When it comes to turn-based tactics games, it is hard not to compare games to XCOM. That’s because, for a long time, it was the yardstick for excellent games like this. So, with Star Wars Zero Company releasing as a fancy new turn-based tactics game, I am going to work hard not to call it Star Wars XCOM. Even if it totally is.
What is a Zero Company?
Star Wars Zero Company drops us into the end of the Clone Wars. Here there are all kinds of chaos in the galaxy, and a dangerous cult has grown that needs to be sorted. So, this is where our protagonist, Hawkes, comes in. Hawkes is an ex-military member who runs a group of mercenaries called Zero Company. This opportunity provides him/her with the chance to clear a lot of debt they have with the Hutts.
I won’t delve too much into the story, because it is something you deserve to experience. Somehow, this is one of the better Star Wars stories I have enjoyed for a while. The characters are shockingly well written, and the story was actually engaging the whole time. I spent far more time taking the time to read information in this game than I do with most.
Though you will recruit plenty of customisable characters, there are a bunch that are core to the story, so you get a nice mix of characters you don’t mind losing, to ones you don’t want to. This is no mean feat as the game has permadeath, so you can lose characters that had future plot moments to tell in the heat of battle. The story adapts if this happens, allowing you to not even realise there may have been more to see on one playthrough.
Surprisingly approachable
It took me a few goes to get into another unnamed tactical game, because the strategy aspect of it was so important. Trying to balance aggression and finding cover was a real challenge for my aggro brain to get around, so it took a few times to get my teeth into XCOM, I mean unnamed game. Star Wars Zero Company, on the other hand, isn’t quite so brutal. With a good range of difficulty settings, you can make it way harder, but on the easier settings you can easily throw a character into the middle of the action without too much fear of them dying. Especially because they have to be downed a few times without being saved by your party before they are gone for the rest of your playthrough.
This means the game is far more approachable for people with passing interests in the genre, which is exactly what I would want to see for a Star Wars game. The franchise pulls you in, and the fun gameplay hooks you in the genre.
A cracking action game
If you are new to the genre, it is a lot of a turn-based game. You have a turn where each character has a certain number of action points. You can use these to run and hide, shoot up some peps, and there is even some lightsaber action to play with. Once you have done all your stuff, the enemy gets their turn to try to finish you off. I know, this sounds slow as hell, and the genre is in a way like that. Star Wars Zero Company simplifies things in a way where, once you have your head around it, which doesn’t take long, it is fast and seamless.
The biggest benefit here for new players, is that any combination of characters and character classes will work fine on the easier difficulties. Do you like high action or big tanky characters? Go hard, you can make it work. On the higher difficulties, you may need to look for more synergy though, like pairing tanky characters with a medic.
The other thing that makes this feel a lot more actiony are the cut scenes. It is a high-energy plot-driven story with a fantastic aesthetic. You go from exciting cut scenes to exciting action quickly, making it feel, well… Star Wars. The only real issue is some of the loading screens can be rough, even on a PS5 Pro. But once you are in the game, I never have any issues with performance.
Should you check out Star Wars Zero Company?
This is such an easy yes. The tactical gameplay is fun and approachable, the story is fun and surprisingly interesting, and it’s familiar in many ways while feeling distinctly unique. It’s everything I wanted from an XCOM Star Wars and more.
This is exactly what I wanted from a Star Wars game! A fun story, fantastic gameplay, and I will be returning to it time and time again to see how the game plays out when some of my favourite characters don't die!
