One of the things I've enjoyed most about Battlefront so far is the local multiplayer. "Split-screen" is becoming a phrase you hear less of these days of online gaming and whizzing broadband speeds.
I was particularly surprised by 343's decision to cut out local split-screen multiplayer entirely in Halo 5, but in Battlefront, a game fuelled by nostalgia, it's fitting that local multiplayer is alive and present.
Most of the offline 'Mission' modes get quickly dull when played alone, but become much more enjoyable when you're going head-to-head with a pal.
Survival mode, the closest to a full-fat single player experience, sees you picking off waves of enemies while capturing resources. Played alone it's probably the only passable way to Battlefront offline, but played with a friend on the couch it can be a lot of fun, requiring both of you to actually work together and not just mindlessly blast away horde after horde of Stormtroopers.
Beyond that, there's not a lot here to indulge in. Needless to say, if you don't plan on playing Battlefront online, it's not worth buying this game.
This is all about those chaotic, cinematic 40-player battles. This is about running across Hoth with laser blasts narrowly missing your face as explosions sending bodies hurtling through the air. This is about escaping into a game and pretending that, even for a brief moment, that you're really in the heart of a Star Wars battle.
But then it starts to get repetitive. You've unlocked every weapon and item, you're bored of most of the game modes, and, quite frankly, even Walker Assault - the crown jewel of Battlefront - is wearing thin.
And then Battlefront comes crashing down - because it has nowhere else to go. There's little incentive to keep playing once your Star Wars fantasies have been fulfilled, and it's a shame because Battlefront deserves a lot of praise for the things it does right. It just doesn't do enough.
Even lacking those depths, I believe Battlefront is worth the asking price, especially as EA has promised more free content down the line. When you look to the $50 season pass it gets trickier to justify. If this were any other game - bar maybe Halo or Call of Duty - it would be a hard sell.
But this is Star Wars, a franchise adored around the world and one that - particularly with the hype around the new movie - many people will be happy to shell out for. But whether you decide to pay for the new DLC will probably depend more on your love for Star Wars than your love for shooters; EA is unlikely to turn Battlefront into another Destiny, especially as it's already talking about sequels.
There's plenty to admire here, and plenty to enjoy. But beneath its glorious surface, Battlefront has very few depths to be explored. For the total Star Wars nuts who are happy to pay for a Season Pass, there's a good chance this won't matter. For the rest of you, you might not find the game you're looking for.
Techradar verdict: Play This
Star Wars Battlefront succeeds at being a Star Wars game like no other before it, but beneath the breathtaking production value there's little to keep you here for long. Still, it'll keep us ticking over until The Force Awakens.
