Star Wars Zero Company Review

XCOM: Enemy Down is still one of the best strategy games that you can try to this day, and still be amazed by its gameplay. After the sequel to XCOM, there has only been an itch to try out a new XCOM-like game, and thanks to former staff members of Firaxis Games teaming up with Respawn Entertainment to bring us Star Wars Zero Company. Although Respawn Entertainment and Electronic Arts have done a great job of providing amazing games in the Star Wars franchise, Zero Company feels like a gift to strategy lovers with a rich Clone Wars-era narrative. This is our review of Star Wars Zero Company, developed by Bit Reactor and published by Electronic Arts.

NOTE: A review copy of the game was provided by the publisher.

Story

Star Wars Zero Company is set during the Clone Wars era, where you play as Tesh Hawks, the leader of Zero Company. The Zero Company is a group of misfits and mercenaries that fights the threat to the galaxy. Hawks leads the Zero Company to investigate the Infinite Coil, a cult-like faction led by Kundri Fathom. The Coil has a special bio-weapon called the Shadow Plague, which is powerful enough to grant Dark Side abilities and unnatural strength.

Overall, the story and tone of Star Wars Zero Company is more grounded than Jedi and Outlaws titles. It is focused more on mercenaries, politics, strategies, and survival.

Gameplay

Star Wars Zero Company is a turn-based tactics video game, very similar to XCOM, but more. It is played from a top-down perspective, giving you enough view to read the room and make strategies to win the encounters. The game offers character customization at the start, where you can customize Hawks’ appearance, gender, and voice. Throughout the adventure, you manage a Den, which is the main hub to conduct research, upgrade gear, and more. Out in the field, you control a squad of different classes. Newer characters unlock as you go through the main missions, while you can also add custom mercenaries to the squad. The story-based characters have their own unique skills and abilities.

Every character in your squad has a limited number of Action Points that you can spend for abilities and actions. Wasting action points can be devastating, especially in difficult fights. Moreover, you also have to position the characters carefully to avoid any severe injuries. Although the combat can become repetitive, the dynamic mission and encounter design make every fight feel new. The common strategy might not work in all encounters, so it is always best to strategize first. However, the normal difficulty feels a bit too easy, so I highly recommend notching up the difficulty for a better challenge.

Aside from the core gameplay and combat maneuvers, there are some role-playing elements in Star Wars Zero Company. You can gather intel by starting non-combat operations in which you have to make narrative decisions with consequences. Moreover, while you are out managing the Den, you can explore the world in third-person perspective. You can speak with all of your squad members and other characters. Characters can have strong and low bonds that trigger certain consequences in the story.

Sound and Visuals

The sound design of Star Wars Zero Company is great, as Gordy Haab provides a dynamic soundtrack for it with heroic brass and strings during battles. All characters have unique personalities, which are highly influenced by the amazing voice acting. Moreover, the sounds of explosions and blaster fire feel authentic.

The visuals of Star Wars Zero Company are clearly designed to provide an authentic Star Wars experience. The gritty, vibrant look with a dusky space tone gives it a unique look. Moreover, the battle animations and cutscenes add more depth to the presentation of the adventure.

Verdict – Score 9/10

Star Wars Zero Company is probably one of the best, if not the best, recent tactics games that you can experience. It is specifically designed in a way for players who have a love for both tactics and the Star Wars universe. The gameplay evolves from the classic XCOM and allows players to strategize at every encounter. Besides the combat, the game gives you the freedom to roam the Den to converse with other characters to strengthen the bond that can trigger specific scenarios in the story. Overall, this game provides a complete package of amazing tactics with a compelling Star Wars story.

Star Wars Zero Company is now available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.