Star Wars: Zero Company levererar en medryckande och berättelsefokuserad upplevelse.

Star Wars returns with an expansive, story-driven, turn-based tactical experience. As a love letter to XCOM, does Zero Company scratch that itch? Or does it fail to please fans of two massive fandoms? Read on to find out if you have the credits for the job.

(En svensk, AI-genererad, sammanfattning finner du i slutet av recensionen).

Zero Company

Welcome to Zero Company, private — the finest mercenary outfit in the galaxy. At least, that is what main protagonist Hawks believes. Whether ex-Separatist, ex-Republic, or former convicts, Zero Company welcomes all. No job is too big or too small, provided the pay is right.

You assume the role of Hawks, former Captain of the Grand Republic covert intelligence group Zero Company. After a disastrous mission leads to dismissal, the disgraced officer teams up with fellow survivor Trick. Together, they rebuild Zero Company into a mercenary group willing to take on any contract to survive.

Struggling with debt, Hawks is approached by Ore-Baroness Jae Mordant and Republic Intelligence Officer Bennic Halloren. They task the crew with recovering a valuable device.This contract triggers a path leading directly toward a confrontation with the Infinite Coil, a dangerous Separatist-aligned cult.

Protagonist Customization

Hawks is fully customizable, with additional Origin options unlocked in New Game Plus. You can modify their name, gender, and outfit at any point. With over one hundred customization options expanding through story progression, you can design your ideal middle-aged commander.

Setting and Narrative Integration

Zero Company is set during the twilight of the Clone Wars. This era offers rich narrative potential without disrupting core Star Wars canon. While prominent franchise figures appear, Hawks and the mercenary crew never feel out of place.

The narrative fits seamlessly between major events, reminiscent of animated series like The Bad Batch or Star Wars: Rebels. Rather than feeling like disposable side content, the plot weaves naturally into the broader expanded universe.

Gameplay Loop and Mechanics

Zero Company must keep the lights on and the crew fed, even if Neesh claims his food is top quality at rock-bottom prices. The core loop relies on several interconnected systems working in tandem. Whether recovering data chips, destroying reactors, or eliminating high-value targets, squad composition and gear selection remain crucial.

Classes, Operators, and Gear

The game features 12 base classes for prospective Operators. Unique story characters possess individual classes and passive traits that distinguish them from standard recruits.

• Assault: A mid-to-close-range frontline fighter equipped to flush enemies out of cover using the Sweeping Salvo Ultimate, which applies disorientation on hit.
• Gunslinger: A close-range blaster pistol specialist. While individual shot damage is low, the Open Fire Ultimate enables rapid-fire bursts across multiple targets.
• Heavy: The primary tank of the roster. Exceptional health allows it to absorb heavy enemy fire, while the Bulwark Ultimate draws hostility away from vulnerable allies like Scouts and Sharpshooters.
• Medic: Essential support unit dedicated to squad survival and battlefield maintenance.
• Scoundrel: Focused on debilitation and critical strikes. The Easy Mark Ultimate guarantees critical hits against high-priority targets.
• Scout: A tactical operative designed to generate Action Points (AP). Using the Ambush Ultimate, which scales off available AP, the Scout delivers massive single-target damage.
• Sharpshooter: Long-range sniper built for precision eliminations. The Precision Shot Ultimate guarantees a hit regardless of distance or environmental obstacles.
• Soldier: A versatile mid-range class utilizing heavy blasters, grenades, and rocket launchers. The Rocket Strike Ultimate inflicts widespread environmental destruction.

Combat Mechanics

Tactical missions emphasize intense turn-based firefights. Combat relies on three core systems:

• Action Points (AP): Each of the four deployed operators receives three AP per turn. AP governs movement, abilities, and mission interactions. Unused points refresh fully at the end of every turn.
• Advantage: A shared party resource capped at 10 points. Advantage is spent to trigger high-impact squad abilities and Ultimates.
• Hit Chance: Precision is determined by positioning rather than base hit percentages. Elevated ground and exposed flanks offer significantly higher hit probabilities. Enemies utilize the same mechanics, making full cover mandatory for squad survival.

The Cycle System

Campaign progression is organized into Cycles, divided into three main phases:

• Base Management: Explore the Den in third-person view. Interact with crew members, upgrade gear, and build base infrastructure.
• Holotable Operations: Strategic non-combat missions that advance lore and secure resources. Risk management is vital, as failed operations risk long-term negative traits for Operators.
• Tactical Missions: Select rotating operational assignments. Standard missions feature strict cycle timers and disappear if ignored. Story-critical missions remain available permanently, but force deployment once the main cycle limit expires.

Progression and Campaign Design

While the core gameplay loop is engaging, completing every character bond achievement in a single playthrough is impossible. Unit bond progression requires shared combat deployments, forcing tight planning to max out specific Operator relationships.

A slightly extended cycle limit and greater flexibility when triggering story missions would reduce the frustration of missed content. Nevertheless, combat remains rewarding and demands strict tactical execution.

Technical Issues and Performance

Despite strong core mechanics, several recurring technical issues impact on the overall experience across platforms:

• Cutscene Glitches: Visual assets occasionally fail to load during pivotal story scenes. In severe cases, characters vanish mid-scene or glide across environments without proper movement animations.
• Animation Loops: Enemy and allied models frequently slide across terrain without animation. Characters occasionally aim in wrong directions while still landing low-probability shots.
• Freezing and Crashes: Mid-mission freezes occur frequently when status effects or buffs transfer between units upon death. Launching saved games from the main menu can also trigger crashes if inputs are pressed before menu assets load fully.

Conclusion

Star Wars: Zero Company succeeds as a compelling hybrid of tactical strategy and Star Wars storytelling. The developer selected an excellent era and cast of characters. Despite technical flaws, it stands as a strong entry for strategy enthusiasts.

The campaign runs approximately 41 cycles, making it shorter than typical XCOM titles. However, the concise story delivers strong momentum throughout. Standard editions offer the best value, as cosmetic DLC bundles provide minimal functional variety beyond base game unlocks.

Despite performance bugs, Zero Company delivers an immersive experience that satisfies both strategy veterans and franchise fans. It serves as a solid foundation with immense potential for future narrative expansion.

AI-genererad sammanfattning på svenska

Star Wars: Zero Company levererar en medryckande och berättelsefokuserad upplevelse. Spelet kombinerar klassisk turbaserad taktik från XCOM med den välkända Star Wars-miljön. Kampanjen utspelar sig under slutet av klonkriget. Du axlar rollen som Hawks, en före detta republikansk befälhavare. Efter ett misslyckat uppdrag bygger Hawks upp lejsoldatgruppen Zero Company på nytt. Gruppen tar sig an farliga uppdrag för att överleva i galaxen.

Spelupplägget täcker både basbyggande och taktiska strider. I strid styr du fyra operatörer. Positionering och skydd är helt avgörande för överlevnad. Laget delar på en gemensam resurs som kallas Advantage. Denna resurs aktiverar kraftfulla färdigheter och ultimatförmågor. Mellan uppdragen utforskar du högkvarteret Den. Där kan du uppgradera utrustning och hantera
framtida operationer.

Spelet lider tyvärr av tekniska problem. Det handlar om grafiska buggar i mellansekvenser, låsta animationer och plötsliga krascher. Kampanjen är också ganska kort jämfört med andra taktiska spel. Trots dessa brister är Zero Company en fantastisk rekommendation. Berättelsen är välskriven och karaktärerna är lätta att fatta tycke för. Det är ett måste för fans av taktikgenren.

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Written by: Steve Gilman