Star Wars: Republic Commando | PS4 Review

Getting a boots-on-the-ground military experience was a special treat in 2005 for Star Wars fans. The property can easily support an endless amount of genres within it, but who would’ve guessed we’d get a first-person elite squad game set within the galaxy far, far away? But that’s exactly what we got when Star Wars: Republic Commando came out, and it was pretty great. Does that experience hold up in the modern era, however?

Let’s Go, Commandos

The short answer is absolutely. It’s such a unique take on the larger Star Wars mythos that its innovations carry it a long way. In a world where even Rainbow Six no longer takes itself seriously as a military game, Republic Commando satisfies a flavor that’s all but gone from modern shooters. This is a game that requires you to slow down your pace and be a little more thoughtful than today’s shooters. While I love the kinetic focus of FPS games we have today, there’s something refreshing about a shooter that’s a little more cerebral.

This is not to say you’ll be crouching in the shadows, of course. You’re gonna want to fire blasters in a Star Wars shooter, and there will be plenty of that. Rather, the tactical considerations come from the handling of your squad. Delta Squad is comprised of Boss (that’s you!), Sev, Schorch, and Fixer, who are elite units within the Republic’s clone army. Commandos are the best of the best, and get tasked with missions vital to the war effort.

Take up Sniping Positions

Bossing them around is easy as can be. Everything is handled on a single face button. You can hold it down at any time to issue general commands such as “form up” or “search and destroy.” Far more crucially is your ability to give the three soldiers orders to perform specific maneuvers, such as taking up a grenade perch or hopping onto a turret. This is easily accomplished by looking at a location and pressing that same face button mentioned earlier. The environment is coded with myriad context-specific options.

If that sounds simple, it’s because it really is. It doesn’t diminish the tactical aspect of Republic Commando at all, however. The levels provide you with a lot of different options for each encounter, and it’s a bit of a puzzle to figure out which combination will yield victory. I played the game on hard, and it really sold that idea of a squad overcoming impossible odds only through critical thinking and camaraderie.

Get Some Bacta, Soldier

The story is mostly played out in the background, but it only helps to sell the game’s atmosphere. You’re a soldier operating on a need-to-know basis, so it only stands to reason you don’t always get the full details of the missions. While there are a couple of cool cameos for fans, it never takes you out of the experience or stretches believability. There’s not even a lightsaber in the entire game. It is firmly about your squad and its small place in a larger conflict.

Aspyr Media continues its port efforts of the past. The game looks better than it used to, but this is less of a remaster and more of a port. That’s all you need for these classic Star Wars titles, though. Add in those sweet trophies (I got myself a platinum), and you have a port well worth the price of admission. The only true negative is that the controls are a product of its time.

Execute Order 66

Star Wars: Republic Commando came out at a time where it seemed like Star Wars fervor would never be higher. That’s certainly since proven to be wrong, with hits like The Mandalorian taking over the popular culture, and about 600 more Star Wars shows on the horizon. The fire is burning particularly bright for all things clones and Fett, so this was the perfect time to release this classic on modern consoles. For shooter fans and Star Wars fans alike, there’s no reason to skip this excellent port of an excellent game.

To hear me talk more about Star Wars Republic Commando, be sure to listen to Episode 341 of The Gaming Outsider Podcast around the 50:30 time stamp.

This review is based on a PlayStation 4 copy of Star Wars Republic Commando provided by Zebra Partners for coverage purposes. It is also available on Nintendo Switch.