If you are a fan of “Star Wars” or video games, you have November 17 circled on the calendar. That is the day “Star Wars: Battlefront” returns from its 10 year hiatus, and fans of the series are counting down the seconds. Luckily for aspiring Rebels and Imperials alike, EA took an opportunity to test the game's infrastructure and game types through a public beta, a smart move considering all the online troubles EA and DICE games have faced in the past. After around 10 hours of play time, I can safely say that “Star Wars: Battlefront” is not “Battlefield” with blasters, and that fans have a reason to be excited.

Beautiful, this game is

Whether it is diving into Sullest, Hoth or Tatooine, the first aspect of the game I was struck by was how gorgeous it was. This game is engrossing. Everything from the menus screens, to the divots in the rocks of Sullest, are extremely detailed. DICE exceptionally nailed the “Star Wars” feel. Even though it was a beta, I felt as if I was actually taking part in the battle of Hoth from “Empire Strikes Back” because of how authentic to “Star Wars” everything felt and sounded. This even stems to the blasters and their effects. Seeing and hearing red bolts of energy fly over you and cascade into sparks is equally exhilarating as it is terrifying, especially considering that a couple hits from these iconic weapons could mean you respawning at the back of the map. While it was imperative for the developers to nail the aesthetic, amazing visuals wouldn’t mean much if the game wasn’t fun to play. Luckily for gamers, DICE took care of that as well.

Bullseying womp rats in my AT-AT

So far, DICE has done a great job of paying homage to the “Star Wars: Battlefront” games of the past while including their modern style of first person shooting that made the “Battlefield” games so popular. On a technical level, the shooting mechanics are sound. The controls felt tight and responsive and I always felt that if there was a mistake made, it was because I did not aim correctly or hit the wrong button. It helps that the shooting feels and sounds so damn good. As touched on earlier, these blasters will hit you with a wave of “Star Wars” nostalgia as they sound exactly how you remember them in those iconic movies. There is this indescribable feeling obtained from blasting a Stormtrooper that always kept me coming back for more.

While the shooting is sound, I found that DICE also did a commendable job with the available game types. Drop Zone felt extremely different when compared to Walker Assault, almost to the point where I felt like I wasn’t even sure I was playing the same game. Drop Zone is fast paced and played on the small, corridor field map of Sullest. The map and mode made for an intense time as my squad and I fought for the five escape pods and the victory. Walker Assault felt entirely different as I traversed the gigantic snow covered hills of Hoth. The map is wide open and the layout and experiences I would have with it seemed to change with each giant step of the intimidating AT-ATs. Walker Assault also offered some of my favorite epic moments of my time with the beta. There were crazy moments that got me screaming like the fan boy I am such as when X-Wings and Tie Fighters came screaming over my head and crashing right in front of me, or playing as Luke Skywalker or Darth Vader and slashing through enemies like they were tauntauns with my lightsaber.

Both game types require teamwork, but I felt that it was imperative to work together in Walker Assault, especially as the Rebels. Walker Assault is where one of my only complaints comes in with the beta. Playing as the Rebels felt absolutely helpless at times, due to how difficult it is to take down those behemoth walkers. Couple that with the fact it felt like I was always being swarmed by Stormtroopers, or blasted by AT-STs, and Walker Assault left my friends and I frustrated more than it enticed us to keep playing as the good guys. The times we won felt great, but those occasions were rare and far between each other as the Empire just felt too over powered. That seems to be the only area DICE really needs to work on balancing as the uneven nature of the game type may keep gamers from coming back to what has the potential for some truly epic and awe-inspiring moments.

The force is strong with this one

When DICE and EA set out to make the newest edition of the beloved “Battlefront” series, they knew how much fans love this property, thus knowing that it was so imperative for them to get this game right. While it may have some balance and connectivity issues, “Star Wars: Battlefront” seems to deliver on the promise of epic “Star Wars” moments, and has me chomping at the bit for the full game.