I forgot just how pretty DICE's 2015 shooter Star Wars Battlefront was until I saw this collection of mods, which strips back the HUD, removes lens effects and stops the game shouting that annoying "return to combat" message when you venture off the beaten path. It's very simple, but by getting rid of all the noise it really lets the game's environments shine.
The creator of the collection, which is called The Jedi Chronicles: Rebellion against the Empire, says the aim is to turn the multiplayer-focused game into an "offline, single player, cinematic, arcade experience" that makes you feel like you're living in the Star Wars universe, rather than just playing a Star Wars-themed shooter. Gone are intro logos and loading screen tips, as well as any mention of playing online. It also takes away points, bonuses or ratings during rounds so you can just focus on having a good time.
Stormtoopers will stay on the ground after they go limp rather than vanish into thin air, and the mod removes any earth-like fauna from the game's various levels to make it feel more like Star Wars.
A lot of the decisions feel personal to the mod's creator, Cornel, and the package is designed to be customised by fiddling around with the project files. For example, the mod will only let you play as a human male without a beard. It also removes jumppacks and A-Wings from the game entirely, and replaces snowtroopers with regular stormtroopers. "This mod collection was made by me, according to my personal tastes, and for my personal use," Cornel says. "I do not expect anyone else wanting to use them just as they are. That's why I will upload them together with the project files, so they can be adapted easily, using the Frosty Mod Editor."
You can download the collection and its project files here. Give the video above a watch if you want an idea of what to expect.
