Star Wars Zero Company: XCOM Veterans Deliver Best Star Wars Story Since Rogue One

Bit Reactor, a studio formed by former developers of XCOM 2 at Firaxis Games and veterans from Respawn Entertainment’s Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, has delivered a tactical experience that stands as one of the best Star Wars games in recent memory. Star Wars Zero Company poses a question that feels overdue: “What if XCOM, but Star Wars?” The answer proves to be a remarkable fusion of turn-based tactics and compelling narrative set during the waning years of the Clone Wars.

The game places players in control of Hawks, a customizable former Republic commander who suffered a defeat and went into business running a mercenary outfit of ragtag misfits. The opening cutscene establishes the game’s unique perspective by showing Republic and Separatist fleets clashing in orbit before the camera veers away from Clone Troopers and battle droids to focus on a smaller scuffle. This effectively signals that the story unfolds on the periphery of the Clone Wars rather than on its front lines, offering a fresh angle on familiar galactic conflict.

Hawks and the mercenary crew immediately clash with a Separatist-aligned cult called the Infinite Coil, led by the enigmatic Fathom. This mysterious antagonist seeks to spread a mind-altering plague across the galaxy using creepy bugs, and while hints suggest the disease may be Force-adjacent, it represents a welcome departure from yet another Sith-like villain. The narrative even references midi-chlorians, connecting the plague to established Star Wars lore in unexpected ways.

Extensive Character Creation and Customization

Right from the start, Star Wars Zero Company offers an extensive character creator that allows players to choose a male or female Hawks and customize their protagonist with multiple hairstyles and facial features. The customization extends well beyond the main character, as the game quickly opens up recruitment of new mercenaries to build out your band according to personal preferences and tactical needs. While recruiting often centers around filling specific roles such as tank or healer, Bit Reactor goes to great lengths to give each companion their own personality and backstory.

The game borrows from Fire Emblem by allowing players to grow bonds with team members through group actions during missions or Cross Training sessions. A spaceship hub serves as the central location where players can interact with all companions and further customize their characters. Early interactions reveal impressive attention to detail, such as when touching a guitar in Hawks’ room triggers a cutscene of her playing music, demonstrating the level of care Bit Reactor invested in creating a living, breathing world.

Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Mission Structure

The game employs a choose-your-own-adventure aesthetic through Operations that can be completed at the Holotable before setting out on missions. These quick, text-based narrative scenarios allow players to make choices that directly impact the story, determining which Tactical Missions unlock as a result. Certain Operations can only be completed within the current time cycle, meaning players inevitably get locked out of some missions. This creates meaningful choices without overwhelming stress, as the system encourages different playstyles and replay value.

The narrative features compelling characters and writing that give context and weight to the campaign, with Force powers and lightsabers refreshingly taking a back seat to blasters and thermal detonators. Fathom’s performance remains largely mysterious and chilling throughout, and her relationship with her henchman son prevents her from becoming a two-dimensional villain. The story culminates in a space battle unlike anything previously seen in Star Wars, though it remains non-playable.

Aggressive Tactical Gameplay Departing from XCOM Formula

While turn-based gameplay proves instantly familiar to XCOM veterans, Star Wars Zero Company distinguishes itself through a more aggressive playstyle and flexible character builds. The excellent music, cinematic flair, and strategic depth combine to create far more than a simple Star Wars reskin of the XCOM formula. The game successfully merges the strengths of both development teams’ previous work, bringing together tactical complexity with blockbuster Star Wars presentation.

The appearance of Anakin Skywalker and various high-profile stunts throughout raise questions about just how “secret” this shadow war would have remained during the Clone Wars era. Despite some concerns about the story’s cookie-cutter elements and exposition-heavy bad guy speeches, the mission where Anakin joins your team delivers memorable gameplay moments. The narrative occasionally features interesting twists, though some players may find Fathom and her tattooed droid Typhoon less than fully compelling as antagonists.

Story Serves as Vehicle for Exceptional Gameplay

The main crew members all carry compelling stories that draw comparisons to Knights of the Old Republic, creating investment in individual character arcs even when the overarching plot of Hawks versus Fathom fails to fully engage. The story functions much like pizza crust – serving as the vessel that delivers what players truly want to enjoy, which in this case means the gameplay and character interactions rather than the central conflict itself. While the narrative never quite sinks its lightsabers in completely and rarely reaches offensive territory, it also never demands full investment to appreciate the game’s stronger elements.

The combination of XCOM-style tactical depth with Star Wars universe storytelling creates a unique experience that stands out in both genres. Hawks’ voice even takes on a slight space cowboy drawl at times, drawing fair comparisons to Malcolm Reynolds from Firefly – which itself owes much to Han Solo’s original characterization. This layered homage creates a protagonist who feels both fresh and familiar within the Star Wars framework.

One of Star Wars’ Better Stories in Years

Star Wars Zero Company represents one of the better Star Wars stories seen since Rogue One, according to players who have completed the campaign. The game succeeds by focusing on diverse mercenaries and grounded conflicts rather than relying on Jedi and Sith as narrative crutches. Excellent writing, music, and cinematic presentation elevate tactical missions beyond simple combat encounters into meaningful story beats that advance both plot and character development.

Bit Reactor’s debut title proves that the question “What if XCOM, but Star Wars?” should have been asked much sooner. The pairing of tactical gameplay with Star Wars storytelling creates a perfect marriage of mechanics and setting that delivers on both fronts, even when the central narrative occasionally stumbles. For fans of turn-based tactics games or Star Wars adventures seeking something different from lightsaber-focused stories, Zero Company offers a compelling alternative that showcases what happens when talented developers from different acclaimed projects collaborate on a shared vision.