Video games are all about second chances. Respawning, restarting and reloading are fundamental pillars of the medium, and most “game over” screens offer the option to try again instantly. Star Wars Zero Company, a new turn-based tactics game set in the iconic sci-fi universe, is technically no different. But it can be, if you opt to turn on the permadeath setting.
If you want to play this game with the comfort blanket that any wrong moves can be rectified with a quick reload, developers Bit Reactor won’t stop you. But trust me, this Star Wars game goes from good to great if you’re willing to embrace failure and select permadeath from the start.
Zero Company is not the first game to incorporate permanent failure. For example, Watch Dogs Legion offered a similar mechanic. In that game, I’ll admit, I played with permadeath switched off; in the case of Zero Company, I’ve found that enabling it makes every decision feel extremely high-stakes.
Star Wars Zero Company permadeath explained
Set during the Clone Wars era, Star Wars Zero Company is a game about assembling a ragtag crew of operators, then heading out on missions as part of the eponymous Zero Company. Mission types include destroying an enemy base, rescuing an ally, or stealing important data. It’s your usual assortment of Star Wars-themed mission objectives.
If you play without permadeath, if one of your operators falls, they’ll be in an injured state until you revive them, but won't actually die. However, with the setting on, if they receive three “injuries,” they will die, and I mean, die for good. There’s no coming back, as the name suggests; it’s permanent.
You can heal squad “injuries” at your base’s medical bay, so even with permadeath turned on, the game gives you tools to keep your squad healthy, but even the threat of permanent consequences is enough to raise the stakes. Plus, the start-up screen notes the game was designed with permadeath in mind, so it offers the developer’s intended experience.
Permadeath brings Zero Company alive
In Star Wars: Zero Company, your squad members aren’t just random faces on a menu screen. You chat to them at your base between missions; you can give them customs name and outfits, and you select their loadout. They become extensions of you. Each is just as vital as the custom protagonist, Hawks. Each one a part of your (occasionally dysfunctional) Star Wars family.
So, with permadeath active, the threat of one of them actually kicking the bucket weighs heavily on you. During a recent play session, I was in the thick of an optional side mission alongside Trick, a former clone trooper, who is part of your starting squad. He already had an injury and was being flanked by multiple enemies, with no squad support nearby to assist.
Even with the safety of knowing Trick could take a second injury and still return to base (remember it’s three injuries before death), I didn’t want to risk the mission going further south and Trick being wiped out for good, so I completely shifted my current strategy to move my other squadmates to Trick’s location to ensure that whatever happened next, he didn’t fatally fall.
This was just one moment, in one side mission, but it neatly showcased the extra dimension that permadeath adds to Zero Company. It stops your squad from being fodder, or you feeling tempted to send them on suicide runs knowing they can just be revived later on. Every move matters more.
Beskar Mode raises the stakes even higher
If just permadeath alone doesn’t increase the stakes enough for you, there’s also Beskar Mode. But fair warning: this option is only for Zero Company players with true nerves of steel.
In Beskar Mode, manual saving is disabled, and the game autosaves after every single turn. You have to live with the consequences of every move. Completely flub a mission and get half your squad KIA; there’s no going back. The game continues, forcing you to adapt even when you make major mistakes. If Hawks dies, it's a permanent game over. You failed your mission.
There are truly no second chances in Beskar Mode. For me, those stakes are just a little too high. I don’t particularly like the idea of getting deep into my playthrough and having to start over from the beginning because Hawks gets surrounded by enemy troops. But if you want to make Zero Company a true test of your decision-making, it’s the option for you.
I think for most players, turning on permadeath finds the sweet spot. You still have to think about your next move, but have the safety net of a restart if you really screw up. Played this way, Star Wars Zero Company has become something of an unexpected GOTY contender for me. I’m not usually one for tactical games, but with my squad’s lives in Hawks’ hands, I’ve become determined to lead them to victory with as few casualties as possible.
Follow Tom's Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds.
More from Tom's Guide
