Star Wars: Republic Commando

Moby ID: 17003
Xbox Specs
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Description official descriptions

Set during the events of the movie, Star Wars: Episode II: Attack of the Clones, a secret army of clones has been grown on planet Kamino, designed from the DNA of Jango Fett. These clones are trained for battle and to fight for the Galactic Republic, trained in specific talents and abilities. One such specialization is Delta Squad, a group of four commandos trained for ground combat, recon work and outfitted with bacta healing implants. Delta squad is composed of four members: RC-1138 ("Boss"): the squadron leader bred for tactics, RC-1140 ("Fixer"): a computer cracker, RC-1207 ("Sev"): a hunter and marksman, and RC-1262 ("Scorch"): a demolitions specialist. Delta Squad and the rest of the clone army are deployed to their first battle, on the planet Geonosis.

Star Wars: Republic Commando is a first-person squad-based shooter set in the Star Wars universe with tactical squad gameplay. Players take the roll of Boss, the leader of Delta Squad. Like most first-person shooters, the emphasis in gameplay is on action. Republic soldiers use a standard gun weapon, the "Blaster", in order to shoot opponents in front of them. Blasters can be attached to perform three different functions, with individual ammunition: a standard fiting mode, a sniper mode and an anti-armor mode. Players also carry a smaller energy pistol that automatically charges itself. New weapons can be found from a defeated enemy or found lying around on some levels, however only one may be carried at any given time. Some player weapons allow zooming functions for more accurate firing. The player also carries 4 different types of grenades, which are: thermal detonators (basic blast), sonar detectors (limited proximity detection), electrostatic charges (disables electronics and droids) and flash detonators (blinds foes). All of which can be thrown directly in front of the player.

Each member of Delta Squad has a personal shield that automatically recharges after a short time and a health bar which can only be replenished by healing bacta. Bacta is found at appropriate dispensers throughout the levels, and additionally each member of the squad carries an emergency bacta device to "revive" any member of the squad who falls in battle. Should the player be the one to lose all health, they watch the level from a hazed view and can issue a last order for other squadmates to try and revive them. Should all 4 members of Delta Squad fall in battle, the game is over.

The main feature of Republic Commando is the 4-man squad. Using a "one-touch" control system, the player gives orders to members of the squad. The first type of command is for setting the squad's attitude: Search and Destroy (move forward), Form Up (stay close), Hold Position, and Recall from any assigned positions. The other type of orders are done by highlighting different positions displayed on the player's HUD and assigning a Delta member to perform the appropriate action. All of these positions are pre-defined in the level, with only a single action being possible. Examples of positions include: Cover for a sniper, barriers which need to be destroyed, turrets that can be mounted and used to attack the enemy, mines which can be disarmed, control panels which can be hacked, etc. Despite the hint of specialization designations and character personalities, any squad member, including the player, can be used to perform any action.

Multiplayer functionality includes regular deathmatches and capture the flag. There are no squad-based commands in multiplayer, though players may be placed on individual "teams" to work towards their goal.

Spellings

  • スター・ウォーズ リパブリックコマンド - Japanese spelling
  • 星球大战:共和国突击队 - Simplified Chinese spelling

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Credits (Xbox version)

358 People (204 developers, 154 thanks) · View all

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Reviews

Critics

Average score: 76% (based on 59 ratings)

Players

Average score: 3.9 out of 5 (based on 71 ratings with 5 reviews)

Clone and Behold

The Good
Crossing tactical strategy and FPS action is perhaps the unique way to put to some flavour in a game. Even better, playing as a clone and not just any clone, but a commando clone, really sets the stage for the game. The way you command your squad mates works a lot like Brothers in Arms, only these clones have a decent AI to act on their own, to save your from all the heavy lifting. And the commando clones can revive each other, so you have no fear of casualties. To break up the shooting you have a variety of tasks like defusing mines, breaching doors and setting traps. Some of the time you will have to go solo or with fewer squad members, and you're going full commando style. It's also nice that there's quicksave and autosave in the game for the challenges ahead.

The assortment of weapons are extremely interesting and go for something very different. In addition to the self-recharging pistol (which is more useful than it looks), you also have a standard battle rifle that has multiple attachments, a strong melee attack, different kinds of grenades, and a weapon some wouldn't expect in the Star Wars universe, the shotgun. The best weapon in the game is the walker, but sadly you only use it for a short time and don't drive around in it.

The game is set straight after the second episode film, showing a great deal of the clones' action to win the battle of Geonosis. This is followed by two epic storyline missions that put all four commando clones in the thick of battle. There's a nice mix of John Williams' and Jesse Harlin's composition to accompany all the action. Each individual clone displays unique a personality and skill orientation. It's a pity that we don't get to see their faces under the helmets. Among the great graphic detail, the game adds neat little notable details such as the helmet electronically wiping off the blood smears, engine oil and slime when you kill an enemy up close.

The extras are incredibly rewarding, which show some of the best behind the scenes in a Star Wars game, particularly the choreography of the animation, which was aided by a real life special ops veteran, showing just how much effort LucasArts went to deliver quality to this game.

The Bad
Where there is action packing, there is also confusion in the mix. For one, the team members can be fidgety or unreliable at times. The more experience you have at coordinating them, the less likely this happens. But this doesn't bode well for certain missions that have countdowns, since you can't afford to take your time and have to take a ton of damage and losses, while you plough through turret entrenched areas. Allies such as the Wookies also have a tendency to get themselves killed and you have no real control over them to better preserve them.

It's annoying how often you need to backtrack in order to heal yourself and your team members if you don't know where to find a bacta charging station. And then there are times when you want to place a bomb, use a turret or some other action but you end up sending one of your squad members to do it instead because you have to stand in a very specific spot to take control. And the awkward thing about the sniper attached is that you can't comfortably control the zoom mode.

Some of the enemies can really do a number on you even in the easiest difficulty level, especially the incessant, pesky scavenger droids. And talking of enemies, the one thing that this game lacks like most FPS games are the presence of bosses, which is is a standard, but doesn't affect this game in any way. All in all game, only a handful of issues but nothing that ruins the gameplay.

The Bottom Line
This one of the most symbolic titles among the Star Wars video games collection. This predated both the 2009 Clone Wars TV series and the Bad Batch. It would've been nice to see the Delta Squad make guest appearances in the any of the LucasFilm animated series. They would have done Rex (CT-7567) proud. And then this game got a remaster for the newer consoles. The game may not have aged well, but it earned its place with Star Wars fans and casual game players alike. A superb experience if you ever tried it.

Windows · by Kayburt (30310) · 2021

a great game for any Star Wars fan that's tired of all the Jedi and Sith.

The Good
It was very different from all other Star Wars games since its the story from the Comando's point of view. The graphics and sound were amazing and brought the game to life. The weapons were numerous and well layed out. The plot made the game fun to play through. Enemies in the game were well done with vivid detail that were smart and made them hard to kill (excluding the infantry droids). Melee was cool, when you killed a bug with a finishing melee move, the blood would spurt on to your visor and a white line went across the screen to clean it up. Also, jango fett is the voice actor for the leader of your squadron (aka you).

The Bad
Weapon choosing with the d-pad was ok but it left you stranded when you already have 4 weapons and you need a fifth. There was no co-op feature. It would have been awsome if they had online co-op. You die WAY to easily on Xbox live and in multi-player combat. Also, one of the weapons was too powerful since it could take down a person in less than ten shots. Some parts of the story line are IMPOSSIBLE to get past.

The Bottom Line
Its for the people who want to get into the military scene of Star Wars without the Jedi and Sith.

Xbox · by Todd Bello (28) · 2006

The Trenches of the Clone Wars

The Good
War! The taxation of trade routes to outlying star systems is in dispute. Several thousand solar systems have declared their intentions to leave the Republic. There are heroes on both sides. Evil is everywhere. And so on.

Republic Commando covers three “Clone War” campaigns leading into Episode III. Bringing squad-based combat into the Star Wars Universe, the game puts the player in charge of Delta 38, “Boss.” 38 leads three other clone Commandos on missions where finesse is required instead of legions of troopers. Fixer, Delta 40, is the team’s hacker and second-in-command. Scorch, Delta 62, is the unit’s demolitions expert and jokester. And Sev, Delta 07, is the resident badass. Together, they possess the skills needed to squash the Separatist uprising.

To some extent, Republic Commando plays like a standard first-person shooter with a really good cooperative AI. Even without issuing orders, Delta team members engage the enemy, seek cover, and use nearby Bacta tanks. Commands mapped to the function buttons set the rules of engagement, telling the squad to defend an area, search and destroy, reform on 38’s position, or to cancel the previous order.

Squad tactics come to the forefront in terms of using the environment. Delta 38 can issue orders to breach a door or to have it sliced open for silent entry. The HUD on his visor identifies good areas to snipe or toss grenades, and he can tell a Commando to use those stations. Fallen Commandos can be revived with a Bacta injection either by 38 or as a command (and Commandos will revive each other on their own, when they aren’t under fire). Delta 38 can also order teammates to man turrets or to combine their fire on a single target.

From the very beginning, Republic Commando has intense combat sequences. As soon as Delta 38 drops into the Geonosian arena he’s in the middle of a war. Clone troopers engage Battle Droids. Geonosian warriors decimate the front lines. The skies overhead are filled with Republic ships attacking Separatist forces and Republic AT-TEs march in the background.

Ready for battle, the Commandos are armed with the DC-17m blaster rifle (with optional sniper and Anti-Armor attachments) and the DC-15s recharging sidearm blaster. Commandos also carry thermal and ion detonators and Delta 38 can pick up other weaponry: Geonosian beam weapons, Wookiee bowcasters, and more. Facing waves of overwhelming enemies, they will need all they have.

Republic Commando has the obvious droid and Geonosian units, but they present more challenge than they do in the movies. Battle Droids are still the weakest units, bursting apart with a few well placed blaster bolts, but any of the higher level droids require real effort (and concentrated fire) to bring down. Even worse are the droid dispensing units which churn out droids until they are blown up with explosives. Here’s where the real teamwork kicks in: one squad member has to rig an explosive pack to the dispensing unit while the others focus their weapons on the droids attacking him.

Later levels of the game pit the player against revamped Trandoshans and Elite Droid units serving General Grievous. The Trandoshans are a far cry from Empire Strikes Back’s stiff Bossk. These reptilian slavers are fast and lethal and are just as inclined to rush Delta Squad with swords as they are to open fire with their repeaters. If the Clone Commandos resemble a stylized Clone Troopers, then the Trandoshans are stylized versions of this standard Star Wars nemesis. Also stylized are the Wookiees of Republic Commando. They tower over the clones and (sadly) are large enough to provide ample cover should they fall in battle.

After resolving matters on Geonosis, which includes taking on Super Battle Droids and Droidekias (Destroyer Droids) in a Trade Federation Core Ship, Delta Squad investigates an abandoned Republic Capital ship and leads the Wookiee revolt against slavers and Separatists on Kashyyyk. The three campaigns are composed of a series of linked missions. Typically the goal of a mission just involves proceeding to the next area, but some missions involve eliminating key members of the enemy, destroying certain obstacles, or rescuing captured allies.

Star Wars games are known for their stunning sound effects, but Republic Commando has stellar voice acting as well. Republic Commando, far and away, is the funniest Star Wars game I’ve played: lightening what could be a dark and grim setting with gallows humor. Some of the best lines come when Delta 38 dies and waits to be revived: “Maybe he’s a copy of a copy of a copy,” or “Is he from our tank?” The playful needling carries over between squad mates, creating a real sense of character.

The Bad
Compared to other squad-based shooters, Republic Commando is a little thin when it comes to tactics and can be a little too user friendly. Mentioned above, Delta 38 picks up on environmental hotspots where snipers or grenadiers can be placed. First, why can’t 38 determine where he wants snipers or grenadiers rather than waiting for this prepackaged places? Second, these hotspots appear as crosshair or grenades in the HUD and also show the ghostly form of a Commando in position there. Likewise, breaching a door brings up ghostly forms of the Commandos ready to breach the door. This wouldn’t be as annoying in the earlier, tutorial-style levels, but after breaching the fifth door, we understand what the units will do.

Republic Commando doesn’t cover much new ground. Based on its release date, it seems like it was more of an Episode III teaser. It’s short at three campaigns (and linear) and really doesn’t show us anything we haven’t seen in the movies. The Clone Wars covered a variety of planets (as we see in Episode III’s Godfather montage), but here we only get another videogame representation of Geonosis, another representation of a capital ship, and another representation of Kashyyyk (handled better in KOTOR).

Finally, a lot of effort is spent differentiating the four Commandos, but in terms of in-game use, they all seem to have the same abilities. Fixer doesn’t seem to be faster slicing a door, Scorch doesn’t seem to be faster rigging explosives, and Sev doesn’t seem more lethal than any other Commando (including 38, the player).


The Bottom Line
With no opening crawl and no Jedi to be found, Republic Commando is, defiantly, not your typical Star Wars game. While the game play is light on the tactics, it’s heavy on the action and the core mechanics work well. I hope this game is the start of a new franchise (the mobile Republic Commando: Order 66 aside), but I think Episode III washes those hopes away.

Windows · by Terrence Bosky (5397) · 2005

[ View all 5 player reviews ]

Discussion

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Good not crap tips Nick Grammatico May 9, 2009

Trivia

Your in-game serial number, RC-1138, is a reference to one of George Lucas' early films: THX-1138.

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Game added by John A Hancock.

Nintendo Switch added by Zaibatsu. PlayStation 4 added by Rik Hideto. Xbox One added by Kennyannydenny.

Additional contributors: Unicorn Lynx, Sciere, Rik Hideto, Kennyannydenny.

Game added March 23, 2005. Last modified January 18, 2024.