The 5 Best ‘Star Wars’ Games

Star Wars video games, be it on PC, console, or mobile platforms, have cemented themselves into fans' enjoyment of the galaxy far, far away, regardless of their generation. While more recent smash hit releases such as Battlefront II and Jedi: Fallen Order has taken over by storm, the momentum of Star Wars games seems to have reduced with slow releases, project delays, and EA-paywall controversies. However, the Star Wars gaming universe appears to be picking up steam with the upcoming LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga and the out-of-the-blue announcement of Star Wars Eclipse. It is, therefore, high time to take a trip down memory lane and revisit some of the best and most popular Star Wars games ever released.

Star Wars: Republic Commando (2005)

While Jedi duels and space warfare were recurring themes in Star Wars games for a long time, Republic Commando brought in a wholly different gameplay experience. It enabled players to step into the shoes of the Republic's most elite soldiers in the prequel era to lead a squad of four in taking on the most challenging military tasks against the Separatist threat ranging from raging battles on Geonosis to covert operations and skirmishes on Kashyyyk.

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First-person shooter games are not uncommon in the video game industry, but one that delivers an immersive single-player campaign with truly interactive squad cooperation features is undoubtedly a rare find. Rather than having AI’s that serve a minimal purpose to the player's progress in the game, Republic Commando demanded dynamic strategy and synergy with the Delta Squad teammates on daring missions, with each tactical move leading to unpredictable and realistic consequences on the battlefield, thereby keeping the player experience fresh and enticing at all times.

LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga (2007)

While Star Wars games such as the Battlefront series feature intense gameplay, the LEGO installments define casual and enjoyable play, appealing to fans of all ages. Combining the stories from the original and prequel trilogies, The Complete Saga successfully brought the Star Wars storyline to life in a 'brickified' form.

Through hilarious renditions of classic Star Wars moments, players can relive the six movies while having a good laugh. Players have access to more than 120 minifigure characters that could be used at any storyline point upon completing the particular story's mission. In addition, there are numerous Easter eggs hidden across the timeline that could be accessed only through replaying the missions with specific characters, making it continuously captivating. One could, of course, never forget the chaotic fun in the Mos Eisley cantina lobby and the gibberish 'spoken' by the characters rather than actual words and sentences, making the experience more enjoyable.

Star Wars Battlefront II (2017)

The Battlefront series had long acquired a strong reputation since the mid-2000s, and it was a formidable reputation to live up to. While the 2017 Battlefront II certainly had a rocky launch with its heavy focus on a pay-to-win structure, the game was quickly redeemed by narrowing down micro-transactions to cosmetics, drawing in an enormous player-base worldwide. With stunning graphics and diverse content, it is one of the most popular Star Wars games in modern days.

The game received continuous content updates and a plethora of game modes, enriching the battlefront experience extensively. One of the features popularizing Battlefront II, compared to its 2015 predecessor, was its rich Clone Wars-era content, enabling players to immerse themselves into full-blown land battles and space dogfights between the Republic and the Separatists. In addition, a wide range of iconic characters such as Anakin Skywalker and General Grievous were also playable, along with an extensive roster of troop classes and reinforcements created an immersive, skill-heavy multiplayer experience for players at all levels.

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (2019)

Fallen Order is undisputedly among the best Star Wars games in terms of single-character storytelling. Following the footsteps of Padawan Cal Kestis, one of the very few surviving Jedi after Order 66, players can follow through the thrilling experiences and adventures of the young Jedi from a third-person perspective in the turbulent early-Empire era.

Each chapter of the story involves visiting new Star Wars worlds with amazing graphics and design, while the puzzles and combat sub-stages are kept enticing at a reasonably challenging difficulty that balances storytelling and action. As a result, players could find themselves completely immersed in the fantasy world of Star Wars, exploring different corners of the galaxy while taking on both familiar and novel villains at the same time. One of Fallen Order's highlights is the intricate character design of the protagonist, which players could easily follow through with detailed storytelling starting all the way from life as a young Padawan during the Clone Wars to realizing his destiny in fighting for the restoration of the Jedi Order.

Star Wars: The Old Republic (2011)

Arguably, nothing beats The Old Republic, the classic king of the hill of all Star Wars games. Despite its launch dating back to more than ten years ago, the massively multiplayer online RPG game is still constantly updated and supported, standing as one of the most popular Star Wars games up to this day. 

Set more than 3600 years before the Skywalker Saga, players are introduced to a rich experience deep into Star Wars expanded universe lore, marking a significant new page from the original and prequel trilogies that most are familiar with. Players also have a high degree of autonomy and control in the storyline gameplay, with the ability to join either the Republic or Sith and choose from different character classes at the beginning of the game. The gameplay advances by leveling up characters, items, and weapons through various moral challenges and decisions along the character's path. Most enjoyable is likely the numerous updates since the game's launch, notably the Shadow of Revan installment that was wildly popular and adored.

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Written by Geoff Lo

Syndicated from Culture Slate

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