (and remains) as a SW experience. It'd be great to get a new version of that, and Squadrons has become my most anticipated game release of the year.
It's just that, given the concept has been executed so well already before, it has a lot to live up to!
