Star Wars: Uprising - Kabam

This review of Star Wars: Uprising was completed by the Australian Council on Children and the Media (ACCM) on 5 October 2015.

About the app

This section contains details about the app provided by an ACCM Reviewer.

ACCM review

This review of Star Wars: Uprising contains the following information:

• The level to which the game was reviewed
• App description
• Reviewers comments
• In App purchasing
• Online information
• Gambling
• Advertising and product placement
• Gender stereotypes and sexual references
• Coarse language
• Game playing behaviour which may be of concern to some parents
• Other

The level to which the game was reviewed

This review focuses on levels: 1-10.

App description

Star Wars Uprising is a role-playing game based on the Star Wars franchise. The objective of the game is to move through missions and battle opponents of increasing difficulty, defeat bosses, and gain rewards in the form of upgraded weapons/armour and resources. Visual and motor skills assist in gameplay.

Reviewers comments

When the app is first opened, players are asked to create a username for themselves, or to sign in with an existing Kabam username. They are then presented with four characters and are asked to select the species they wish to play as (Twi’lek, Mirialan, Zabrak, or Human) as well as their gender. The app then offers players the option to fully customise their character, offering them a selection of faces, hair styles and colours, skin tones and facial details to choose from. They can then allocate a first name and surname for their character.

Players are then provided with some backstory, being told that in a galaxy far away after the death of an emperor, an iron blockade was formed and prevented the other planets from hearing the news. Desperation and rebellion grew, and the people turned to local crime bosses for the resources they needed to survive. An animation then shows a colony of people living on a particular planet – they are dressed in military gear. Players then witness Imperial Security Officers harass the residents, asking to search their stalls and homes. They request players to move forward  and individuals must tap the screen to move their character to the desired location. Players must then tap to attack the Officer, stunning them, and then move to another location to finish the mission. The app positions players as part of the rebellion that opposes the authoritarian dictatorship of the military. 

Players are then thrown into battle, where they face off against security droids in their quest to complete their next mission. It is possible to ‘auto attack’ by tapping an enemy once – this engages their character in a gun battle with other surrounding droids after they finish killing the first droid. Their health bars gradually diminish and they fall to the floor dead before their bodies shortly disappear. In between battles, players must occasionally tap on and activate machines to help their character progress (e.g. clicking on a computer which lowers a bridge in the game, allowing players to continue on their path).  Players are also able to tap on storage crates along their way, which contain rewards and items.

The game contains boss battles, with enemies who have more health and who are able to do greater damage to the player’s character. After a mission is completed, their character gains experience points and levels up, thus increasing their base damage and base health. They also receive item rewards, including things such as weapon upgrades and armour (e.g. damaged street punk gauntlets’, with 70+ defense and 84+ attack).  Players can additionaly purchase skills and abilities to improve their attack within battle (e.g. training in Rank 1 Crowd Control, to enable players to knock back and slow nearby enemies for a moderate duration). Players must progressively follow the storyline, learning more about the rebellion their character is involved in, and progressively battle harder enemies whilst upgrading their armour, weapons and skills.

The game also contains a chat room function, where players can discuss random and game-related things with other players. The chat room does not appear to be moderated, and not all content is game-related. However, no inappropriate language was witnessed during the course of this review. Some chat rooms are open to all players and others are closed to private games with a set number of players being able to enter. Additionally, players have a message inbox where they can send private messages to other players. The game contains a cooperative play option, where players can join or create their own alliances and fight alongside other players to battle harder bosses or larger groups of enemies. Players are encouraged to engage in cooperative play and reach higher scores on the leaderboard, as they are told that Legendary Gear is available to the players who reach the highest ranks of each sector battle.

Furthermore, the app contains in-app purchasing options, with players being able to buy chromium stones in packages of 150 for $6.49, 305 for $12.99, 620 for $24.99, and 945 for $37.99. These stones can be used to purchase additional items and upgrades for weapons and armour.

There is discussion of legal and illegal weapons in the dialogue between the players and other non-players with whom they interact. Additionally, there are references to the player’s father having been killed in battle, to other characters that are violent (e.g. kidnappers and gut-cutters) and to threats made between characters to kill and murder each other. Some of this content may be inappropriate for younger users.

In App purchasing

The app contains in-app purchasing options, with players being able to buy chromium stones in packages of 150 for $6.49, 305 for $12.99, 620 for $24.99, and 945 for $37.99. These stones can be used to purchase additional items and upgrades for weapons and armour.

Online information

The game contains a chat room function, where players can discuss random and game-related things with other players. Some chat rooms are open to all players and others are closed to private games with a set number of players being able to enter. Additionally, players have a message inbox where they can send private messages to other players. The game contains a cooperative play option, where players can join or create their own alliances and fight alongside other players to battle harder bosses or larger groups of enemies. Players are encouraged to engage in cooperative play and reach higher scores on the leaderboard.

Gambling

N/A.

Advertising and product placement

N/A.

Gender stereotypes and sexual references

N/A.

Coarse language

N/A.

Game playing behaviour which may be of concern to some parents

N/A.

Other

N/A.

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