10 things we wish we'd known before starting Star Wars Battlefront 2

There’s been a lot of controversy surrounding Star Wars Battlefront and its use of microtransactions, but just as we stated in our review, the game beyond the loot boxes is an exhilarating and rewarding shooter that can still be enjoyed if you know how to make the most of its myriad systems. 

So here are ten things we wish we’d known before returning to the galaxy far, far away. From understanding what Star Cards are and how to use them effectively to maximising rewards and currency by hitting the right objectives in the campaign, we’ll have you learning from our mistakes in no time.

The single-player campaign has its own set of Star Cards that are unlocked by locating and hacking white supply crates. Since these abilities and weapons are usually pretty important when it comes to overcoming each mission’s myriad firefights, most of these crates are easy to find but also relatively simple to miss if you’re rushing through like an X-Wing in hyperspace. 

Once an ability is unlocked, you’ll be able to drop one or more of these new cards and use them either via the D-pad or the shoulder buttons. Remember you can hold down on the D-pad to learn more about your currently equipped abilities.

Much like in Arcade and Multiplayer, death isn’t just a blank ‘game over’ screen - it’s a way to actively change up your loadout to overcome the challenge that just put you down. From this screen you can change up your Star Cards (try having an active ability and another tool-based card active at all times). 

You can also change up your weapons. Depending on where you are in the campaign’s 12 missions, you can swap out your Star Wars boom stick for something more suitable. Now go use your improved loadout to show those Imperials/Rebels who’s boss.

Completing select missions in the campaign won’t just bag you a trophy or achievement, it’ll also unlock a unique and very special loot crate. These black and yellow crates can only be unlocked by completing these key campaign sections and will provide you with a random set of emotes, Star Cards, credits and salvage (for upgrading and crafting Star Cards for multiplayer). 

To find these boxes of free stuff, head to the main menu tab and select ‘Get More Crates’. These unlocks can’t be used in single-player, but they’ll be free to use everywhere else.

Completing each chapter in the campaign will net you a reward that you can cash in from the main menu of the game. 

Simply press ‘RB’/’R1’ to scroll across to the Career tab, then select the Campaign section below. You’ll then see a list of rewards tied to each mission. Once complete, simply press ‘Y’/’Triangle’ to redeem your reward. 

Each one varies depending on the chapter in question, but you'll get anything from a couple of hundred credits to some crafting parts. If you’re looking for extra currency to buy new crates, unlock Heroes or craft new cards, these rewards are a great way to line your pockets.

Since Star Wars Battlefront 2 is largely a multiplayer experience, it’s no surprise you’ll be encountering plenty of pitched battles in the campaign. The AI in the story mode isn’t the brightest, but it still uses a hierarchy system that sees officers commanding groups of Stormtroopers. 

Stormtroopers are more aggressive and ultimately more effective when an officer is around, so concentrate your fire on the officer first to send each group into disarray. The fight that follows should be far less challenging without him. You’ll also find multiple officers in larger areas so be sure to be aware of your surroundings.

Battlefront 2’s Star Card system can be a little confusing at first, especially when trying to maximise the effectiveness of each class. You can’t level up a class by traditional general means, instead you need to collect Star Cards specifically tied to Assault, Heavy, Specialist, Officer or any of the Heroes or vehicles. 

The more cards you own, the higher the level of that class. Reaching a total of five cards will unlock the second slot on your Star Card hand, while collecting ten will open up the third one. Now select a good set of cards to fill these slots.

Tying directly back into the previous tip, Battlefront 2 provides an easy way to boost the number of cards in your collection - crafting. Crafting parts is the currency you’ll need for this, which is most commonly dropped through Supply Crates (your daily crate will almost always have some included with it). 

Crafting parts will also be produced when you unlock a duplicate Star Card. To craft a card and unlock it, head to the Collection tab on the main menu, select your chosen class then use your salvage balance to bring it into play. It’ll usually cost you around 40 crafting points to craft a card.

Heroes, Villains and the iconic vehicles they’re known for piloting can be a game changer if used right. But that doesn’t mean they’re invincible. Much like any other class, knowing which Star Cards to craft, upgrade and equip can drastically change how effective a character can be a fight. 

Jedi Fighter is a must for Luke Skywalker; Bloodlust transforms Kylo Ren into a frenzied monster; Bonus Health toughens up Darth Vader; Anti-Hero Rockets make Boba Fett formidable against other Heroes; Opportunist increases Rey’s damage; Rebel Heart makes Leia far tougher; and Heavily-Modified Blaster makes Han’s blaster into a beast.

Star Cards can get really complicated, especially because Battlefront 2 does such a poor job of adequately explaining the different systems at play when you start. One big feature that’s easy to misunderstand is the two distinctions in Star Cards - Boosts and Abilities. 

Boosts are augments that increase the effectiveness of your existing abilities, while Abilities are new tools, gear or powers you can use in battle. Craft or buy enough cards from Supply Crates to unlock each of the slots in your hand, then try experimenting to see which cards a) suit the class and b) suit your play style.

We’ll admit, few things in Battlefront 2 are as satisfying and exhilarating as dogfighting with other players and AI in Starfighter Assault, but much like the rest of the modes in the game simply chasing kills is actually a less effective way to bank the most Battle Points and XP at the end of the match. 

To level up faster, play to every objective in a match, including any side-objectives that pop up. Most players will shoot after kills, so keep plugging away at objectives and you’ll rocket up the leaderboard in no time.