I am generally not inclined to give any of the base campaign missions anything less than a 5. They are the foundation, the basis of which all our custom works are founded upon.

However...

The last mission of this battle - a version of the momentous flight through the second Death Star to destroy the core reactor - is, I think, the worst thing ever created by the X-Wing Series team.

There's nothing in the first three missions to really comment on, although the use of the Death Star laser in battle is kind of neat (albeit completely undermined by the fact that you just saw that happen in a cutscene moments before). But the last mission is just so far from the base game experience that it really defies belief.

It's quite opposite from the original X-Wing, which was able to produce what I think is the best version of the Death Star trench run to date. I recognize there's ways in which the second Death Star attack is more complex. But there was no need to take what was shown in the movie and add greater obstacles, events, and problems. All of that leads for an experience that is completely unlike the base game, and isn't helped when you've also made it 1) surprisingly punishing, and 2) pretty buggy to boot.

A single mission vs. 4 mission battle with a simplified Death Star II run would have made for a much, much better experience, in my opinion.

Final compliant unrelated to the mission: You've also left the family drama unresolved. I understand the desire to end on the Battle of Endor, but we know how that story ends. The story around the characters you've been building up isn't finished here, and never will be. Just a little extra salt to throw into the painful wound you get when flying this mission.

I severely dislike the end of this campaign. The combat in M1-M3 is not that compelling as shooting ties with a YT-1300 is about as brain dead as it can be and then that final mission.......I HATE that mission.....it leaves a bad taste in my mouth for one of my favorite games....