Star Wars Battlefront, complete with terribly trained stormtroopers and possible Wilhelm Screams, releases next month, and it separates itself from the Battlefield series through its use of classic “Hero” and “Villain” power-ups like Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader. But these won’t be the only classic characters making an appearance in the game, as EA and DICE have announced that Han Solo, Leia Organa, and Emperor Palpatine will also be making their way to the game.
In the official announcement on the PlayStation Blog, Battlefront “Lead Hero Designer” Jamie Keen explains that the studio wanted each of these three characters to possess the same powers and abilities that they used in the movies. Emperor Palpatine, for instance, will use his famous Force Lightning, which can be utilized as “Chain Lightning” to kill several enemies at once. If you’re feeling a little more generous, you can also use Palpatine to give power-ups to your fellow Imperials.
The Rebels, meanwhile, can rely on Leia Organa for support. Anyone who spawns on her will become an “Alderaan Honor Guard,” and her “Trooper Bane” blaster shot allows her to kill stormtroopers in a single hit and take out Villains quickly. If you’re more inclined to run … “solo,” well, Han is the Hero for you. Unlike the other Hero classes, he plays similarly to a basic Rebel, but with a few abilities that still make him a dangerous threat. “Rapid Fire” allows Solo to fire his blaster without overheating for a limited period of time, while his “Shoulder Charge” allows him to “quickly get into battles — but also out of them” (both of which he demonstrated in this famous scene from Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope:
The timing of today’s announcement is no coincidence — last night saw the release of the first official trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, during Monday Night Football, featuring a classic Han Solo smirk.
Star Wars Battlefront hits Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC on November 17.
