Star Wars: Assault Team

Each time a new Star Wars game is announced (or unceremoniously released), I get my hopes up that it will be another Knights of the Old Republic (or at least Lego Star Wars). Unfortunately, Star Wars: Assault Team’s use of the universe seems like a distraction to sneak a hand into your pocket.

The first red flag is that Assault Team is free to play. Certainly there are “free” games out their that aren’t so insidious, but this LucasArts title has all the warning signs: energy system, “sacks of gems” to buy, and obfuscated leveling systems that aren’t explained well.

As you earn cards, you can assign up to four characters to your team. Each has a special ability that charges over a series of turns after use. It’s the most rudimentary kind of turn-based RPG play, as it offers almost no choice or complexity.

If you strip away the Star Wars wrapping, what’s left is a wholly uninteresting gameplay loop. The best licensed games embrace the source material rather than using it to mask a monetization scheme. Star Wars: Assault Team is free to play, so you can give it a try and make your own decision. If you value your time though, you might want to pass.