Star Wars Republic Commando

If there's anything that can be held against Republic Commando, it's that the main story is short and doesn't have all that strong of an overarching story. Fortunately, the gameplay and audio package makes the overall experience worth the time and effort. Republic Commando is certainly one of the better Star Wars games to come out this generation.

Republic Commando should really be viewed as an incredibly solid, compelling, stylish title that has the ability of being able to be played over Xbox Live should you fancy it.

It's the polar opposite of all that dialogue-based soul-searching and Jedi hocus-pocus, but boy oh boy, is it good. And there's not a single lightsaber in sight. [Official UK Xbox Magazine]

The squad-based gameplay is here but its execution has been greatly simplified making the game much more accessible to the casual gamer and probably a bit insulting to Clancy veterans.

It truly feels like a part of the Star Wars universe, and is a great way to stay strong with The Force until Episode III arrives.

The game's artificial intelligence is impressive, and utilising the commands and setting team command points through the levels really makes it feel like you're working through the game with real people who actually know what they are doing.

A pedestrian and unimaginative multiplayer mode is the only notable flaw in a game that otherwise plays, looks, and sounds fantastic.

The bottom line is that Republic Commando as a single player game is where the action is, the levels are well thought out and deeply atmospheric – exactly what we want from our games nowadays.

One of those titles that will appeal to action gamers and some strategy players alike. Although it's a short single player experience, Commando packs a ton of action into every minute, and gamers will enjoy every minute of it.

Fans of both the movies and action games should definitely come away pleased with the game, even though the multiplayer is disappointing. The campaign is really that good.

The quality single-player shoot-'em-up that the Star Wars franchise needed. It's slick, quick, and easy to play with a sharp tactical edge that slides effortlessly into some free-flowing warfare.

Tactical, yet just as fun as any single-player romp, skillfully laid out and nicely scored, Star Wars: Republic Commando lives up to its billing and them some. [March 2005, p.55]

The graphics and audio are excellent with a superb interface for you to control your squad but the main game is fairly short.

Easily one of the more polished first person shooters available on the Xbox. I would have liked to have seen some more advanced squad control options, or options to remove the visual cues, as this, plus the level design, gives the game a very linear feel.

The squad ethic has been applied solidly to fast-paced action that is sure to appeal to any serious action gamer. If you can overlook the short, 10-hour campaign and a multiplayer component barely worth mentioning, then RC is an easy recommendation.

This is one game that makes you "feel" like part of the conflict rather than just a spectator. Hardcore FPS fans will probably have a few complaints about the simplistic squad command system, the short length, and the standard multiplayer modes, but there is no doubt that this is an adrenaline rush from beginning to end.

Although the controls fit as comfortably as Master Chief's glove, the targeting system is too demanding of precision, especially when you are required to unload dozens of rounds into certain enemy types. [March 2005, p.136]

While some may despair about the ever-present guiding hand of the designers, it is the constant presence of this phantom guide that helps to make Republic Commando such a tight and focused game. It's been a while since I played a game which has been so comprehensively designed to be a cohesive and complete experience.

If you're a fan of Star Wars that's been looking for something a little grittier, this is definitely a good choice. Don't expect it to blow your mind, but it looks good and plays well while it lasts.

A surprisingly entertaining, blissfully uncomplicated shooter... But it's not the kind of game that you'll absolutely fixate on finishing. [Apr 2005, p.80]

Intense action and great production values can't quite elevate this tactical shooter that's heavy on the shooting but light on tactics.

While Star Wars: Republic Commando is a pretty solid game overall, it's entirely forgettable and will wind up in that large pile of good-but-not-great titles that LucasArts has building up recently.

What's most disappointing about the whole thing, though, isn't so much the lack of me-too deathmatch variants, but that LucasArts didn't bother to allow players to play the campaign mode co-operatively as Red Storm achieved so successfully in the likes of Ghost Recon 2, Rainbow Six 3 and Black Arrow... As it is Republic Commando deserves huge respect for managing to be the best Star Wars shooter ever.

My only strong disappointment is the multiplayer aspects of the game. The CTF, Assault and Deathmatch games are fine enough, but the different trooper types were just crying out for some kind of class-based multiplayer action.

For all its annoying faults, inconsistencies and peculiar glitches, the game manages to provide a solid ten hours of thrilling, kick-em-where-it-counts, shoot-em-up action.

This cracking slice of high-end Star Wars shootery is really very good indeed - but let down by repetition and some avoidable sameyness. [Xbox World]

While the game's single player component is fully realized (though far too short), the multiplayer side of things feels tacked-on. It's almost as if the developers, fearing that a game without Xbox Live play wouldn't sell well, added the bare bones modes as an afterthought.

As a promotional tool for Revenge of the Sith, it's spectacular. I'd not previously been particularly excited for Episode III, but if the machinations alluded to in the game really are those that drive the mythology forward, it's going to be a spectacular finale to the series.

The single-player campaign is a little too short and too linear, but we're guessing it's probably still about a hundred times more thrilling than anything you'll see in "Episode III" come this May.

Besides the lackluster multiplayer, the sound, visuals, mechanics, and gameplay are all very solid and exceed well over expectations in some cases.

LucasArts has done a super job in bringing this game to life thanks to the outstanding story, tight controls, and the hefty amount of intense action, while also including a standard list of multiplayer modes and Xbox Live online support. That it won't win critical acclaim for being revolutionary is beside the point.

It's not without its flaws -- a lack of tactical depth and disappointing multiplayer are chief among them -- but it's gripping and spectacular to play, and certainly one of the better Star Wars games on the market.

An excellent first start for a spin-off series, with a strong action element bolstered by a great sense of atmosphere that makes replaying campaigns on different difficulty levels a treat rather than a chore.

8 / 8 / 7 / 8 - 31 silver [Vol 845]

The weapons are seriously underpowered and the enemies are as uninteresting as they come. The command system seems very simplistic at first, but turns out to be one of the game's strong points. [Mar. 05]

While this title may have shortcomings in other areas, supervising your three squad mates is slick and simple, with more options than I'm used to seeing.

The tour of duty deftly combines intuitive squad-based tactics with fast-paced action, though those wanting to go career will be disappointed in the lack of long-term value.

The tactical elements are simple and elegantly implemented, and despite being shockingly linear, it's a beautifully paced experience that provides some genuinely exciting battles. [May 2005, p.134]

It's great that you can run and gun without too much squad-commanding hassle, but SW:RC's simplicity is its biggest problem. Gamers hoping to give their brain a workout will be disappointed - the tactical options are rudimentary and the weapon selection is poor.

Lamentably, it takes too long to reach said moments of getting going fully for it to supersede the more accomplished likes of the Halo series.

A refreshing experience that ends all too soon with an online mode that just doesn't capture the same magic the single player mode creates. With a bit more variety in commands and freedom for the player, Republic Commando 2 could be an incredible game.

Though repetitive at times, with poorly executed AI and multiplayer modes, the absorbing and immersive single player campaign that the game offers brings it 'up there' with the likes of Rogue Leader and Battlefront. LucasArts have done better than this - but then again, they've also done worse.

A stylish experience which fans of the movie will appreciate, but there's just not enough substance let alone difference for the vast majority of action fans to warrant yet another first-person purchase.

If the Star Wars license had been better exploited to create a truly unique gaming experience and the game had just a little more programming polish, Republic Commando could easily have been a top-rated game.

The downside to the game is that underneath all the Star Wars veneer, the gameplay is incredibly unoriginal.

The Force doesn't flow strong enough through this one. Yes, with only three main levels, the game is short. And, yes, yes, with the 'revive party members' option, you will find it a little too easy. But that's not it. The game's lack of innovation is probably its biggest draw back.

Gripping and gritty, but will leave you wanting more.

It's great that Star Wars is back and building for its finale with episode three on its way, but what is Star Wars without the Lightsabers and the Force?! Uh, yes... Just another rerun of "Battlestar Galatica."

If you go with the flow of how you're supposed to play Republic Commando this can be good fun. It is, after all, a Star Wars game and, for this reason alone, a small proportion of gamers will enjoy it. But pleasing a small number of gamers hardly sounds like the policy of the kind of republic we'd like to live in. [March 2005, p.96]

Republic Commando feels malnourished, lacking in the fundamentals of both first-person shooting and squad-based command, and it is crippled by its simplicity and tactical hand-holding.

Encounters feel needlessly protracted - born of a stubborn refusal to admit the game's fundamental lack of content. The layout of scenery predetermines your every gambit before enemies blithely meander into your squad's unlimited gunfire. [Apr 2005, p.101]

An extremely average first person shooter.