STAR WARS™ Galactic Battlegrounds Saga
- March 1, 2016
- Ensemble Studios
- 8h median play time
Get on Steam"Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds Saga" is a real-time strategy game set in the Star Wars universe, allowing players to command armies from six different factions during the Clone Wars era. The game includes a standalone campaign featuring 14 missions based on "Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones," as well as multiplayer battles and skirmishes. In the game, players must manage resources and technology to deploy vast armies, including various units such as Jedi, Droids, and Kat tanks.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- graphics211 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 72 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The graphics of this game are widely regarded as outdated, reflecting its age as a 2001 release, with many users noting that they struggle to meet modern standards. While some appreciate the nostalgic charm and clarity of the visuals, others find them clunky and painful to look at, suggesting a need for a graphical upgrade or remaster. Overall, the consensus is that while the graphics may not impress today, the gameplay remains enjoyable for fans of the genre and franchise.
“From the excellent tactical RTS gameplay to the charming graphics that still stir up so many emotions in me, to things as simple as the green hue of nova crystals or the beautiful purple shade of ore crystals, this game is just pure nostalgia to me.”
“The graphics are very good for the time that the game was developed in.”
“Each faction has been well thought out and balanced, the skins are true to the source material, and for an old game this still plays very well, and holds up aesthetically.”
“It's too old, archaic graphics; the screen is way too close because it wasn't designed with today's resolution settings.”
“The graphics and UI are painful.”
“My eyes hurt from trying to comprehend the bad graphics as to what they're supposed to represent.”
- gameplay174 mentions
- 34 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds" is largely reminiscent of "Age of Empires II," featuring familiar mechanics such as resource gathering, base building, and unit management, which makes it accessible for fans of the genre. While the game introduces unique elements like aerial combat and power structures, it suffers from issues like unit pathfinding and balance, leading to mixed experiences. Overall, players appreciate the nostalgic value and engaging gameplay loop, especially when enhanced by mods like "Expanding Fronts," despite acknowledging its outdated graphics and some gameplay flaws.
“The gameplay feels very rewarding as you start off small but gradually gain more resources, buildings, workers, troops, and vehicles (land, sea, and air).”
“Take the awesome gameplay of Age of Empires II, combine it with the universe of Star Wars, build some new mechanics on top of that and you get this awesome game.”
“Galactic Battlegrounds saga has combined the simplicity of Age of Empires II mechanics with the Star Wars setting, therefore creating such addictive gameplay.”
“After 65 hours of play on Steam, I can safely say that my rose-tinted spectacles have been thoroughly broken by issues with gameplay that I've encountered.”
“Was hoping for a decent Star Wars RTS with sprite graphics; unfortunately, the base gameplay mechanics are slow, and that killed it for me.”
“This is basically an Age of Empires II clone, using the same engine too, but the buildings have way too much HP, leading to some slow gameplay.”
- story136 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 73 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The game's story is a mix of original narratives and adaptations from the Star Wars saga, featuring multiple campaigns that span various factions and time periods. While some players appreciate the nostalgic and immersive campaign missions, others criticize the simplistic storytelling and AI design, noting that the missions can feel tedious or poorly crafted. Overall, the game offers a fun experience for Star Wars fans, with a decent amount of lore and replayability through its diverse mission structures and scenario editor.
“The story is fantastic and gives a lot of lore for the old expanded lore of Star Wars.”
“But it is nice to play through the Star Wars story from all sides of war and have some original stories to keep the lore fresh.”
“The intricate and multi-hour campaign missions harken back to a golden era of RTS storytelling.”
“I was a bit disappointed at how bare-bones the storytelling is, with the cutscenes having no music, atmosphere, or barely any narration, but the scenarios themselves are pretty fun and varied.”
“The campaign feels just plain and dull and totally not story-driven.”
“It is a decent game for nostalgic purposes, but it has poor level designs and quite lazy campaign missions, with most of them going straight to bonus movie battle levels because the stories they made couldn't be milked anymore.”
- music76 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its authentic Star Wars soundtrack, featuring iconic pieces by John Williams that enhance the overall atmosphere. However, players have reported issues with the music cutting out during gameplay, leading to a repetitive experience, and some have found it necessary to use community patches to improve the music experience. Overall, while the soundtrack is a highlight, technical problems can detract from its enjoyment.
“The soundtrack is amazing, and the game actually still runs really well for me.”
“Add the excellent classic and prequel-era John Williams soundtrack and you can still have a lot of fun with this classic.”
“The music is typical orchestrated Star Wars themes, so fantastic!”
“If you play a match that goes on for hours, you will suddenly realize that there is no music anymore.”
“The music files are all missing, so there is no in-game music (menu music only).”
“The soundtrack stops playing shortly into a game session and is only restored by exiting and re-launching.”
- stability33 mentions
- 12 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 88 % negative mentions
The game's stability is widely criticized, with many users reporting frequent bugs, glitches, and crashes, particularly on modern hardware and operating systems. While some players have managed to run the game smoothly, the overall experience is marred by inconsistent performance and unreliable mechanics. Community support exists for troubleshooting, but many still find the game to be a "buggy mess."
“It runs great on my Surface Pro 7 i5.”
“Runs great on my ASUS ROG laptop with Intel i7 and NVIDIA 860M.”
“Runs great with Windows 7, occasional color glitching as most games this old have.”
“The game glitches constantly and disallows you to use character action buttons when it so chooses.”
“Unfortunately though this port is buggy and doesn't even launch for me.”
“It can be really fun, but a lot of the time it's overshadowed by how buggy and broken some of the mechanics and AI are.”
- optimization19 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is widely criticized, with many users reporting crashes, lag spikes, and various performance issues, particularly on modern systems. While some players have found workarounds or unofficial patches that improve performance, the overall consensus is that the game requires significant optimization or a remaster to meet current standards. A few users noted that it runs smoothly on upgraded systems, but the graphical fidelity remains a concern.
“Still runs smoothly on upgraded computer systems.”
“There is a mod that can fix performance issues and change the resolution to your native resolution!”
“Game seems to be more optimized now and doesn't crash.”
“The reason for this recommendation against buying at the present time is that this game is horribly optimized for modern systems.”
“It is extremely buggy, and in my short time of playing I frequently experienced lag spikes and stuttering music.”
“The game right now is filled with graphic and performance issues, but thankfully there is an unofficial patch that fixes most of the issues.”
- replayability17 mentions
- 24 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
Overall, the game boasts high replayability due to its engaging gameplay, customizable campaigns, and various game modes, including online play. Players appreciate the unique missions and the ability to create custom setups, which significantly enhance the replay value. While some users note limitations in certain aspects, the overall consensus is that the game offers a wealth of replay opportunities, making it a worthwhile experience for fans.
“But if you are looking for a retro Star Wars game with endless replay value, then for $6 this is a steal.”
“Loads of replayability with its campaigns, custom games, and even online modes.”
“The replay value of this Star Wars themed real-time strategy game is through the roof with unique campaign missions for iconic characters, extremely solid multiple standard game configurations, and potential for online play.”
“The sandbox mode in the game gives you a lot of replay value because you can create your own custom setups.”
“Other than that, it's a nice game, but the things I listed make its replayability very limited.”
- grinding10 mentions
- 10 % positive mentions
- 10 % neutral mentions
- 80 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while resource collection can be enjoyable and strategic, many missions are described as tedious and time-consuming, often requiring excessive grinding to progress. The slow pace of gameplay, particularly in comparison to similar strategy games, contributes to the feeling of monotony, making some players feel overwhelmed by the need to manage multiple resources. Overall, while there are engaging elements, the grinding can detract from the overall enjoyment of the game.
“With advanced turrets arranged in massive rows so thick not even a cockroach could pass through, I was prepared for my absolute, if not tedious, victory.”
“The campaigns are good though some are extremely grindy and spend a lot of time watching artillery shoot many enemy turrets before you advance with a small amount of units you can rebuild.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“The only flaw about the game itself is that the game is really slow, the same as 'grinding'; it takes a lot of time to do things. It's pretty similar to Age of Empires but even slower.”
- monetization6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has been widely criticized, with many reviewers labeling it a cynical cash grab lacking polish and originality. However, some note that it does not include microtransactions or loot boxes, indicating a potential positive in its approach to monetization. Overall, the sentiment leans heavily towards disappointment in how the game capitalizes on its franchise.
“Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds Saga doesn't have microtransactions or loot boxes.”
“The developers do all of this out of their own passion without any form of monetization or donation.”
“This lack of polish is throughout the game, making it seem like a cynical cash grab.”
“The game is a blatant cash grab that's best left in the past.”
“This is a lazy cash grab of Age of Empires 2 reskin.”
- atmosphere5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in the game is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the detailed sound design and iconic music that enhance the sci-fi experience, others find the storytelling and cutscenes lacking in depth and engagement. Overall, the game's classic Star Wars elements contribute positively to its ambiance, despite occasional technical issues on modern systems.
“Classic Star Wars game, great atmosphere.”
“Very good sci-fi strategy with a unique atmosphere and movie soundtracks.”
“I was a bit disappointed at how bare-bones the storytelling is, with the cutscenes having no music, atmosphere, or barely any narration. However, the scenarios themselves are pretty fun and varied.”
“Lots of effort has been put into the details such as music, sounds, textures, scenery, buildings, and atmosphere.”
“Fantastic tracks like 'Into the Trap', 'Duel of the Fates', and 'The Asteroid Field' just add to the atmosphere.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is consistently praised as hilarious, enhancing the overall experience while effectively integrating into gameplay. Players find that the comedic elements not only entertain but also contribute positively to the game's mechanics.
“Hilarious.”
“It exists and it's hilarious, but actually works incredibly well as a game.”
“It's funny, and the game became a better experience.”
- emotional3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express a deep emotional connection to the game, experiencing frustration and heartbreak when faced with technical challenges, such as workers failing to complete tasks. This emotional investment is further highlighted by moments of progress followed by setbacks, leading to feelings of loss and ultimately a strong desire to continue despite the difficulties.
“I have made a habit of saving often, but it's just heartbreaking when you have made good progress and the game closes out.”
“I cried, then I purchased and installed.”
