Star Wars for tactics nerds: "Zero Company" preview
11/8/2026
Translation: machine translated
A crew of outsiders operating under the Republic's radar, fulfilling missions from across the galaxy. Tactical action in the style of the 'X-Com' series. That sounds fantastic. But how does 'Zero Company' play?
Bit Reactor, the developers of Zero Company, are actually a bit of a ragtag crew themselves. They bring tons of experience to the table, for instance from the development of X-Com, Civilization, or Elder Scrolls Online. And then, with Zero Company, they immediately take on a debut project in the Star Wars universe. After the first few rounds, I have to say: it basically works, even if I would have liked a bit more depth and better menu navigation.
The story of Zero Company is quickly told: during the trials and tribulations of the Clone Wars, I take control of Hawk, a male or female former officer of the Republic. I assemble a squad of willing mercenaries who complete missions across the galaxy to earn credits and fame. Part of this squad is predetermined; I can recruit additional aliens, astromechs, and humans between missions.
Anyone familiar with the X-Com series knows what to expect. At the base, which is called the "Den" here, I develop new technologies, equip my people, heal them in the medical bay, and make them stronger using skill points. I also buy weapons and upgrades there and have discussions with the key characters. In true Star Wars franchise fashion, this is often light fare with a humorous touch.
The threat posed by "The Spiral" is all the more real. The cult gains its followers through a mysterious disease. The plague turns them into esoteric, supernatural beings that my team and I are tasked by the Republic to stop.
Light sci-fi, hard tactics
I take four members of the squad with me on missions to various planets. It always follows the same style: land, walk around, look through the scope, fight. These turn-based tactical battles from an isometric perspective are the heart of the game. Each of my characters has three action points that I use either for moving, fighting, or other abilities. Depending on the weapon, using it costs between one and three action points.
I try to overwhelm my opponents from cover. If they are right in front of my gun, I have a 100 percent hit chance. If they are in cover, that number drops quickly. I constantly have to weigh the risk of a missed shot and keep a Plan B in mind. Otherwise, my squad will be dead faster than Greedo in the Mos Eisley cantina.
However, death in the game does not mean the end. I can revive each of my characters on the battlefield twice; only on the third death is it truly over. Depending on the difficulty level, it might be permanent. I strongly recommend turning on permadeath and setting the difficulty to "hard." The appeal of the X-Com series is the feeling of always being half a step too late. I have to define that myself in the settings for Zero Company.
On higher difficulty levels, the tactical epic is fun. When ego-driven actions lead to certain death, I have to carefully consider my next move and act as a team. In every turn, one of my characters can request support from another. This not only leads to free hits but also to permanent buffs for both characters once I am back at the base. If you want to get the most out of it, play it like a tactical swinger club: everyone with everyone else. That way, everyone gets multiple upgrade points.
In addition to several blasters and grenades, the team has individual skills, such as healing, melee combat, or tactical instructions. I therefore assemble the task force to be as balanced as possible. Action points are not the only currency on the battlefield. Every hit generates advantage points, which I can in turn use for powerful special abilities. Rocket launchers, precision shots, or suppressive fire bring variety to the battles and allow for powerful combos if I use them correctly. For example, I can cover an angle with one person and box the enemy exactly into that angle with another.
R2D2, grenade specialist
A special feature is the astromechs, which cannot shoot but carry several grenades. This helps enormously, especially in missions where I have to destroy all enemies. Besides that, there are rescue or extraction missions that are timed and require a fast team above all else.
Between missions, I can complete assignments. These are very simple decisions in a text window that help the squad progress by providing money, experience points, and upgrades. This part of Zero Company feels simple and immature. A text adventure from the 80s is similarly exciting.
The battlefield is still stuttering
Before Zero Company is released on August 27, the developers still have a lot of optimizing to do. Currently, it stutters and lags at every turn. Unfortunately, that is almost to be expected with Unreal Engine games these days. The turn-based battles do not require a constant 60 FPS, but there is still plenty of room for improvement in terms of optimization.
The menu navigation will likely not be optimized before launch. Because the game is optimized for consoles, I have to click through several menus and submenus on the PC before a mission: I cannot select equipment and mods on the same screen. If I want to take a different team on every mission, I spend several minutes distributing grenades, weapons, and mods individually. Here, I would wish for configurable loadouts that I could select before each mission.
Overall, Zero Company makes a solid impression. It should be a treat for fans of Star Wars and the X-Com series. Everyone else should wait for the review from my colleague Rainer, which you can expect around the release.
Zero Company will be released for PC, PS5, and Xbox on August 27. EA provided me with the preview for the PC.
Simon Balissat
Teamleader Editorial
Simon.Balissat@digitecgalaxus.chWhen I flew the family nest over 15 years ago, I suddenly had to cook for myself. But it wasn’t long until this necessity became a virtue. Today, rattling those pots and pans is a fundamental part of my life. I’m a true foodie and devour everything from junk food to star-awarded cuisine. Literally. I eat way too fast.
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