Star Wars Battlefront is now available. Our first impressions -- and what you need to know

Star Wars Battlefront is out now on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC. Is this the Star Wars game you've been looking for? Here's everything you need to know.

Gameplay impressions and analysis

Star Wars Battlefront feels a lot like a watered down version of the proper Battlefield games you might be used to playing.

For starters, Battlefront is primarily an online multiplayer title, hence the reason we're not giving the game our usual full review treatment. Instead, Battlefront plays out in a collection of modes not unique to the game itself, essentially layering a Star Wars skin on top of contemporary multiplayer tropes.

Thankfully, it's an expertly crafted experience throughout, hitting every Star Wars beat you'd want it to.

The development team at DICE has nailed everything having to do with the license. This is fan service at its best. From the glowing trail of laser blasts to the infamous cinematic transition wipes, this is easily the most polished Star Wars game ever created.

Visually speaking, Battlefront shines, running a smooth 60 frames per second on PlayStation 4. Every multiplayer map is gorgeous and the attention to detail is sure to impress even the most conservative Star Wars aficionado.

Where Battlefront falls short is in its depth. Had Battlefront included some kind of traditional campaign we'd have nothing to complain about. The single player missions feel shoehorned into the entire package and went stale after a weekend of playing.

Sure, there's room for DLC to widen the offering, but we're not expecting any miracles.

If you're a diehard Star Wars fan you'll likely be content thanks to the game's fantastic production values. But a casual Star Wars enthusiast may want to wait until Battlefront goes on sale.

Either way, as with all multiplayer focused games, it might be worth waiting to see how well the servers do once the game is released.

What is Star Wars Battlefront, and when is the release date?

I'm working under the assumption that you're familiar with "Star Wars," the quintessential space opera that's been phenomenally popular for nigh on 30 years. Star Wars Battlefront takes place in the Star Wars universe, but is more concerned about waging war than sussing out the intricacies of the Force. It'll be available on November 17 in North America, and will arrive in Australia and Europe on November 19. You can get it on the Xbox One, the PlayStation 4 and on PC.

So it's a multiplayer, first-person shooter?

Yup. Up to 40 players split into squads and fight under the banners of the dastardly Rebel Alliance, or those noble defenders of order, the Galactic Empire. The bulk of the action sees foot soldiers darting around massive maps, taking potshots at each other with laser blasters.

But wasn't there was a bit more to Star Wars than gunfights?

You'll also find X-Wings and Tie Fighters to dogfight, and great big AT-AT walkers to point in the general direction of the bad guys, laying waste to everything underfoot. Unless someone in a snowspeeder wraps your legs up just right, of course -- it's a chance to live out all of the epic battles you watch in the movies, and wage a few new ones.

I meant lightsabers, specifically. And using the Force? Jedi?

Right. There's a bit of that too, though you can't just pick Darth Vader or Emperor Palpatine before you start a match. As you play, you'll come across items you can collect that'll offer special powers. Some of these power-ups unlock the series' titular Heroes and Villains, allowing you to step into their shoes for a time.

This sounds like something I want to be playing all of the time.

You're in luck: There's a companion app you can grab from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store that ties into the game. It'll let you track your in-game statistics, and you can play a minigame on your phone to earn credits that'll transfer back to Battlefront, so you can make a bit of progress while you're out of the game.

Will Battlefront include some of the new characters from Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens?

At the moment, no. The game is currently set in the time period of the original Star Wars trilogy, which predates the new movie.

And what about stuff from the prequel trilogy? Oh man, is Jar-Jar Binks around?

Get out of here with that bantha fodder.

As always, check out GameSpot's Star Wars Battlefront coverage