Our strategy gaming veterans celebrate Star Wars Day by diving deep into the newly announced Star Wars Zero Company, examining how this XCOM-style tactical game could finally deliver the Star Wars strategy experience fans have craved, while reflecting on the surprisingly small catalog of previous Star Wars strategy titles and what made them memorable.

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This episode provides comprehensive coverage of Star Wars Zero Company’s announcement at Star Wars Celebration, featuring detailed analysis of its XCOM-inspired gameplay mechanics, character customization systems, and campaign structure. The hosts explore the game’s focus on squad-based tactical combat during the Clone Wars era, examine how it fits within established Star Wars canon, and discuss the broader history of Star Wars strategy games. The conversation covers everything from permadeath consequences and character relationships to base building mechanics and concerns about EA’s pricing strategy, while celebrating the potential for a true Star Wars strategy renaissance.

Critical Moves Podcast – Episode 27 Show Notes

Episode Title: The Star Wars Strategy Game You’ve Been Waiting For!
Hosts: Al, Joe, Nuno
Episode Length: ~38 minutes

Episode Summary

The twenty-seventh episode of Critical Moves celebrates Star Wars Day with an in-depth exploration of the newly announced Star Wars Zero Company, developed by Bit Reactor and overseen by Respawn Entertainment. The hosts examine how this XCOM-inspired tactical strategy game addresses the surprising scarcity of Star Wars strategy titles, with only four previous games in the franchise’s history. From Al’s nostalgic memories of Star Wars Rebellion to Nuno’s excitement about tactical depth, the discussion reveals genuine enthusiasm for a game that promises to deliver the “war beneath the war” through squad-based combat during the Clone Wars era. The conversation balances optimism about the game’s potential with realistic concerns about EA’s involvement and modern gaming industry practices.

The Surprising Scarcity of Star Wars Strategy Games

A Missed Opportunity Genre

The hosts express bewilderment at the strategy genre’s minimal representation in Star Wars gaming, with only four titles spanning decades of franchise history. This scarcity seems particularly puzzling given Star Wars’ natural fit for strategic gameplay, from galactic conquest scenarios to squad-based military operations. The franchise’s emphasis on battles, tactics, and large-scale conflicts provides obvious material for strategy game mechanics.

The discussion reveals how Star Wars games have traditionally focused on individual hero experiences rather than commanding forces, despite the source material’s consistent emphasis on group dynamics and military operations. This focus on solo protagonists has left strategy gaming largely unexplored within the franchise.

Breaking the Hero-Centric Tradition

Al argues that Star Wars has always been fundamentally about squads rather than lone heroes, pointing to key scenes like the Endor strike team and the original Death Star rescue mission. This squad-based nature makes the franchise ideal for tactical strategy games where relationships between characters drive both narrative and mechanical depth.

The hosts discuss how successful games like Battlefront demonstrated player interest in experiencing Star Wars as ordinary soldiers rather than Force-wielding heroes. This suggests an audience appetite for non-Jedi perspectives that strategy games could serve effectively.

Star Wars Strategy Gaming History

Star Wars Rebellion: The Grand Strategy Pioneer

Al’s detailed recollection of Star Wars Rebellion (known as Star Wars Supremacy in the UK) reveals a game ahead of its time in 1998. Set immediately after the Battle of Yavin, the game allowed players to control iconic characters like Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker in a galactic-scale conflict between Empire and Rebellion.

Despite mixed critical reception, Al emphasizes the game’s lasting appeal and surprising depth beneath its simple surface presentation. The game’s focus on sectors containing multiple planets created strategic decisions about resource allocation and fleet deployment that remained engaging decades later.

The hosts note how Rebellion’s release timing coincided with landmark RTS titles like StarCraft and Command & Conquer: Red Alert, potentially overshadowing its unique approach to Star Wars strategy gaming. Al’s recent replay confirms the game’s enduring quality, available on GOG for modern audiences.

Galactic Battlegrounds: Age of Empires in Space

Nuno’s extensive experience with Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds reveals a game that succeeded through combining beloved mechanics with Star Wars presentation. Using the Age of Empires II engine, the game provided familiar RTS gameplay enhanced by authentic Star Wars audio and visual design.

The game’s approach to ranged combat, with most units functioning like Age of Empires’ gunpowder units, created different tactical dynamics than traditional medieval RTS games. The inclusion of Jedi units, starships, and various faction-specific technologies provided Star Wars authenticity without departing from proven RTS formulas.

Nuno’s childhood experience with the demo, playing the same mission repeatedly before eventually purchasing the full game, demonstrates the title’s ability to create lasting impressions through solid foundational gameplay enhanced by Star Wars atmosphere.

Empire at War: Dual Theater Innovation

Joe’s analysis of Star Wars: Empire at War highlights the game’s innovative approach to combining space and planetary combat within a single strategic framework. Players had to defeat enemy fleets before landing ground forces, creating layered tactical decisions that reflected Star Wars military logic.

The game’s hero system allowed iconic characters to lead forces while maintaining strategic-level gameplay rather than individual character focus. This approach provided Star Wars authenticity without reducing the experience to single-character action gaming.

The hosts compare Empire at War favourably to modern games like Stellaris, noting how the older title provided more direct control over planetary invasion mechanics rather than abstract numerical calculations. This hands-on approach to both space and ground combat created more engaging strategic experiences.

Star Wars Zero Company: The XCOM Evolution

Development Pedigree and Expectations

The game’s development by Bit Reactor, staffed with former Firaxis developers responsible for XCOM and XCOM 2, provides significant credibility for the project’s tactical ambitions. This experienced team brings proven expertise in creating emotionally engaging turn-based combat where individual character survival creates meaningful player investment.

Al’s research reveals the game’s non-linear structure, allowing players to choose deployment locations across multiple planets from Star Wars media, including locations from Rogue One and the Clone Wars animated series. This approach provides strategic agency while maintaining canon consistency.

The confirmation of permadeath mechanics mirrors XCOM’s emotional investment system, where character loss creates lasting campaign consequences and narrative changes. This system should create the attachment and tension that makes tactical decisions genuinely meaningful.

Character Customization and Squad Building

The game’s approach to character creation balances named personalities with player agency, featuring established characters like Hawks (the customizable leader), Trick (clone trooper), Tel-Rea Vokoss (Jedi Padawan), and Cly Kullervo (Mandalorian gunslinger) alongside fully customizable squad members.

The ability to create themed squads, including the mentioned possibility of all-astromech droid teams, suggests significant flexibility in tactical approaches. This customization depth could provide substantial replayability as different squad compositions enable varied strategic approaches.

Character relationships that develop through shared missions, creating both positive synergies and potential conflicts, adds RPG depth to tactical combat. This system could create emergent narratives where squad dynamics influence both mechanical effectiveness and player emotional investment.

The Den: Base Building Integration

Joe’s enthusiasm for the customizable base (“the den”) reflects the appeal of strategic progression beyond individual missions. While not reaching city builder complexity, base customization appears to unlock different recruitment, equipment, and mission options.

This base progression system could provide meaningful long-term goals and player agency in campaign development. The ability to specialize base facilities might create replayable campaigns with different strategic focuses based on player choices.

Canon Integration and Timeline Concerns

The game’s “war beneath the war” concept cleverly positions player actions within established Star Wars timeline without contradicting canon events. This approach allows meaningful player agency while respecting franchise continuity.

The mysterious “emerging threat” that standard Republic forces cannot address provides narrative justification for Zero Company’s operations while maintaining canon compliance. This threat, requiring special operations rather than conventional military response, suits the tactical gameplay format perfectly.

Industry Concerns and Pricing Strategy

EA’s Track Record and Monetization Fears

Nuno’s concerns about EA’s involvement reflect broader industry scepticism about publisher practices, particularly regarding pricing strategies and post-launch monetization. His prediction of $70 pricing and cosmetic DLC reflects common concerns about modern AAA gaming economics.

The hosts’ discussion of EA’s Battlefront 2 microtransaction controversy and subsequent rollback suggests the publisher learned some lessons from player backlash. However, concerns about early access content and premium cosmetics remain valid based on industry trends.

Al’s counterargument citing the successful Jedi series’ monetization approach provides some optimism that EA might handle Star Wars properties with more restraint than other franchises. The lack of aggressive microtransactions in recent Star Wars titles suggests potential restraint.

Strategy Gaming Economics and Audience Expectations

Nuno’s analysis of strategy gaming pricing norms, typically ranging from $40-50, highlights potential market challenges for premium pricing. Strategy gamers, accustomed to Paradox’s pricing model and older XCOM pricing, might resist AAA price points.

The discussion of inflation and development cost increases provides context for rising game prices, but also acknowledges consumer resistance to dramatic price increases. The success or failure of $70 strategy games like Civilization VII could influence Zero Company’s pricing strategy.

The hosts’ emphasis on consumer choice and market forces reflects a pragmatic approach to pricing concerns while maintaining enthusiasm for the game’s potential quality and innovation.

Technical Innovation and Gameplay Mechanics

Turn-Based Tactical Evolution

The game’s apparent similarities to Gears Tactics, with its focus on narrative characters within XCOM-style mechanics, suggests evolution in turn-based tactical design. This approach could provide more structured storytelling than XCOM’s procedural narratives while maintaining mechanical depth.

The integration of Star Wars universe elements, from Force abilities to faction-specific equipment and vehicles, could create unique tactical scenarios unavailable in contemporary military settings. Jedi powers, clone trooper abilities, and Mandalorian technology each offer distinct tactical possibilities.

Relationship Dynamics and Emergent Narrative

The character relationship system, where shared combat experience creates both positive synergies and potential conflicts, represents sophisticated social simulation within tactical gameplay. This system could create player stories that extend beyond mission success or failure.

Joe’s reference to Mount & Blade’s companion relationship system, where characters could leave due to interpersonal conflicts, suggests the potential depth of Zero Company’s social mechanics. Such systems create meaningful consequences for character management beyond pure tactical considerations.

Future Implications and Franchise Potential

Strategy Gaming Renaissance Potential

The game’s combination of beloved IP, proven tactical mechanics, and experienced development team positions it as potentially revolutionary for Star Wars strategy gaming. Success could justify additional Star Wars strategy projects and influence broader industry interest in tactical games.

The hosts’ hope for mod support reflects understanding that community content often extends strategy games’ lifespans significantly. However, concerns about cosmetic monetization could limit mod accessibility if official content competes with community creations.

Campaign Structure and Replayability

The non-linear mission structure, multiple planet deployment options, and character customization systems suggest substantial replayability potential. Different squad compositions, base development choices, and narrative outcomes could justify multiple campaign playthroughs.

The permadeath system, combined with relationship dynamics and customizable squads, could create significantly different experiences across multiple campaigns. This replayability factor could justify premium pricing for dedicated strategy gaming audiences.

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Episode Verdict

This episode successfully captures the excitement and cautious optimism surrounding Star Wars Zero Company’s announcement while providing valuable historical context about Star Wars strategy gaming’s limited but memorable legacy. The hosts demonstrate genuine enthusiasm for the game’s tactical potential while maintaining realistic expectations about industry challenges and EA’s involvement. Their discussion effectively balances detailed mechanical analysis with broader industry concerns, helping listeners understand both the game’s promise and potential pitfalls. The conversation’s strength lies in combining personal gaming experiences with informed speculation about Zero Company’s place in both Star Wars gaming and the tactical strategy genre. While the hosts clearly want the game to succeed, their willingness to address pricing concerns and monetization fears provides balanced perspective that serves both optimistic fans and sceptical strategy gamers.

Next Episode: Space Bureaucracy and Giant Killer Robots