Last year, we took a look at Republic Commando, and while it was in the early stages for Xbox and PC, it looked awful promising. Well, recently we got our hands on an updated build for PC, and frankly, this game looks like it’s got the makings of a winner. While it might not be the most original game out there (it’s mostly taking the gameplay stylings of the Rainbow Six franchise and slapping Stormtrooper armor on Team Rainbow), from what we’ve seen, it’s still going to be an enjoyable foray into the squad-based tactical shooter world. And hey, you get to be a Stormtrooper, how cool is that?
Visually, Republic Commando (at least on PC, as we haven’t seen a recent Xbox demo yet) is looking really sharp. Even on mid-range graphics cards, the character models look mighty fine, and the environments practically breathe with life. Textures are richly detailed, and foliage actually looks authentic. Weapons sport plenty of detail, and there are some nice visual touches (such as the cowboy-styled pistol spin whenever you load it up) that give the game a nice spark of life. While on lesser graphics cards things can get a little choppy during heavy combat, nobody should be complaining about the graphics.
Audio-wise, this game’s a Star Wars fan’s dream. Every weapon sounds like a dead-even match for its movie counterpart. The troopers, while they may be clones, have unique voices and a good bit of humorous dialog. Nothing like launching a detonator (aka – grenade) and hearing one of your squad-mates shout “oooh, fireworks!” in a voice dripping with childish excitement.
Speaking of teammates, they are the core of the gameplay, as without them, you’re a dead man. As with most other squad-combat titles, each teammate has a specific skill, such as sniping, medicine, close combat, etc. The squad command system, while it gets the job done, doesn’t feel nearly as deep or as polished as it is in the Rainbow Six series. Commands are very limited by the situation you’re in, I’m still looking for a simple “Open and Clear” command a la Rainbow Six. Instead, the commands are kept to four basics such as “Search and Destroy”, “Regroup,” and “Hold Position.” Commands are issued in two ways, by using the Function keys, or targeting an object and hitting “F” to issue the one command that is then made available to you. Rainbow Six fans will probably feel a bit cheated by the limited tactical command list.
The weapons of Republic Commando are, sadly, as limited as those of most other Star Wars games (though thank God they included a type of shotgun). There are a few new weapons not seen in other Star Wars titles, but there’s nothing really “cool” here, that you’d hope for in a science-fiction game.
Taken as a whole, Republic Commando looks to be shaping up quite nicely. Sure the tactical component lacks as much depth as other games of the genre, but there’s so much other stuff going for the game, it should easily please Star Wars fans, and be more than enjoyable to those that are just looking for a new tactical title.
