Star Wars in Pixels: Republic Commando

Star Wars is no mere film franchise, it’s a full blown universe. For as long as there has been Star Wars, there has been video games based on Star Wars. It’s a natural marriage between two medias, even more so given how film influenced the video game industry is. The history and progression of video games can almost be plotted by using Star Wars based games. From the Atari, to the modern Arcade, Star Wars has truly lived a life in pixels. This monthly blog will look at the various games based on the much loved film series. From the good, the bad and the utterly bizarre, Star Wars in Pixels will cover it all, starting with the under appreciated classic Republic Commando.

Star Wars games tend to be either great, or utterly terrible. For every X-Wing there’s a Masters of Teräs Käsi, it is a inconsistent line of quality. More recent Star Wars title have tended to fair better thanks to more focus on new story lines rather than using ones from the films. The Star Wars games have covered pretty much every genre in existence with various amounts of success. The first person shooter genre has generally been a favorable stage for Star Wars throughout the years. Yet there’s one quality title that tends to get forgotten, mainly through association with the prequels.

Star Wars: Republic Commando expanded upon the Star Wars universe by placing players in the boots of a Clone squad leader. Marketed as a tactical squad based shooter, the game saw players visit a number of worlds and take on various enemies ranging from the familiar to the new. While the tactical part of the game was a suspiciously shallow, the overall experience was anything but. The action was intense, oozing aspects of that Star Wars feel and atmosphere. The controls were tight allowing the game to flow well, resulting in a satisfying experience. The core gameplay was kept fresh by mixing up enemy types that each required a different approach, as well various tactical options and weapon variations.

Republic Commando had a number of minor touches beyond its time. Little things like the visor being splattered with blood, only to be wiped away via smaller visor wipers, added a nice touch of immersion. Witnessing the wipers clean the visor of blood and oil is oddly fascinating, albeit quirky, the devil was truly in the detail. Exploring new planets only mentioned by name in other Star Wars media also had plenty of appeal. Republic Commando had a surprisingly solid narrative behind it, along with some decent voice acting. The plot provided a decent viewpoint into how the Clone squads operated and how they affected events seen in the films and extended Star Wars universe. Throughout the course of the story familiar characters would make cameos or deliver mission briefings, often detailing the squad’s role in the grand scheme of things, bridging the gap between the films and the game.

The only real issues Republic Commando suffered from was how the game ended, and its association with the Star Wars prequels. The concept of playing as a Clone squad directly after the climax of The Clone Wars had some fans instantly turned off. It’s hard for any Star Wars product to shake off the overall disappointment and stigma of the prequels, Republic Commando had that very problem. It’s a genuine shame that the game was unfortunately attached to the underwhelming nature of the prequels. Republic Commando had everything a Star Wars fan could ask for all while being enjoyable to non-Star Wars fans. Slick presentation and a fantastic soundtrack, all along with decent gameplay, should have made Republic Commando a smash hit, but things did not turn out that way.

While the game did not flop in terms of sales, or critically, it was not deemed worthy enough for a sequel. A follow up was planned well ahead of production of the original (as the ending reflected) but the game only made it to concept stage and was canned in 2004. Republic Commando will remain as a slice of video game history, forever known as a story of what could have been. With the revival of the cinematic universe, and progression of consoles, it’s hard to not think about how a new Republic Commando would turn out, or ignore the fact that the market is in a much more welcoming state.

Even in 2015 Republic Commando still provides a utterly enjoyable experience, even more so for a Star Wars fans (both new and old). Left firmly in the shadow of Battlefront and Jar-Jar Binks, Republic Commando never truly got the credit it deserved. Packed with smart ideas, and nods towards Star Wars lore, it’s frustrating that Republic Commando never went on to bigger and better things.