costless - to - play game often bet appealing , but it ’s unmanageable to live at a glance whether the business theoretical account is subtle and merriment ruining , or sane and worth pump a few one dollar bill into . With Freemium Field Test , we ’ll take a recent free - to - play iOS game , put it through its footstep , and let you have sex if it ’s really deserving your time ( and money ) .
It’sStar Warsweek , it’sStar Warsweek ! Yes , Star Wars : The Force Awakensopens in a matter of hours , and Disney has done a consummate job construction agitation for the first proper sequel film in 32 years . That said , it is a juggernaut , corporate media dealership , and that mean tie - Hoosier State — The Force Awakenshas latterly been used to sell everything from cars to constitution and even orchard apple tree and oranges . Yes , even fresh green groceries .
At leastStar Warsis also being used to sellStar Warsthings , including toys both traditionaland link , and it ’s also being used to sell game . Just a couple weeks back , Electronic Arts releasedStar Wars : Galaxy of Heroes , a simple gratis - to - play combat affair that looks and sounds big and stars a cavalcade of fabled heroes .
Did Han shoot first ? Darth Maul is n’t wait to find out in this Dark Side battle .
And that ’ll be more than enough to get fan fleece and potentially spending money within . But should they ?
The pitch
Galaxy of Heroes ’ opening screen is one bigStar Warsnostalgia bomb : Darth Vader facing off against Luke Skywalker in an epic lightsaber duel , with images of fellow Hero like Han Solo , Leia Organa , and Yoda on one side and the nefarious Boba Fett and Darth Maul on the other . The Death Star looms in the backdrop , while the Millennium Falcon , TIE Fighter , X - Wing , and other classic ship zip around in the backdrop .
Up to five of your own characters make up the team , plus you’re able to borrow a one-sixth from a random online player .
It ’s classicStar Warsimagery , and where this fall’sStar Wars Uprisingmight’ve lost some less - devoted fan for focusing on mostly original characters , this hits the sweet daub . It ’s a bit of a false promise , however : While those theatrical role appear in the game , you probably wo n’t insure the majority of them without spend quite a lot of money . And there ’s no spaceship combat waiting in the wings — that ’s just window fertilization .
Galaxy of Heroes is all about squad struggle between estimable and evil using whichever heroes you ’ve accumulated along the direction . They ’re turn - based showdowns , and each fictional character has a couple of button to beseech to establish an automatise move : A melee or artillery attack against one or all characters , or possibly a funding move that benefit your squad ’s abilities . It ’s unproblematic enough that my two - year - old son has been helping me spiel . “ agitate that button , ” I say . achiever !
No , thisStar Warsgame wo n’t captivate with its complexness on the battlefield . In fact , that part of the plot is all rather square and boring . But the big haul here is amassing all your dear franchise theatrical role on both sides of the Force and constantly improving your team with upgrades , preparation , and gear so battles stick more mundane than penalise .
You ’ll find out loads and loads of missions spread across conversant locales , which unlock items … and more missions .
You ’ll find C of missions break between the Light and Dark side , along with other side by-line — but really , it ’s primarily a grind to unlock cool stuff . And the coolest stuff , expectedly , is well out of reach .
The catch
Reassuringly , you likely do n’t need to expend any money in Galaxy of Heroes for basic play . There ’s an vigor system , but it ’s somewhat loose : From the start , you could work about a twelve commission ( each with multiple struggle ) without exhausting the rechargeable supply .
The game gives you complimentary low - grade characters in the former hours , as well as a Bronzium Data Card that provides a gratis piece of equipment or ( seldom ! ) a character every 20 minutes of real - populace metre . And you ’ll take in enough recognition and friend point along the way to make gradual improvements to your heroes . Galaxy of Heroes does an admirable line of maintain you in the game , bear you ’re o.k. with mostly using generic versions of heroes .
Instead of limiting your play , Galaxy of Heroesknows very well that you need to play as Darth Vader , Stormtrooper Han , or Boba Fett , and it build those characters very difficult to come by . Known characters are now and again offer in paid bundles , but not even the top - level one — for instance , a $ 40 bundle offered my way would ’ve earned me a 4 - star version of Mace Windu and some other currency and perks . Forty bucks . For Mace Windu . No character introduce in the prequels is worth that much .
I could n’t convince myself to spend $ 5 on a Count Dooku bundle — do you really opine you ’re getting $ 40 for Mace Windu ?
rather , your best bet at finally unlocking the top characters is by collecting enough character shards along the way , primarily by buying premium crystal currentness . I paid $ 10 for the Box of Crystals ( 1,340 ) , which was just enough for me to buy a Chromium Data Pack , which take four of the higher - end plug-in . In that four - pack , I won a useful Darth Maul graphic symbol , otherwise I just cease up with shards that could finally open up up more notable fighters .
Well , I ’m one - eighth of the way to unlocking Grand Moff Tarkin . Hooray ?
For exemplar , I catch 10 fictitious character fragment for Darth Vader , but you need to pile up 80 fragment before he unlocks . After several hours of shimmer and $ 10 spent , I had 13 total Darth Vader shards . So that was n’t go to happen anytime soon . I ’m not convert that you may really earn the headline characters purely through obsessive , extended play . Given how many sherd I ’ve realize towards Luke ( zero ) , Leia ( zero ) , and Boba Fett ( yup , zero ) so far , it does n’t seem likely .
You ’ll need crystals to purchase the better ( read : not destitute ) datum notice , and EA sells them in big money up to $ 100 .
The verdict
But that ’s the allure : Keep playing andmaybeit will happen . Or peradventure it wo n’t . Who cares , right ? It ’s only potentially dozens of time of day of your time . Really , Galaxy of Heroesis slick and solidly produced , but the scrap is so insistent and mindless that it ’s not a strong enough hook on its own . This is a fine time - slayer , but it ’s not strategical enough to warrant more than the occasional consequence of your meter .
If the hook of nostalgia is hard enough to prepare your gaze upon a digital Skywalker , Greedo , or Calrissian , then you ’ll have to require yourself : How much of my money and/or meter is this really worth ? Best to work out that out before you ’re 100 hours — or dollars — deep in pursuit of a hero that does n’t significantly change or enhance the gist meet experience .
