Republic Commando (Blast from the Past)

Let em' have it, boys.

It was a long time ago. 2005. I know it doesn't seem like it, but it's over a decade at this point. Of the many things that changed in that time span, Star Wars games were one of them. Back in the day, Star Wars games were actually pretty damn fun. This was pre-Force Unleashed, things were different then.

Nowadays 90% of Star Wars games are mobile. The Battlefront reboot did a lot of things right but it was so paired down compared to the dumb-fun of its predecessors that it pales in comparison, even with the pricey expansions.

• Battlefront
• Battlefront 2
• Jedi Academy
• Empire at War
• Episode 1 Racer
• Knights of the Old Republic

It was a time when anything was possible for Star Wars games. Whether you were reliving great movie battles in Battlefront or telling a brand new story in KotoR, the universe was looking forward, not back. New things were being added, not retconned.

So that brings us to one of the best Star Wars games to come out of this golden age.

Republic Commando released in February of 2005, a few months ahead of Revenge of the Sith's theatrical run. Aside from just being a great Star Wars game, RC is one of the few games from that generation to not only hold up to scrutiny, but also to stand firm against even modern shooters such as Call of Duty, Battlefield, and Halo. The reason I specifically mention is because most don't.

Go ahead, name an first-person shooter game from the xbox/PS2 generation that's not Halo, Call of Duty, or Battlefield that you would actually go back and play. Be real..... Doom 3? Maybe. Half-life? ehhh. There aren't many that come to mind, huh?

A quick wiki-search shows that between 2001 and 2006 nearly 200 unique FPS games came out. I can really only name....maybe 20? And most of those fall into one of the aforementioned series.

Even nowadays. What are the big shooters on the market? Battlefield 1, Halo 5, Titanfall 2, Doom (reboot). Familiar list huh. Especially when you consider the fact that CoD and Titanfall share the same DNA.

Pfff okay, now you're just being silly.

The game takes place in the Clone Wars and you "Boss" are the leader of an elite team of clone troopers who specialize in highly-dangerous missions. Delta Squad consists of yourself, Sev, Fixer and Scorch. The team has sort of a ninja turtles vibe going on, but that's alright.

There are a few things that make this game sooooo great. The first and foremost is that the game controls like a dream, even on console. It's a lot easier to replay old games on a PC from a player's perspective. Mods, swaths of settings, and free and custom updates make even the most obscure game feel newer and smoother years after official support stops. But on console, not so much.

The fact that this game is so....playable, even years after it's release is a testament to how dang good it is. It's FUN to shoot stuff. It's FUN to aim. And controlling your AI squadmates isn't like pulling teeth. Looking at you, Army of Two and Gears of War.

A bit of an aside, but this game has one of the most satisfying weapons in any shooter. The melee attack in this game is a wrist mounted mini-blade thingy that cuts through droids like butter.

Read between the lines, separatist.

Trust me. It's great.

I guess after controls the second big GREAT thing about this game is the fact that it feels so STAR WARS. If there's one good thing to say about the Battlefront reboot it's that it NAILED what the original Star Wars films felt like. The sounds the looks, everything.

This game was going for a more "prequely" style, but it owned it all the same. The battle droids are scuffed up and rusted out, they're a treat to gun down, blow up, or cut through. The Unique clone armor that each of your buddies wears is just as fun to look at. It just feels so.... right.

Gnarly.

Not in the movie, but I totally had an action figure like this.

I guess this post has just become me dorking out about an old xbox game, but I really want to reflect on something.

Games are inherently products of their time. The fact that games, unlike films, paintings, music, or literature, must be played on the device they were designed for means that all video games- Yes, ALL- have a shelf-life. Sure some games get re-released, or updated to work on newer systems, but without a ton of work (and even then) games are stuck. They are programs as much as they are art. You cannot have one without the other.

Eventually this game may be lost to time, despite it having somewhat of a cult following, and the fact that Delta squad did make a cannon appearance in the "Clone Wars" tv show. But I hope that this article convices at least one person who hasn't played the game to look it up and buy it, download it, or whatever you need to do to enjoy it. Let it bring you back to a time when Star Wars was adding, not subtracting. When experimentation was applauded and not hidden.

May the force be with you.