After over a year of teases and tasters, EA's much contested reboot of the Battlefront franchise finally made its way to the couches of many a Star Wars fan this week, and I'm extremely happy to report that the hype seems to have paid off. Now whilst the beta may have drawn to a close this Monday, it'd be hard to argue that it hasn't left a lasting impression. With but a few game modes to choose from (Walker Assault, Drop Zone and Survival), the developers at DICE showed off what may just be their strongest videogame offering yet - with years of hardwork and dedication finally culminating in a Star Wars experience that feels as much a love letter to the film series as it does its fans. Needless to say, there's a lot packed into this online shooter. Everything from the sound design to the visuals feel exactly as they should do, and Battlefront's quintessential Star Wars-iness easily helps differentiate it from the severe onslaught of FPSs coming to consoles and PCs this year. Even the most ardent objectors of EA's Star Wars licence won't be able to contain their giddiness when they lock themselves in a dogfight with a TIE fighter, or even better - find themselves scrambling to avoid the ever-deadly Darth Vader brandishing his sabre on the battlefront. What I find most interesting about Battlefront's current success with fans is that it's not the big elements of the game that are drawing people in, but its sheer attention to detail and authenticity. The moment you select your loadout and fall into the icy plains of Hoth it really feels like you're there - dodging blaster fire and scrambling for control of the area along with the rest of your Imperial or Rebel buddies. Indeed, for those who can't get enough of a Galaxy far, far away, Battlefront's return is bound to take advantage of decades of untapped nostalgia in a way other Star Wars titles haven't quite managed yet.
WhatCulture's very own resident movie guy, Ewan has been working in the content creation biz for over 10 years now, having started as a freelance contributor to WhatCulture Gaming all the way back in 2015. After graduating with a First-Class Honours in History from Northumbria University in 2017 (where he won a prize for a totally killer dissertation on the Watergate years), Ewan took on the role of Comics Editor at WhatCulture and quickly developed WhatCulture Comics into one of the biggest superhero-focused channels on YouTube. He followed this with a brief hiatus at Screen Rant in 2021, where he worked across the Gaming and Film sections as a writer and editor, before returning to WhatCulture as a Senior Content Producer / Presenter in 2023. He started his own podcast, We Love Dad Movies, in 2022, and has contributed several written pieces to the Eisner-nominated comics website Shelfdust as well.
In his current role, Ewan incorporates his love of cinema, comic books, and history into written pieces and video essays for WhatCulture's Film & TV channel, as well as WhatCulture Gaming and WhatCulture Horror, with a particular focus on nineties-era Dad Movies, old school Westerns, and Golden Age Hollywood Noir. John Carpenter is his fave, and he thinks Batman Beyond should never have been cancelled. If that's your vibe, you'll probably like his stuff.
