Star Wars: Republic Commando (Xbox)

Star Wars: Republic Commando is a game developed by LucasArts and released in 2005 for Microsoft PC and the Xbox, and with a downloadable patch, it has been made available for the Xbox 360. The game follows the path of the Delta Team, made up of highly elite yet specialized clone trooper units nicknamed Boss, Fixer, Scorch, and Sev, who are sent on missions meant for the best of the best in the clone army.

When I was so much younger than to-day, my dad rented this game for me, as I had the Xbox and loved Star Wars, so he wanted to see if I liked it. I ended up getting stuck on the latter half of an early level, so I decided to let him return it.

I came seriously close to buying it a few months ago today, but decided to skip it because it seemed a bit violent. However, the way this game is, many of you people out there would love it. In fact, it's been stated by high-level sources that the gameplay is akin to Metroid Prime, Halo, and Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six. Talk about popular company!

And for good reason, because this game is insane! It looks unbelievable! It is by far the best high-tech commando game I've ever seen, and certainly ever played. Here are a couple of videos, just to show you how insanely beast this game is. Just watch.



How crazy awesome are these? Talk about commando squad, tactical butt-kicking action! This is how it is throughout the game, except the environments and missions change very much, making the game a very diverse experience.

However, you have to remember just how realistic this game is. You have to have the mind and skill of a commando; familiarity with the controls, survival ability, and a knowledge of what's going on around you. This is why the game isn't for young kids as far as skill level goes, because it requires military skill. Still, if you have experience with games like Halo, Modern Warfare, Battlefield, etc., you'll probably have a pretty comfortable time with this game, because it's roughly the same idea.

The action goes on for quite a while, too, because there are, I believe, 3 missions lasting around 9-10 hours. This will occupy you for a good while, perhaps even weeks.

Although, there's another big reason this game isn't for kids: the content. This is a pretty guts-and-gore kind of game, with things off the enemies sticking to your helmet for a couple seconds, pretty scary-looking enemies, and just downright creepy stuff here and there. So, I'd say this is more suitable for a crowd 15 and up, maybe dipping down to 14 at times.

In case you're wondering, there is a multiplayer function, in fact, several. These include CTF, Assault, Deathmatch, and Team Deathmatch, supporting up to 32 on the PC and 16 with Xbox Live. I never played the multiplayer, but if it's as epic as the main game, it is easy to recommend.

I just wish that the game was a little less "graphic," and that it had more of a replayability factor. It seems just like you would play through the main game eventually, and not return to it much more. I think it would have been cool if there were some in-game retrieval action to unlock stuff like new multiplayer weapons, concept art, gameplay videos, and such. However, the game as it is is still pretty darn epic.

This game is not for a younger audience, but if you like blast-out shooters like Halo, and if you like the most actiony aspects in the Star Wars series, you will so love this game, and I absolutely recommend it.