Mon avis sur SQUADRON 42

Overview

After spending about five hours with a preview of Squadron 42 in Manchester, Fred describes it as a linear, story-led single-player game set in the Star Citizen universe. His impressions are mostly positive, but he stresses that the game’s slow pace and emphasis on immersion will not suit everyone. Around three of his five hours were spent watching cutscenes, some of which cannot be skipped.

Story

Set roughly 800–900 years in the future, the game opens during a major attack by the Vanduul, an enemy force that has previously launched smaller raids on human worlds. The player begins as a gunner in a space battle that goes badly. After the ship is destroyed, the character is rescued and taken to a hospital.

The opening also introduces character customisation: after being severely burned, the protagonist undergoes facial reconstruction, allowing the player to choose their appearance. The character then joins the UE Navy as a pilot, following a recommendation from a former captain, and serves aboard the UE Stanton, an Idris-class carrier-like ship.

The story has a classic Wing Commander feel, with a straightforward good-versus-evil conflict. Fred avoids describing later plot details to prevent spoilers.

Gameplay and immersion

The game features two main forms of action: piloting spacecraft and first-person combat, with small puzzle sections. Fred estimates that FPS combat may make up roughly 30–40% of the experience, with flying and other activities accounting for the rest.

Ship piloting is much less complex than in Star Citizen and is designed to work with a mouse and keyboard. Fred also tried a flight-control setup.

The player can walk around the ship, speak with the crew, eat, shower, exercise, and use a simulator. Crew members have distinct personalities, and the ship’s roughly 80–90 occupants follow routines such as sleeping, exercising, and carrying out repairs.

NPCs direct ships onto landing pads, mechanics inspect them after landing, and crew members take part in everyday activities. Fred says these details create a convincing sense of being one person in a larger organisation. However, the slow walking and lengthy conversations may frustrate players who want constant action.

Other notable features include:

• Destructible ships: The Maelstrom system lets damage break ships apart piece by piece. Wings can lose sections, and components such as reactors can detach, leaving debris during battles. Fred found this especially satisfying.
• Combat AI: Enemies can take cover, stay behind cover while under fire, flank the player, and throw grenades. Fred also saw friendly characters use cover and revive others with healing equipment.
• Codex-style information: An in-game information screen provides narrated explanations of ships, factions, and political events as the player encounters them.
• Audio and accessibility: The preview had English voice acting with French subtitles, but no French dub. Fred says reading subtitles can distract from looking at the visuals.

Bugs and practical observations

The preview did not crash, and most issues Fred encountered were minor visual or NPC animation bugs. The more disruptive problem was scripted sequences failing to trigger when NPC ships or characters did not arrive as expected. This could leave doors closed or characters silent. Fred says reloading a save usually let the sequence play properly; saves were available frequently.

He also warns that the game is highly scripted, so player actions can have consequences. For example, shooting an ally during training can lead to a bad outcome and a reprimand from the captain. The game reportedly includes other bad endings for failed missions or reckless actions.

Structure, length, and outlook

The game is linear rather than an open-world space sandbox, though the preview did not establish how much freedom players might have in every situation. Chris Roberts reportedly estimated a 40–45-hour playthrough, with additional time for players who explore the ship and talk to NPCs.

Fred thought a release within roughly six months seemed possible if the full game was in a similar condition to the preview, while emphasising that this was uncertain. He expected the game to receive a hostile response from some people because of its association with Star Citizen, its long development, and its enormous budget.

He also noted that Star Citizen fans may welcome the single-player game’s release if it allows more development resources to move back to Star Citizen and its planned 1.0 version.

The story is expected to have a proper ending rather than a cliffhanger. A sequel is possible but not guaranteed, and would reportedly take place in a different setting.

People and sources mentioned

• Fred: Reviewer and narrator from Bazar du Grenier
• Chris Roberts: Discussed the game’s intended length and direction
• Mark Hamill: Plays a character aboard the player’s ship
• Hugo Lisoir: Mentioned in an anecdote about exploring the ship
• Cloud Imperium Games (CIG): The developer

The subtitles render some names inconsistently; “Marcamil” and similar forms appear to refer to Mark Hamill.