Look, let's be real for a second. When Motive Studio dropped this game back in 2020, people weren't sure if it was a budget spin-off or the second coming of X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter. It was priced at forty bucks. It had no DLC planned. It felt like a weird, experimental side project from EA. But here we are years later, and the community is still asking: is Star Wars Squadrons good enough to warrant a download today?
The short answer? Yes. But there's a massive "if" attached to that.
If you are looking for Battlefront III, stop reading. You’ll hate this. This isn’t a casual "point and shoot" arcade romp where you can pull 180-degree turns without breaking a sweat. It is a technical, crunchy, and often frustratingly difficult flight simulator. It demands your attention. It demands that you actually learn how a cockpit works. Honestly, it’s the most "grown-up" Star Wars game we’ve had in decades, and that’s exactly why a specific group of players absolutely worships it.
The Learning Curve Is a Brick Wall (And That’s Great)
Most modern games want to hold your hand. They want you to feel like a hero within five minutes of hitting "Start." Squadrons doesn't care about your feelings. You’ll spend the first three hours accidentally crashing into the side of a Star Destroyer because you forgot to divert power to your engines.
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Power management is the beating heart of the game. You've got three systems: Engines, Lasers, and Shields (if you’re in a New Republic ship, anyway—TIE pilots just get the first two). You’re constantly shuffling energy back and forth using the D-pad or a keyboard macro. Need to chase down an A-wing? Dump everything into engines to get that "overcharge" boost. Getting pelted from behind? Max out the shields and pray. It creates this frantic, tactile rhythm that feels exactly like what we saw in A New Hope. You aren't just playing a game; you’re managing a machine that is actively trying to explode.
The skill ceiling is absurdly high. You’ll run into players who have mastered "drifting"—a mechanic where you boost, kill your engines, and rotate your ship while maintaining momentum. It looks cool. It feels impossible when you first try it. But once it clicks? You feel like Poe Dameron on a caffeine bender.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Campaign
A lot of reviews at launch dismissed the story mode as a glorified tutorial. That’s kinda reductive. While the missions are definitely designed to teach you the ropes for multiplayer, the narrative actually pulls some interesting weight. You play from two perspectives: Vanguard Squadron (New Republic) and Titan Squadron (Empire).
Seeing the post-Endor galaxy through the eyes of Imperial pilots who actually believe in the Empire is fascinating. They aren't just mustache-twirling villains; they're professional soldiers trying to maintain order in a collapsing system. The game utilizes "skybox" storytelling brilliantly. You’re flying through the shattered remains of a moon or the interior of a nebula, and the sense of scale is just... massive.
The characters you hang out with in the hangar between missions are a mixed bag, though. You spend a lot of time just standing there while they talk at you. It’s a bit static. But if you’re a lore nerd who wants to know what Hera Syndulla was up to after Rebels, or you want to see the Starhawk project in action, it’s worth the eight hours it takes to finish.
Multiplayer: Is Star Wars Squadrons Good for Solo Players?
Here is where the "is Star Wars Squadrons good" debate gets spicy. The primary mode is Fleet Battles. It’s a multi-stage tug-of-war. First, you fight for dogfight superiority. Then, you take out two medium-sized frigates. Finally, you assault the massive flagship.
It is incredible when you have a coordinated team. It is a nightmare when you’re playing with four strangers who won't get on mic. This is a team game. If you try to lone-wolf it against a high-level squad, you will get dismantled in seconds.
- Dogfights: Pure 5v5 team deathmatch. Fast, chaotic, and great for practice.
- Fleet Battles (VS AI): The unsung hero of the game. You can play with friends against bots, which is perfect for people who want the epic scale without the sweatiness of ranked play.
- Ranked Fleet Battles: This is the "Endgame." It’s intense. It’s sweaty. It’s where the veterans live.
The player base is smaller now than it was at launch, obviously. But the people who stayed? They are good. You will likely face a steep curve when jumping into matchmaking today. Don't let it discourage you. The community-run "Operation Ace" and various Discord leagues keep the competitive scene alive, even if EA has moved on to other projects.
The VR Factor: A Literal Game Changer
If you have a VR headset, Star Wars Squadrons isn't just a good game; it’s a religious experience. I’m not even kidding. Sitting in the cockpit of an X-Wing and being able to physically look "up" through the glass canopy to track a TIE Interceptor looping over your head changes everything.
The cockpits are rendered with obsessive detail. Every light, switch, and gauge actually means something. In a TIE Fighter, you’re stuck with a narrow front view, which creates this amazing sense of claustrophobia and raw speed. In an U-Wing, the visibility is huge. Playing this in VR with a HOTAS (Hands-On Throttle-And-Stick) setup is arguably the most immersive Star Wars experience ever created. Even better than the old Disney World rides.
Technical Nuances and "Silent" Updates
One thing people forget is that Motive did a few "surprise" updates before they went dark. They added the B-Wing and the TIE Defender. These ships changed the meta significantly. The B-Wing is a slow-moving tank with a rotating cockpit that is a nightmare to fly but hits like a freight train. The TIE Defender is a high-tech beast with shields that requires constant power cycling to stay viable.
The game runs on the Frostbite engine, and it’s gorgeous. The lighting effects when a capital ship explodes or the way the sun glints off the hull of a CR90 corvette—it’s peak visual fidelity. It’s also surprisingly well-optimized. You don't need a 2026-era supercomputer to run this at high settings.
Let’s Talk About the Problems
I’d be lying if I said it was perfect. The lack of live-service support means that once you’ve seen the maps, you’ve seen the maps. There isn't a new season coming. There aren't new ships on the horizon. What you see is what you get.
Also, the cosmetic progression is... fine? You earn "Glory" to buy skins and dashboard bobbleheads. It’s okay, but it doesn't have that "just one more match" hook that a game like Apex Legends might have. You play Squadrons because you love flying, not because you want a new decal for your wing.
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The matchmaking can also be a bit wonky due to the smaller player pool. Sometimes you’ll get matched against a "Galactic Ace" when you’re still a "Maverick." It happens. You just have to take the L and learn from it.
The Final Verdict: Should You Buy It?
If you want a cinematic experience where you can shut your brain off, look elsewhere. Maybe try the flying sections in Battlefront II. They’re fun! They’re pretty! But they aren't this.
However, if you’ve ever sat in a cardboard box as a kid and pretended to be Luke Skywalker, you need this game. It rewards patience. It rewards practice. There is no feeling quite like shutting down your power to "go cold," drifting past an asteroid to lose a missile lock, and then screaming back into the fight with overcharged lasers.
Next Steps for New Pilots:
- Skip the Multiplayer Initially: Play at least half of the story mode first. It’s essentially a 4-hour tutorial on how not to die.
- Invest in a Budget HOTAS: You can play with a controller, and many pros do, but a flight stick (like the Thrustmaster T.Flight) makes it a completely different game.
- Join the Discord: Look for the "5-Batch" or "Gray Squadron" communities. They are incredibly welcoming to "new blood" and will help you bypass the worst of the learning curve.
- Remap Your Controls: The default "Pitch/Yaw" settings on controllers are weird for some people. Take 20 minutes in the practice range to find what feels natural before you enter a real dogfight.
The galaxy is big, and the cockpit is small. But man, once you’re out there, it’s hard to come back to the ground.