Star Wars: Republic Commando

How a prequel spin-off redeemed itself by rejecting all things Jedi

- Jeremy Pee

On day 367 of the Clone Wars, in a ghost ship drifting through the Chaykin Cluster, a genetically engineered soldier trips over the shaft of a lightsaber. “An elegant weapon for a more civilised time, eh,” he sneers. “Well guess what? Times have changed.”

There’s a punk nihilism to the clone soldiers, built to back up the Jedi but with no attachment to their history or values. And there’s an almost wilful disconnection from the romance and spiritualism of mainline Star Wars in Republic Commando, which takes place far from any ideological struggles between good and evil. Its world exists entirely within the confines of a clone’s helmet, and concerns the missions of a single squad. It’s military and not moral strength that wins the day.

It was a strange idea in 2005, though perhaps less so than it seems today. Back then, Rainbow Six had been a surprise smash on the nascent Xbox Live, and tactical shooters were briefly considered a commercial proposition. Gearbox released Brothers In Arms to critical acclaim, and then a sequel seven months later. The following year, Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter would find a balance between unforgiving squad tactics and all-out action, earning an Edge 8 and becoming the fastestselling 360 game of its time.