Background

Recently, the internet saturated itself with Star Wars memes dredging up the epic games of years past. In more recent history we see some titles from Lucasarts and collaboration companies that rocked our worlds. Titles such as The Force Unleashed and Knights of the Old Republic, that captivated us and gave us our Star Wars fix. If we go back further, some of us remember the days of Tie Fighter and the Dark Forces series. These games were true Star Wars games, and for the most part, were enjoyable with high replay value.

All of that changed when EA took over the mantel of producing Star Wars games. We, as dedicated Star Wars fans and avid gamers, were left with Battlefront. These new releases failed to keep our interests and turned us away from the pay-to-win EA model. When hope was all but lost, I found a hidden gem, a Star Wars game that could hold my interest even while wearing the EA badge. I found the mobile game, Star Wars Galaxy of Heroes.

Story

Released in 2015, Galaxy of Heroes is based in the canonical universe and includes some of the characters from Star Wars legends. The purpose of the game is simple: collect character shards to develop a five-person squad that you battle against NPCs and other players in turn-based combat. Characters max out at a seven-star shard level with their skills and abilities being developed through twelve levels of gear. Attaching mods further increases a character’s attributes which can make or break a high-level battle.

The game is set in a cantina, which is your default landing pad when you enter the game. Scattered about the Cantina are various holotables denoting different game modes such as light and dark side battles, squad arena (PVP), ships, guilds, etc. Each holotable provides players with a unique game experience which is sure to fit the appetite of any player. The higher a player progresses, the more challenging these holotables become and the more important it becomes to have the appropriate characters, gear, mods and ships. Additionally, once you reach the level cap of 85, it is vital to actively participate in a guild and guild exclusive events.

The Good

The game has a slew of characters which plays to the interests of all Star Wars fans. Did you love the 1985 classic Ewoks: The Battle for Endor? Well guess what, you can build a whole Ewok squad (or murder bears as they’re known on the forums) and wreak havoc on the holotables. Big Han Solo fan, there’s literally four different versions to pick from with their own unique abilities and squad synergies.

What keeps me interested even at the level cap is the camaraderie within my guild and the grind to get the mythic characters like Rey (Jedi Training), Hermit Yoda, Jedi Knight Revan and others. These character events come around a few times a year and require specific squads and gear levels to obtain.

It is frustrating at times to grind out the necessary characters, but I rely on my guild to provide support and motivation, much like here at ANG. While I have less than a year invested in the game, my guild family has become a staple in my life. We use a Discord server to stay in contact outside the game, share news and strategies, or just complain about item drop-rates and grinds.

Another nice feature about this game is that you don’t necessarily need to spend money in order to be successful. The game is free-to-play, and with a moderate amount of patience you can farm the characters and gear pieces you need without spending real money. The game requires a minimal amount of time to be committed each day to complete daily quests. Beyond that, it is up to you to determine how much time and effort you’re willing to put in to grind for new characters. 

The Bad

The developers seem to have stalled with new content. Sure, they have released new characters such as Jedi Knight Revan and Jango Fett. They’ve even updated guild PVP events with new rules and added an upgraded arena for regular PVP. But they still fail to add new story content.

The light side and dark side battles are your main story quests and these story lines only have nine chapters. Most players complete the normal and hard versions of these chapters by the time the reach the level 85. After that, players only return to these missions to farm gear and character shards. This issue doesn’t impact my ability to play the game, but it could turn off more casual players or true free-to-play players.

Sometimes you just have to spend some money to get ahead. You may find yourself desperately wanting a mythic character like Grand Admiral Thrawn. I found myself in that boat and invested real money in crystals. My investment insured my victory in the Thrawn Mythic Event and expanded the playability of my game. Was it worth the money? I think so, but then again, this is about the only game I make time for anymore. It is worth spending a bit of money to continue my enjoyment.

The Verdict

If you are looking for a Star Wars game to get your fix, give Galaxy of Heroes a try. I have little time for gaming anymore so a good mobile game keeps me connected and entertained. If you are a fan of team and turn-based game play, you will enjoy this game. You can constantly customize and experiment with different squad compositions to test synergies. This enables you to develop something that matches your play style and interests.

Being on a mobile platform, you can take the game with you anywhere. A unique account key allows you to play across multiple devices. Another feature of mobile games is the pay-to-win or pay-to-play concept. We can’t even attribute this one to EA, this is just a fact of mobile gaming. These micro-transactions fund the developer and helps them put out more content. This game is truly free-to-play if you have the patience. You only have to spend money if you want to progress faster.

In summary, Star Wars Galaxy of Heroes is not the Evil EAmpire we’ve seen manifest in recent PC and Console titles. It is free-to-play and free-to-win if you have the patience. As our favorite green Grand Master would say, “Patience you must have my young Padawan”. So I invite you to give the game a shot. It is definitely worth looking into for any Star Wars fan. It will give you the opportunity to watch some of the characters you’ve only ever read about come to life.