Star Wars: Zero Company merges XCOM-style tactics with bold espionage missions
Star Wars: Zero Company Is More Than Just a Turn-Based Tactics Game
At its core, Star Wars: Zero Company may resemble XCOM-style combat, but it also weaves in elements of BioWare's role-playing masterpiece Mass Effect—along with a few extra twists designed to keep players hooked.
First impressions can be deceiving, as a major preview by PC Gamer suggests. The outlet spent roughly five hours with the game, and its verdict is clear: while Zero Company delivers the expected tight, narrative-driven skirmishes à la XCOM, everything else comes as a surprise.
XCOM Meets Mass Effect
A key focus of development was blending top-down tactical combat with third-person exploration, where players control the protagonist, Hawks. This shift in perspective—both in missions and within the Rogue One-inspired base, "The Den"—adds a much deeper Star Wars atmosphere. Outside of combat, players can interact with squad members, upgrade abilities, and acquire gear, giving the game an almost Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order-like feel, according to PC Gamer. The goal, per the developers, is to wrap the core gameplay in an elegant, immersive package.
That includes managing the personalities, preferences, and well-being of recruited mercenaries. Permadeath is a core mechanic, though soldiers can be wounded before dying—giving players a chance to heal them. No one bites the dust instantly.
Not Everything Is Possible
The mission design leans into espionage-style tension. Some objectives can be completed in multiple ways—including non-combat solutions—while others focus on sabotage. The game teases that an enemy type is about to receive two major upgrades, leaving players to decide whether to sabotage one of them in a mission. Skip it, and they'll face tougher foes wielding both enhancements. Time constraints mean not every mission can be tackled, forcing players to make strategic choices. During operations, the game keeps pressure high with unexpected twists.
For PC Gamer, all this makes Zero Company a potential standout title for 2026.
