Star Wars: Republic Commando (2005)

We're starting the game reviews of 2026 with a bang - literally and figuratively. I'm sure we're all familiar with the Star Wars franchise, right? Right, of course we are!

• 12-ish feature films
• Many TV series
• Many, many Fan-made films

Video games across multiple platforms and genres, and more books than one can count. I reviewed Star Wars: Dark Forces last year, and there are a couple of other FPS titles in the franchise, including the one we'll be discussing today.

Let's talk about Star Wars: Republic Commando!

To Be a Clone

Developed and published by LucasArts, Republic Commando is a tactical first-person shooter set in the Expanded (Legends) Universe. The idea, from what I understand, was to put players in the role of a soldier and put them right on the frontlines—showing us the Clone Wars from a different perspective.

Republic Commando was released in 2005 for PC, and Xbox, with ports to the PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch coming out in 2021. Reception-wise, the game did well. Xbox sales in the UK maxed out at 60k units before the end of 2005.

Sequels were planned but, apart from one mobile game, never happened. There is, however, a book series that covers the unproduced sequel stuff - including the transition to Palpatine's Galactic Empire. I'll have to try and find those, because I'm curious.

Right, so before we continue on, this is your only spoiler warning in the review. I've got specific things I want to talk about, and that means there will be spoilers...you've been warned.

Leading Delta Squad: The Campaign

So, there is a multiplayer component, but I played the single-player so that's what we're going to discuss. Anyways, on with the show!

You are RC-1138, the leader of Delta Squad, a four-man team of elite Clone Troopers. The main campaign starts with the battle of Geonosis from the end of Attack of the Clones. After that, your team is dispatched on a few other missions to aid the Republic war effort.

Where Does Republic Commando Shine?

Right, where does this little gem shine?

Visually, this game is GORGEOUS! Usually, with games from the early 2000s, there's a certain look where you go:

"Yep, that's from <insert time period>."

Republic Commando is one of those games that, even 21 years after its initial release, still looks great. I could totally see this game being released nowadays with these visuals - not sure what that says about me, but that's not the point.

The music is...wow, that's literally all I can say about that. It's dark and moody, not the usual bombastic stuff but also not the melancholic sad stuff that you'd usually get with these types of storylines.

Voice work is limited, but top-notch, and the humor is great.

Likewise, the combat is simple and intuitive. You can swap weapons on the fly, and the fights feel long and tiring - like they actually would in a battlefield.

Lastly, and this is something I'll come back to in a sec, the ending is haunting, and it fits the tone perfectly.

Where does Republic Commando Stumble?

So, does Republic Commando stumble at all? Well, surprisingly enough, no, not really. I'm not just saying that because I liked the game either; I genuinely can't think of any major problems.

The campaign is short, like, really, really short, and some of the levels feel drawn out at times. It's a nitpick, that's about it. With all that said, the game's ending actually benefits from these longer levels because it has a greater impact.

The Ending is very Grim

Okay, so let's actually discuss the ending now. It's grim, much grimmer than you'd expect. Most of the time when you play a game like this, the ending is more hopeful. The good guys win, and all is well in the galaxy; this time around...not so much.

Your last deployment to the Wookie homeworld of Kashyyyk goes pear-shaped at the last moment, and you're forced to leave one of your own behind. It hurts like hell, because you've been serving with all of these guys for a good while - a couple of years in-game.

It really drives home the point that you're a soldier and your mission is more important than anything else.

An Absolute Gem that Deserves more Attention

Republic Commando is an absolute gem, and it deserves a lot more attention than it gets nowadays. I had a great time with it, and I highly recommend giving it a try if you haven't already.