Star Wars Zero Company Is a Turn-Based Tactics Adventure That’s Not Just For XCOM Experts | IGN Preview

Before diving into the exciting blaster-based battles of Star Wars Zero Company, players must first create their character. In this turn-based tactics adventure, you primarily play as Hawks, a former captain of the Grand Army of the Republic who now leads a special forces group known as Zero Company. While your backstory is predetermined, you get to design your character's appearance by selecting from various species, facial features, combat specialisations, and clothing options.

This creates an easy entry point for newcomers, yet allows for increasingly complex playstyles as you become more experienced.

Zero Company’s combat mechanics are simple to learn, thanks to an intuitive control setup and a gentle early tutorial. During your turn, each character has three action points to reposition within a set radius, trigger an attack, or set up an overwatch cone to automatically target moving foes. Additionally, your squad shares a pool of advantage points earned from successful attacks, which can be spent to unleash unique character abilities such as firing rocket launchers or sweeping blaster shots.

The game's engaging combat system is bolstered by extra features like the option to call for backup, which orders a squadmate to follow up your attack with one of their own. As you advance through the game, you'll encounter increasingly challenging foes, forcing you to adjust your strategies. A standout moment during my hands-on experience was a multi-part mission featuring Anakin Skywalker and an unknown sharpshooter.

This intense sequence featured three different combat clashes, each with vastly different objectives, culminating in an explosive showdown in the cloud city of Bespin.