"Star Wars Zero Company" reviewed: Turn-based tactics close to perfection
The latest adaptation of the most famous space saga borrows generously from its competitors – and gets almost everything right in the process.
You don't have to be a plastic-lightsaber-wielding fanboy to criticize Disney's handling of the Star Wars license. The Mouse House has reliably driven the sci-fi saga into the ground in recent years. Far away from the cinematic and series productions, the galaxy far, far away is in a better place – thanks in part to Respawn Entertainment's excellent Star Wars Jedi duology, which, along with the older Knights of the Old Republic games, ranks among the best franchise adaptations.
Star Wars Zero Company is now setting out to challenge both series for a spot on the podium. Will it succeed?
"Never tell me the odds," a famous smuggler once said.
The Clone Wars are back
Zero Company is set shortly before the end of the Clone Wars – in cinematic chronology, that is between Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. I take on the role of Hawks, a former Republic commander who was dishonorably discharged after a failed mission and has been scraping by as a mercenary ever since.
In a surprisingly versatile character editor, I can give Hawks a species and a class, and style him to my liking. I opt for a sniper and stick with the default look because I'm currently too lazy to choose between 14 different three-day beards.
In hindsight, this turns out to be the right decision, because while the protagonist (or female protagonist, if desired) can be changed at will, they are not a personality-free avatar of mine. Hawks is a cynical ex-military man with a big heart and decades of experience. A slightly grumpy guy with graying hair sells this role much more credibly than a Gen Z-er with a broccoli haircut.
More grumbling than happy, Hawks then takes on a new job: The intelligence agency of his former employer puts him on the trail of a separatist cult called The Spiral.
Four wins
I don't have to fight the cult alone. Over the course of the roughly 30-hour story, six allies join me, representing a sort of best-of medley of the series: a Mandalorian, a clone trooper, Jar Jar Binks, a young Jedi Padawan, and more. They all have their own motivations and good reasons to join me in battle. In its best moments, my ragtag group reminds me of the crew of the Normandy from Mass Effect.
For the turn-based tactical missions, I can field four of them. Here, I command Hawks and co. in an isometric view through levels of varying sizes, where my strategy determines victory or defeat.
Each unit has three action points that can be invested in movement, attacking, or support. I have to position my team skillfully, for which there are half and full cover positions, which in turn determine the hit rate for both me and my opponents.
My Hawks feels most comfortable as a sniper in an elevated position. Here, I have a full overview and can support my front-line fighters. The interplay of Company Zero is essential: enemies must be flanked or bombed out of their defensive positions. Team members who help each other receive support points. Those who frequently shoot together receive small buffs that can often be match-decisive in difficult situations. If they become BFFs, there is an exclusive bonus for both.
Even more important is the right mix of troops. There are twelve different specializations, essentially the jobs of Zero Company. The bounty hunter Cly can quickly reach the entire map thanks to her jetpack, Trick is a good tank as a stubborn clone trooper, and the Jedi warrior Tel-Rea sends enemies into the abyss with a Force push. The latter is very satisfying. Every time.
An additional tactical element is provided by the preparation bar. A successful attack adds a point to an overall pool that unlocks particularly powerful actions: attacks with a rocket launcher, a strong heal, or a shot that always hits. It's a complex system, but when all the different mechanics click, I feel like the smartest tactical general in the world.
If a companion does go down, they can be revived with a slight penalty. If this happens three times, they die and are out of the story. If you prefer it less hardcore, you can turn off permadeath in the options.
Home, sweet home
The battles in Zero Company are only half the game. Between missions, I control Hawks in the third-person perspective through the Den – a decommissioned freighter located on the Ring of Kafrene, the asteroid trading station from Rogue One. It acts as a base. Here, I change my equipment, distribute skill points, patch up the wounded, and chat with the team. The socializing pays off: all companions have their own side stories tied to exclusive missions.
After I've upgraded and finished chatting, I head to the holotable. This shows an overview of the various areas and where my help is needed, divided into operations and missions. Operations are handled passively. Most of the time, they only confront me with a short block of text and perhaps a multiple-choice decision. As a game element, they feel slightly aimless. The missions, on the other hand, are the classic tactical battles.
Both modes have a time limit, which is why I often have to choose between several assignments. In some cases, my choice determines the progress of the Spiral. For example, there are some sabotage missions where I have to prevent the cult from researching new technologies. I can then choose to prevent the freaks from hitting harder or being able to take more damage.
Completed missions flush credits into the company treasury, and from there they immediately go into new tools and the expansion of the Den. "Immediately" is to be taken literally: additional beds for the infirmary, a line to the black market, or another equipment slot consume so much that my account balance is chronically hovering around zero. At least that clarifies what the "Zero" in Zero Company stands for.
Z-Com
You're probably wondering when the obligatory XCOM comparison is coming. It's coming now. From the gameplay loop to base management to the 95 percent hit chance that misses anyway, the two games resemble each other like one clone trooper to the next. That's no coincidence. Bit Reactor, the studio behind Zero Company, consists largely of the same minds who revived XCOM in 2012.
In terms of gameplay, however, Zero Company leans even a bit closer to Marvel's Midnight Suns, on which many of the same developers worked. Zero Company borrows the social aspects as well as the stronger focus on melee combat from the superhero game.
Despite the obvious role models, Bit Reactor's debut remains its own thing. This is mainly due to the attention to detail. A good example of this are the exploration sections before important story missions. Just like at the base, I play these in the third person. I steer Hawks through grimy sci-fi alleys, past chatty NPCs, and marvel at the dense atmosphere.
Not much happens there. I can gather information or scout the battlefield in advance and gain a small advantage. Nothing more. But these small stretches contribute more to the immersion than all the overproduced cutscenes that force me to watch.
When the camera then seamlessly changes perspective, I feel less like the imperious general who indiscriminately burns through troops, and more like a part of the company. My Company Zero.
The dark side of technology
Zero Company reminds me how important sound design is. I don't mean the music. It's great, but a bit repetitive – and chases in vain after the immortal melodies of John Williams. I mean the sound effects, which Bit Reactor captures perfectly. My robo-units beep appropriately happily or disappointed, and the laser blasters bang cinematically in exactly the tones that have accompanied me since my earliest childhood. Zero Company sounds the way Star Wars is supposed to sound.
The rest of the technology lags behind. Graphically, the game is contemporary, but it is plagued by noticeable frame rate drops on the PS5. Textures flicker or load late, and clipping errors disturb the actually pretty visuals. The camera is also notoriously unsure where the action is taking place during missions.
Patches should fix these problems. Nevertheless, I can't shake the feeling that EA absolutely wanted the game on shelves before the September release flood – finished or not.
Anyway, here is Wonderwall.
Star Wars Zero Company is available for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. I tested the PS5 version, which EA provided to me.
In a nutshell
The best Star Wars game since KOTOR
Pro
- fantastic "Star Wars" atmosphere
- "just one more turn" gameplay loop
- great companions
- *pew pew pew*
Contra
- various technical problems
- the operations seem immature
- Interface placement is not ideal
In the early 90s, my older brother gave me his NES with The Legend of Zelda on it. It was the start of an obsession that continues to this day.
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