Scorch, Fixer, Sev (Seven) and, slightly above the previous three, Boss . The vast majority of clones from the Star Wars universe have paraded without pain or glory through the official canon of Star Wars or its legends. But Delta Squad , the four protagonists of the Star Wars Republic Commando , are made of a special paste. A sensational destructive ability lavishly flavored with Jango Fett’s genetic code.
After all, Delta Squad is one of the elite of the Grand Army of the Republic . Standing out on the basis of milestones among the millions of soldiers created and treated as more than pawns – practically expendable – in the war against the separatists. Consolidating as legends with their own name during the Clone Wars.
And best of all: this is a quartet designed by LucasArts herself and masterfully imbued with the essence of Star Wars. Or, at least, the spirit of the movie prequels. Much more than an excuse to clean the galaxy of droids, Geonosians and other interplanetary threats and make the whole a show.
A well-stocked blaster shooting experience and generous in terms of explosions. Either to break through with controlled detonations or desperately launching thermal detonators.
From left to right: Sev, Fixer and Scorch. Our brothers in arms
A chaotic FPS but that, at the same time, invites us – between bursts of shots – to know how to be efficient. Because Delta Squad , despite their differences, operates as a single force. Adapting to the most hostile circumstances in a period of war on an interplanetary scale . Swinging the balance in favor of the Galactic Republic since the beginning of the Clone Wars and during what is now known as the Era of the Rise of the Empire.
And, beyond the video game, four legends of the Clone Wars that forge an even greater one . A squad that, with little help, had its first moment of glory in the battle of the planet Geonosis against the Separatists and whose prestige was already more than earned when they came to the rescue of the powerful Wookiees in Kashyyyk.
Which does not detract from the most interesting of all: through the Star Wars Republic Commando , LucasArts herself delegates these elite missions to the player, who not only takes the role – and the blaster – of Boss , the Chief Command of the Delta Squad, but assumes full leadership of the team itself. So your best resources are not the weapons you wield, but your own battle partners.
An exceptional clone commando, hardened in countless conflicts across the galaxy, beginning with the battle that broke out the Clone Wars, during the climax of the film Attack of the Clones. And not only that: through Delta Squad, the Star Wars Republic Commando offers the player an expansion of Star Wars Episode II and, at the same time, an exceptional prelude to Revenge of the Sith .
These droids don’t disassemble as easily as in the movies
Being, above the above, a first-person shooter that, as we will see, came at a time of transition for the genre itself. Which allows it to offer the classic and wild feelings of DOOM or Quake and introduce some other more tactical aspects of current multiplayer FPS. Even in its single player campaign mode.
And in the process, the Star Wars Republic Commando makes us take an active part in a particularly turbulent period of Star Wars from a perspective not sufficiently addressed in the movies, novels or comics: living the galactic conflict from the point of view of the clone troopers themselves. Literally.
Planet Geonosis: Zero Hour. The Clone Wars begin
Long ago, in a galaxy far, far away, the Jedi Knights maintained peace and order in the Galactic Republic. Sometimes giving advice guided by the Force , the energy that holds together all life forms in the universe; other times, and when the situation left no more options, making use of his lightsabers. A noble weapon for more civilized times.
However, not even the Jedi order itself was prepared to face the powerful alliance of Separatists.
Two huge factions began to take positions on a remote planet called Geonosis . And while the presence, wisdom, and determination of the Jedi was a crucial asset, the Galactic Senate’s greatest weapon against the Separatists was the emergence of a great army from the distant planet of Kamino.
First-person view of sending clone troops to Geonosis
An army of clones created from the genetic code of an exceptional Mandalorian bounty hunter. Produced in secret and in which each soldier has been trained from birth for a single purpose: war.
The first thing that clones see when they are born is usually the silhouette of a Kaminoano, an elongated being that verifies the efficiency and quality of the mass production of soldiers for the Galactic Republic. Not long after, the clone began its military training through theoretical and practical exercises under a monitored program adapted to its accelerated growth. And the case of clone RC-1138 , the real name of Boss , is no exception.
What will make Boss different from his millions of siblings will be two things: the especially delicate missions that he will have to face throughout his life, from the day he set foot on the planet Geonosis during the Zero Hour of the conflict. between the Republic and the Separatists; and the impeccable way to overcome them thanks to the team in charge, Delta Squad .
Now, every legend has its origin and that of Boss and his squad is born in Star Wars Republic Commando.
Originally released in spring 2005 for Xbox and PC, the legendary LucasArts links Episode II: Attack of the Clones with Revenge of the Sith, the big screen closing of the prequel trilogy, through an explosive experience of First person shooter starring an elite commando of clone troopers.
Be careful when popping a Geonosian too close to the uniform: they splatter!
A powerful FPS composed of three story arcs that take place in different stages of the Clone Wars, including the debut of Delta Squad in the battle of Geonosis itself, a delicate mission aboard an assault ship in the middle of space and, finally, the rescue of a Wookiee leader on Kashyyyk and the unexpected consequences of his entry into the exotic planet.
Three practically suicidal missions in three battlefields infested with countless droids, Geonosians and, in general, separatist forces that we must eliminate taking the role of a Clone Leader Commando , which implies being exceptional with the blaster, generous when launching explosives and thermal detonators and even better giving instructions to Scorch, Fixer and Sev. Our brothers and comrades in arms.
Because, from the beginning, LucasArts didn’t envision Star Wars Republic Commando to be the umpteenth game in which the Jedis have their chance to shine with the lightsaber – it’s the story of four exceptional clone troopers whose greatest strength lies not in their marksmanship or their particular talent for blowing up Separatist droids and bases, but their ability to work together.
A 100% Star Wars FPS, but very inspired by contemporary references
The setting is one of the essential aspects of any Star Wars game, but it is not the most important thing in a video game. In an FPS, aspects such as gameplay, level design or gunplay must prevail. That said, it must be recognized that Star Wars Republic Commando knows how to excel in all of the above.
Because if the LucasArts name is deservedly associated with some of the best adventure adventure games ever made, the mark it left on shooters isn’t modest. From FPS like Dark Forces -also based on Star Wars- to Outlaws , going through more unknown titles like Armed and Dangerous. And Star Wars Republic Commando is among the best in the house.
The game interface integrated into the Boss helmet
First of all, due to the way of assembling in the same first-person shooter experience several of the most outstanding nuances of the contemporary exponents of the genre. From the Halo control system to the Rainbow Six team controls, to a game interface that is inevitably reminiscent of the Metroid Prime saga.
However, Star Wars Republic Commando knows how to be much more than a set of good ideas put together in a shooter game – it is quite a Star Wars experience . A game designed to immerse ourselves in the universe of movies and take an active part in it as elite members of the clone army of the Galactic Republic.
Thus, LucasArts’ triumph with Star Wars Republic Commando stems from how it makes its own elements of science fiction and gameplay that shamelessly borrows from the FPS that were transforming the genre after the turn of the millennium. And, at the same time, the way in which the essence of the new George Lucas films is infused into the resulting set.
In part, through the aesthetics of the prequel trilogy and, of course, the integration of the always well received OST by John Williams . But also through details that are not so visible. Like the mission design or the chemistry that Delta Squad projects through the plot and dialogue as the game’s campaign progresses.
And just to show you, here is almost an hour of play with the opening bars of the Star Wars Republic Commando.
That said, what gives Star Wars Republic Commando its identity as a Shooter is how it gives weight to teamwork in its campaign mode:
- To start with, because through the crosshead we will have to organize the actions of our three comrades in arms . Something essential to maintain position or take a more offensive or strategic predisposition.
- In addition to the above, we can give specific instructions to our squad : by pointing to an object, a position, an enemy or a control panel, we can establish a strategy in order to withstand a wave of enemies or conquer the next stage of the scene.
Thus, in Star Wars Republic Commando we will not get very far if we go on our own as in most classic FPS. Not only must we use our teammates with maximum efficiency, but we must also protect them, give them cover and, if they are killed, revive them or request someone from our squad to restore their health.
Nothing like a remote explosion to continue investigating in hostile territory
A premise that works wonders. Especially when the scenarios are wide and detailed and the number and aggressiveness of our enemies is calculated so that the assaults must be solved between four clone troopers. Without individualities: based on collaborating and working as a team . To cover their backs and be able to quickly grasp opportunities.
Which brings us to an especially interesting point about Star Wars Republic Commando: how is its multiplayer?
The Clone Wars split screen: an alternative that does not match the campaign
Although the Star Wars Republic Commando campaign (the main experience of the game) is designed to be approached in single player, LucasArts knew how to complete the game proposal of its FPS with all the multiplayer alternatives that could be expected from any contemporary shooter. A powerful extra for the time that today, perhaps, tastes little.
On the one hand, offering the four essential cooperative and competitive modes: deathmatch, team combat, capture the flag and assault . But also opening the door to enjoy them by connecting consoles, split screen for up to four players and online for up to 16 participants both on PC and Xbox.
In fairness, and viewed from a current perspective, the Star Wars Republic Commando doesn’t offer a wide variety of factions or classes. Nor is it that it was something standardized as it is today. But LucasArts allowed us to give a little bit of character (and color) to our character in multiplayer through small adjustments.
After all, it was George Lucas himself who suggested to LucasArts that to make the Republic Commando protagonists more distinguishable, it was best to equip them with armor and their own colors. Something that, somehow, was transferred to the games of two commands or more.
However, it is especially clear that LucasArts’ priority for Star Wars Republic Commando lay in its campaign: although the design of the multiplayer maps was compliant, but not too surprising, the set was far from becoming an alternative to Quake Arena or Unreal Tournament.
Not that there were no options . In fact, as was fairly common in LucasArts multiplayer games at the time, we could organize lists of maps to create long games. However, many of the scenarios were wasted or especially soulless if we limited ourselves to playing two controls.
Because if the Star Wars Republic Commando campaign was already pointing to the future of FPS in many of its key aspects, especially in relation to its gameplay and control system, it must be recognized that LucasArts was more conservative in relation to its multiplayer. Especially if we start from his own campaign that would have shone even more in cooperative.
Star Wars Republic Commando, a LucasArts classic that must return
As was customary in LucasArts games based on Star Wars, the Star Wars Republic Commando was connected to the expanded universe through new formats, including novels and even a brief cameo in the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
Interestingly, it was that very brief appearance in a chapter of the Cartoon Network series – broadcast prior to Disney’s acquisition of LucasFilm – that makes the existence of Scorch, Fixer, Sev and Boss official in the current Star Wars canon. .
Unfortunately, after the Disney acquisition, the rest of the Delta Squad stories, including those that occurred in the Star Wars Republic Commando video game itself, were relegated to the Star Wars Legends label. And consequently removed from the official continuity of the Star Wars universe.
That does not mean that LucasArts once approached the Star Wars Republic Commando project with enormous ambition and the search for a total affinity with the enormous galactic lore that was being generated during the production of the Star Wars prequel trilogy.
In fact, a sequel titled Star Wars: Imperial Commando was even in the works . And its premise was exceptionally promising: the members of Delta Squad would return to action with the Galactic Empire already in place. However, that project will be reduced to a handful of sketches, ideas and a few pieces of conceptual art.
In all fairness, Star Wars Republic Commando featured a kind of spin-off (could not be considered a true sequel) for mobile. A minor experience called Star Wars: Republic Commando: Order 66 that, in essence, serves to recover the characters of the game and go through new levels together with other notable Star Wars characters such as Anakin Skywalker.
For its part, the title and premise of Star Wars: Imperial Commando were rescued for a novel written by Karen Traviss published in November 2009. Being, to date, the closest thing to a video game sequel. Which does not mean, on the other hand, that there is room for optimism.
Although it must be recognized that Electronic Arts has turned to the Star Wars saga in recent years, the rebirth of the LucasFilm Games label and the entry into the scene of new developers -such as Ubisoft- notably increase the possibility of rescuing or continuing to classic video games of the galactic saga.
And it doesn’t hurt to remember that Delta Squad exists in official canon.
Producing an FPS with elements taken from the Star Wars Republic Commando, in such a prolific time with the Clone Wars and with those multiplayer options that we miss so much in the original, including a cooperative campaign, spiced up with elements typical of the hero shooters is a too good idea to pass up.
A second chance for an elite commando who doesn’t know the word impossible . That allowed us to turn the planet Geonosis upside down during the outbreak of the Clone Wars and that in no way deserves to be exiled in the Disney Legends seal.
