Star Wars: Zero Company Ranks Among the Highest-Rated Star Wars Games of All Time

Standing out in the vast galaxy of Star Wars video games is no small feat, yet Bit Reactor’s tactical strategy title, Star Wars: Zero Company, appears to have achieved elite status right out of the gate. With critical reviews now live, the turn-based squad battler has captured immense praise, cementing its position alongside the franchise’s most revered classics.

Star Wars: Zero Company currently boasts a stellar Metascore of 86 on Metacritic. While a mid-80s score is impressive on its own merits, it elevates the game into the top tier of the franchise, ranking among the five highest-rated Star Wars releases in Metacritic history. This places it in a dead heat with Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II – The Sith Lords, trailing only a handful of legendary entries: Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast (89), Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader (90), Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II (91), and the benchmark classic Knights of the Old Republic (94).

The glowing early feedback highlights broad acclaim across the board. In a 9/10 review, IGN’s Dan Stapleton praised Zero Company for evolving well beyond a straightforward “Star Wars reskin of XCOM.” Stapleton underscored the narrative execution as one of the franchise’s finest storylines since Rogue One, spotlighting its memorable primary antagonist, Fathom.

“Stepping away from the tired archetype of a standard Sith adversary is a breath of fresh air,” Stapleton noted. “Fathom brings a compelling, chilling aura to the screen, and her nuanced dynamic with her enforcer son ensures she never descends into a flat, one-dimensional caricature.”

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PC Gamer mirrored this enthusiasm, awarding the game a score of 90. Reviewer Ted Litchfield commended the harmonious blend of rich storytelling and intricate, systems-driven tactical gameplay that honors the core appeal of the turn-based genre.

“The sheer breadth of RPG customization and build crafting in Zero Company caught me off guard,” Litchfield observed. “While it avoids unnecessary computational clutter, there are fantastic ability synergies to discover. Once the game unlocks multiclassing, squad customization truly takes off.”

Critical opinions occasionally diverge on particular features. In an 8/10 review for Game Informer, James Galizio offered a more tempered view of the narrative, calling it serviceable rather than remarkable. However, he championed the game’s stellar progression loops and level architecture.

“Upgrading and optimizing your operatives is inherently rewarding, but it only succeeds because the tactical encounters and map design are so thoughtfully crafted,” Galizio explained. “A standout operation forced me to neutralize incoming squads while desperately retreating toward an extraction zone as preceding sectors collapsed into deadly hazard areas.”

Even with varied takes on its narrative beats, reviewers collectively agree that Zero Company provides a masterful take on modern squad tactics. In a four-star review for GamesRadar, Alex Spencer noted that despite adhering closely to tactical conventions, the authentic presentation elevates the experience: “It is easy to forgive familiar ground when a game captures the exhilarating rush of landing a decisive strike right down the exhaust port of an enemy offensive.”

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Source: Polygon