Star Wars Battlefront

Electronic Arts

Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One

With a quick sprint, you push into the dense undergrowth of Endor, an Ewok scurrying into a tree far above. A battalion of Stormtroopers haphazardly fires in the distance—the pew pew pew feeding the adrenaline of combat and the rush of childhood nostalgia. Star Wars Battlefront, an EA reboot of the popular first-person-shooter series (LucasArts, 2004-09), delivers the epic feel of a galaxy far, far away in every detail. Beautiful landscapes across diverse maps, character models and sound design—from iconic music to the hum of a passing TIE Fighter—immerse you in the Star Wars universe, making it one of the best Star Wars games in recent years. Unfortunately, it's not a great video game. There's no campaign, the multiplayer unlocks are slow and unintriguing, and character customization is almost nonexistent. The repetitiveness of infantry combat takes its toll, but the Force is strong and Jedi and Sith alike will relish the fanboy/fangirl experience—even if it's a glorified version of Disneyland's Star Tours.