[b]Disclaimer[/b]: [spoiler]I am reviewing the Xbox version running on a Series S. I am coming to this as a BIG fan of the original singleplayer/split-screen console experience, originally playing on the PS2 and then consistently firing up the back-compat versions on my Xbox One/Series S, so I have no rose-tinted glasses on like others who might not have played for years, and the most to gain from a rerelease specifically (not having the prior benefits of PC-level optimisation, multiplayer experience, or graphics mods). When I compare these versions to the originals, it is to the Xbox back-compat version.[/spoiler] [b][u]Cross-game comments:[/u][/b] -Generally the visuals in-game are ‘good’. The biggest difference is the lighting which is crisper and sharper than in the originals, making darker areas much more visible and presenting some newly reflective surfaces. I always thought the lighting was quite hazy and muddy and spoiled the graphics on the originals, so I consider this a big plus, probably the biggest upgrade to the game. The textures and graphics themselves are fine. They’re better than the originals but not by enough to matter, the biggest difference is being in 1080/60 (I assume it does 4k/120 if your monitor supports it, but mine doesn’t so I can’t comment on that) -The launcher is the most lacklustre thing imaginable, and the splash screens for the individual games are presented in a ‘16:9 image squashed to fit 4:3’ way which is pretty bad visually when literally everything else has been altered to fit 16:9. -As well as the menus generally changing to fit 16:9, they changed the fonts as well, for some inobvious reason. -They also added colourblind filters, but this appears to be the only new accessibility feature. As a visually impaired person I never had access issues with these games, but if anybody did then it’s a safe bet they haven’t been remedied here. -There is something wrong with the audio in the cutscenes. I don’t know how they managed to bloat the games to over 50GB combined yet use such low-res audio. The cutscenes LOOK better, with great HD widescreen footage from the films (especially in BF1 the difference is night and day), but the audio is just bad. Unless you’re directly comparing them you may not notice much generally, but when the main SW theme hits on the campaign it really is noticeably awful in both games and was what made me pick up on how bad the rest of it is in comparison to the originals. -Unit AI is bad generally, I haven’t compared them directly with the originals but they are notably awful on this release which I hadn’t really noticed in the past. [u][b]Star Wars: Battlefront[/b][/u] Singleplayer: No major changes as far as I can make out. Works well and plays just as good as the original, if not better with the visual upgrades. Although now you can press the left stick to switch between 1st and 3rd person views, which is a great QoL upgrade. On the mission screen when playing the campaign, on default audio settings the voiceover reading the mission briefing is barely audible over the music. Multiplayer: On first press of the Quick Match button I was presented with a private lobby and asked to input the password. On second pressing I was put into a 350 unit match on Rhen-Var consisting of only 5 players, already about 3/4 of the way through. There was minimal lag, although several times I found myself stuck on the terrain and the AI units were noticeably absolutely terrible, consistently running straight off the walkway to the exposed command post at the south of the map, or one time a group surrounding a turret just standing there letting me pick them off with a sniper. Other: The loading screen “boop-boop-boop-boop-boop”s from the original are of a different pitch and often non-existent here. The latter is definitely a bug but idk about the former; I guess just an arbitrary change they either overlooked or thought nobody would notice. It isn’t an ‘issue’ except for the fact that it is a clearly needless change for no obvious reason, which is not the way rereleases or remasters should be treated. Menus altered so they look better in 16:9 - good. Random audio changes in a loading screen that work against the nostalgia of fans - bad. [u][b]Star Wars: Battlefront II[/b][/u] Singleplayer: You can play with up to 750 troops per side with a team size of up to 32, which feels -blam!- epic in standard conquest, along with adding the XL mode from PC which is a ‘first to 350 kills’ mode with bigger team sizes and no command-post capture. It isn’t available on every map, just the more open battlefields like Hoth, Geonosis and Kashyyk. Hero assault is available on every non-space map now and Hunt is available on Theed with Gungans vs CIS if that’s your jam. I have not noticed the major texture glitches others have encountered, yet. Multiplayer: One Quick Match. 6 players in a 350 unit battle on Mustafar. Noticeable lag and default aim assist actively getting in the way with so many units on screen at once. Probably because Mustafar is quite a close-quarters map making excessive unit numbers an issue. Respawn point select screen bugged out every single time and really just adds to the overall jank feel. AI seemed to be just as bad as BF1, running around like headless chickens and actively getting in the way. Other: The menu videos are in terrible quality. Not even noticeably better than the originals, apart from the framerate, which is pretty jarring. [u][b]Overall Thoughts:[/b][/u] This isn’t a remaster. It’s a ‘polished’ rerelease for the benefit of console players who otherwise can’t play the multiplayer or in 60fps (or play at all on switch). If you already have them on PC, don’t bother getting the new ones unless the PC UI particularly bugs you (and then you’re a mug for paying 30+ of your native smackaroos). If you already have them on console, consider it a low-effort upgrade worth maybe half the asking price if you’re interested in the multiplayer primarily, two thirds the asking price if the single-player experience compels you more. If you’re new to the games, pick up the originals if you can unless you ‘need’ the better visuals.