Star Wars fans, rejoice. Your game is here.

After a wait that seemed to last longer than a Jar Jar Binks monologue, the Star Wars Universe has finally made its presence felt in the next-gen world of gaming with Battlefront, and it’s a force to be reckoned with.

The galaxy far, far away has never been more popular than it is right now, with the release of the new film The Force Awakens, and Battlefront is another symptom of the Star Wars fever that’s sweeping the world. The cover of Battlefront – with an AT-AT staring down a lone rebel who refuses to back away – says it all: This is an in-your-face jolt of Star Wars euphoria.

Battlefront lets you switch between playing as a member of the Rebel Alliance and that of the Empire. To make it even better, not only are you fighting for both sides, you also have the opportunity to do it on the ground, in the air and on planets from the original trilogy like Tatooine and Hoth. Performing aerial gymnastics in the cockpit of an X-Wing through Beggars Canyon will have you feeling like an ace pilot, even if you’re sitting in your living room in your PJs.

Constructed in the same image as other modern, war-themed games, Battlefront focuses heavily on multiplayer gameplay. Playing online with others is the foundation upon which the game’s directive rests, but there’s also plenty to do in the single-player campaign. Different modes include Battles, a type of catch-the-flag approach that has you scrambling to collect all of your opponent’s coins while simultaneously defending your own. There’s also Survival mode, which gives you a mission, such as protecting the power generator on Hoth from the incoming imperials, a scene straight out of The Empire Strikes Back. While Battles mode may become trivial, Survival will have you much more invested.

You also get the opportunity to choose what character you want to play. For the rebels, you can pick from Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Princess Leia. On the other side, you have Darth Vader, Emperor Palpatine and Boba Fett. Yes, Boba Fett is a playable character. Equipped with his flamethrower and infamous jetpack, Boba comes ready to vaporize some rebel scum. One of the most fun moments you’ll ever have playing a Star Wars game is when you first realize that you can shoot at your enemies while rocketing around on your jet pack.

The only miscalculation with Battlefront is the lack of a story mode. Developer EA spent all of its space credits on the straight shoot-em-up formula without thinking of an original tale to back it up. The story of the original trilogy is depended on to provide context, and that’s fine, but it would have been much more fulfilling and interesting if some attempt had been made to enhance the narrative somehow. There are instances in Survival mode that gingerly stretch the original trilogy, such as when you get left behind by your rebel comrades following the battle of Hoth, but there is nothing of any real substance or originality that adds to the canon.

Battlefront is definitely a game of its time. The quick blast-them-and-leave-them approach is exciting, but something is missing without fresh storytelling. Veteran Star Wars fans will be able to jump right in and know what is going on, but younger gamers won’t. Battlefront, however, with its exciting gameplay and immersive experience, will meet the expectations of those who are enchanted by the Star Wars universe.

For more information, visit starwars.ea.com/starwars/battlefront.

By Jason Savio