Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron Impressions

The Star Wars Battlefront series has found a natural home on the PSP, with two games having been released on the system and a third one set for release in November. We managed to grab a look at the latest game, subtitled Elite Squadron, at this year's GamesCom convention.

The headline feature of the new game is battles that occur on multiple levels. On the Hoth level we were shown, you can do battle both on the planet surface and the space above it. It's an interesting concept because you can jump in an X-Wing on the ground and then fly up into space to go dogfighting or even dock with a space cruiser. There are also weapons on the ground that you can use to take out the huge battleships orbiting overhead, such as the antiorbital ion cannon on the Hoth surface.

All 12 of the maps in Elite Squadron have ground and space levels like this, with battles on both the ground and in space happening simultaneously. Like its predecessor, you can play with up to 15 other people online and up to five other people over a local wireless connection. Playing through the game will unlock new character customisations and vehicle decals, meaning if you get into an AT-AT, it will be emblazoned with your own personal logo.

Elite Squadron also has an original story--something that was always missing from this predominantly multiplayer series. The narrative will span the entire Star Wars film saga and a little bit beyond, as you control X2, an Imperial trooper cloned from a Jedi master who defects to the Rebellion.

Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron is shaping up well, and it's good to see that this series has flourished on a handheld console. Speaking of which, it's also coming to the DS this year, and you can expect both games to arrive before the end of the year.