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Review:

15th April 2005:
Star Wars: Republic Commando
Take on the seperatists as one of the elite in the Grand Army of the Galactic Republic.
Posted by Chris Snook - PC,Xbox - UK and Europe

The millennia long peace is at an end. War blazes across the galaxy as the separatist movement begins to take hold and the Galactic Republic is ill equipped to deal with it. The Jedi are peacekeepers not soldiers. As a last, dangerous measure the Senate and the Supreme Chancellor have announced the creation of a Grand Army of the Republic. A Clone Army, fashioned from the DNA of one of the most resourceful and capable bounty hunters known, Jango Fett. They are the defenders of the republic, loyal, capable and you are one of them. Superior, better armed, armoured and trained. You and your squadmates form Delta Squad. You are a Republic Commando.

Star Wars: Republic Commando starts in the arena on Geonosis, at the point where the Clonetroopers are seen for the first time and from there it is a ride that takes you across the galaxy and spans the gap from the second Star Wars prequel to the third. It is a first person squad based game that places you in the real frontline to save the Republic by undertaking missions that are more dangerous and more specialised than the normal combat other troopers would face.

Each member of your unit has a specialised function, something they are better at than others. Be it sniping, demolitions or slicing their way into the most hardened computer system they may face. Indeed you are as important as Delta Lead, the commander of the unit it is your decisions and choices that will held decide if Delta Squad is successful or ripped to bits by enemy fire.

It is this which is the heart and soul of the game. Understanding when best to use a particular team member and when it is more expedient to bull your way through as a squad, dealing damage only as a heavily armed squad of commandoes can. It does work well and provides a satisfaction in that you have battled your way to your mission target by following cunning strategies that have helped you eliminate the various opponents in your way. There is also a sense of true spirit amongst yourself and your squad as they flash comments and remarks across at you and each other. Congratulations for a well placed sniper shot, thanks for saving their hind quarters or baffled bewilderment as you blaze away at anything that is moving, could be moving, may move or isn't ever going to move but you want to check just in case. They even ask for a new CO if you accidentally drop a squadmate with friendly fire. They have individual personalities, unexpected in clones, that show that again you are not a standard set of clones. Each has a distinct voice, all resembling you own as befitting the heirs of Jango but each has different patterns of speech and inflections. It makes them human, faceless but human.

The levels and missions are well designed, with a defined path that can be constricting but add t the feel that you have a specific objective to achieve, there is plenty of opportunity to heal with placements of Bacta dispensers and there are opportunities for each and everyone of your team to display their unique talents.

Powered by the current Unreal engine things do motor along at a fairly nice clip. Things are smooth with the enemy AI up to par as they use tactics and a variety of weapons to keep you on your toes, again pick your correct weapon and things are easy. Physics behave accordingly and you do get a feeling of things working as they should. This also means that the graphics are very nicely done with neat touches in places, shield effects, sparks flitting off of druids as you pound them with your blaster rifle. It is pretty but a gritty pretty that reminds you that yes you are in a war and getting dirty.

Weaponry consists of a DC-17 modular Rifle that is your basic weapon but with modules can become a powerful sniper scope and a heavy weapons system. You get a pistol side arm for those dramatic moments when the rifle is out of ammo and you need a few more shots to lay the attacker on the deck. Best of all you get grenades, including flash bangs and thermal detonators - listening to the druids early on uttering 'uh-oh' as you lob one into a group is humorous.

That you are not alone is underscored by the voices toy hear, your squad, your advisor/mission briefing officer and general chatter, the sounds are crisp and clear and the voice work by those of your squad is top notch certainly your own, voiced by Temuera Morrison, Jango Fett in the movies adds to the gravity of things and adds to the tome. However even this is eclipsed by another near perfect score and background pieces. They add to the tension, break it when needed and keep the tempo going. One piece, thematically akin to the emperor's theme is haunting in its beauty.

Republic Commando is big. There are a number of missions to complete on different worlds, each harder more rewarding than the last. There is a multiplayer mode with all the expected Unreal goodies and the enemy AI keeps things pitched right, there is no slowdown as you try to keep moving and responding to the world around you, even as it leaps forth.

There are problems with the controls. Mouse response at times is erratic. One moment languid, the next hyper-sensitive, more so in menus and decision boxes but once or twice during play. Most apparently when trying to snipe creatures, this is in addition to the normal slight bob you would expect. The reticule suddenly accelerates away from where you with to aim. The point and command interface where you place your sight over an 'action hotspot' and then command a squad member to perform an action is done well even if it does take a little getting used to. The tactical visor mode is simply presented as is the lowlight view. A lot can be achieved just by looking around and ordering. Another slight cluttering is that a lot of keys do things, often more than one as they cycle through, this can slow responses down at critical moments.

AI is generally solid, your squad will help each other, heal themselves if required and offer each other support, they pick up ammo and can use tactics. Pathing however can become problematic. With one or another just failing to move or respond to commands because they appear to be stuck on a bit of scenery. This has once or twice forced the restart of a mission as they block you from progressing, sitting there like a statue. This is also evident in general movement as they all seem to delight in following the exact same route through a corridor that should allow two or more to be abreast, or they cram into a tight space side-by-side blocking your progress. Whilst not a fatal flaw it is an annoyance and does distract at times.

In total Republic Commando is solid, polished and well above most of its brethren in regards to squad combat. It delivers a rapid rush of adrenaline and a clear but at times slow to respond method of completion. With smart touches it looks and sounds good, ground down slightly by niggling problems that should have been spotted and corrected but have not been.

Chris Snook

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Review Summary:

Star Wars: Republic Commando stands apart from others in the ranks of Squad FPS games. With a crisp, solid and polished feel about it with variety of ways to do things and an enemy AI that is able to respond it lives up the Unreal technology that powers it. Erratic mouse control and pathing problems of friendly units are problems but ultimately it is potentially the best of it's kind.

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