As a huge fan of Star Wars and XCOM I couldn’t have been more excited to give STAR WARS Zero Company a run. It’s one that instantly hooked me with the trailers and (I’m very happy to say) hasn’t let me down with gameplay.
As always, today I’ll be bringing you our full written review for STAR WARS Zero Company so if you want to know if it’s any good, you’re in the right place. This also comes alongside our bespoke common-sense parent’s guide and a look at the title on Steam Deck as well. Read on and join me on a strategic adventure in a galaxy far, far away!
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The Basics – What is STAR WARS Zero Company About?
In Zero Company you’ll take on the role of Hawks – the leader of a ragtag bunch of mercenaries who (would you believe it) are actually an elite bunch of hard-hitting combat specialists. You’ll lead your growing band through a series of missions set during the actually-pretty-exciting Clone Wars era.
The core gameplay is quite similar to the XCOM-like turn-based strategies you’ve played before. Zero Company brings solid mechanics, a wide array of character types, unique tactical abilities and between-fight base building and upgrades.
But this one also adds some tweaks and new features I’ve not seen much at all before – such as the Squad Bonds system. The Bonds system means that as your operators work together and help each other (or make decisions they DON’T like) their bonds shift and change, leading to new upgraded abilities for each operative.
And then we have the setting. Zero Company would have been a solid, well-crafted turn-based strategy in its own right, but wrapping it in Star Wars lore just cements its place as one of my top games so far this year (much like Star Wars Outlaws did previously). With plenty of character types you’ll definitely recognise – from Mandalorian to Droids and Jedi – it fits in spectacularly well with the expanded Star Wars universe.
Is STAR WARS Zero Company Safe for Kids?
Rating: Caution Advised (Story Themes)
STAR WARS Zero Company is rated by PEGI at 16 and above and by the ESRB as T for Teen. Ratings are based on Violence and Mild Language, and of course fighting and killing is pretty much the objective throughout.
In terms of violence, there’s no blood and gore, and we’re limited to (mostly) typical Star Wars blaster fire and explosions. The themes can get quite dark, with a narrative following a mysterious cult and a good number of operatives having criminal backgrounds.
I’d probably not want our younger Micro-Bandits to play themselves simply because of the darker elements of the story, but I’m happy to play it in front of them as the combat sequences aren’t something I’m too worried about.
How Does STAR WARS Zero Company Play on Steam Deck?
Rating: Playable with Issues.
The official Steam rating for STAR WARS Zero Company is, sadly and understandably, Unsupported. It’s one where it definitely has issues with low frame rate, but in terms of controls and mechanics it works well enough. The frame slowdowns do get annoying and if I only had the Steam Deck to play on, I’d probably not go for it – but when I’m in bed and feel a real crushing need for some Star Wars strategy, I’m willing to put up with it.
The Run Down
Our Five-Point Quality Check for our STAR WARS Zero Company Review
Gameplay – 10/10: Zero Company brings solid and smooth gameplay mechanics. It does well to recognise the historical pedigree of the genre, keeping in the aspects you’d expect while adding new elements like the Bonds system to keep things fresh.
Visuals – 8/10: This one is mostly great to look at, with a few rough edges as you get up close. While I’ve had a couple of small graphical errors and rough edges, it does well in keeping with the Star Wars universe, too. One weird thing that I especially love is that even outside turn choices combatants still fire at each other as a visual effect.
Audio – 10/10: Solid voice acting is a must when you have a story like this and they nailed it well. In-game effects, music and voice all come together to deliver a great experience that (again) really fits with the themes of the Star Wars universe.
Narrative – 10/10: You have to kind of expect it from this IP but STAR WARS Zero Company does well at putting forward a “plucky underdog slightly out of their depth” narrative that doesn’t feel like it’s repeating what’s come before. Additional points here for keeping a darker tone while injecting little elements of the typical Star Wars humour as well.
Replay – 8/10: It would have been great to have a multiplayer PvP here but as a purely single-player experience Zero Company does pretty damn well. Multiple missions to take on and a little player agency on how and when to tackle them, alongside choices for base extensions and upgrades. I’m not particularly thrilled about exploring all of the options, but there’s some replay there if you’re a complete completionist.
The Verdict
Is STAR WARS Zero Company Worth Grabbing?
Overall, our Pixel Bandits’ Never Tell Me The Odds™ score for STAR WARS Zero Company is a stunning 9/10. Not quite 100% perfect, but getting damned close to everything I’d want in a turn-based strategic game and a contender for GOTY.
As a huge fan of the Star Wars IP and of turn-based strategy titles in general, it’s one which I’ve had a lot of fun with. Great story, solid and familiar mechanics with a touch of something new. It all comes together and, most of all – it just works. If you’re a fan of the genre, it’s definitely one to take a look at!
As ever, to provide our Pixel Bandits’ review and common-sense parent’s guide for STAR WARS Zero Company we received a game code or codes from the folks at EA