Go Commando! Star Wars: Republic Commando hands-on

Of all the Star Wars games boasting links with Episode III we've seen, the one which is probably intriguing and exciting us the most is Star Wars: Republic Commando. Okay, you might be forsaking the odd lightsaber and all those groovy Force powers, but outside of impending Jedi-hood, there's few Star Wars games which have looked so good and indeed, played so well.

Already looking highly impressive when we saw it at this year's E3, Republic Commando, the latest incarnation, had a not-so-gentle awakening when we recently subjected it to eager hands - here we're going to present you with our low-down and impressions on the proceedings.

But first a quick recap, in case you haven't ever encountered Republic Commando in the flesh before. The game is actually set between Star Wars movies Episode I: The Phantom Menace and Episode II: Attack of the Clones. You play, well quite obviously a Republic Commando, but the catch is, that rather than any gung-ho solo shooting antics, you're in complete tactical command of an elite three-man commando squad.

The level which we checked out was drawn from the end of the first campaign and places you on the planet of Geonosis, fighting against the forces of new Episode III baddie, General Grievous, leader of the Separatist armies. The transition to the PC version of the game obviously means significantly ramping up the ante in graphical terms and as you'd expect, Republic Commando certainly looks a lot crisper and more detailed than its Xbox counterpart.

It uses a heavily modified version of the Unreal engine, but initially Commando certainly looks dark as you'd expect when you're infiltrating deep into the bowels of an enemy-held planet. However, it's still very recognisably Star Wars, with neon terminals and glowing technology illuminating proceedings, as breath panting, you peer out from the inside of your commando helmet.

Republic commandos are actually drawn from an elite clone troopers' force, fierce, highly-trained specialists who are responsible for performing all manner of deep strike and covert operations. With the game's tag-line touting "your squad are your weapon", it's no surprise to find that your three-man team plays an integral role in the game.

Commanding them is quite a cinch though through the one-touch squad control system, with an easy-to-use interface allowing you to set up firing formations, place commandos in key sniping locales or go completely demo, as you order them to blow open heavily shielded blast doors.

It works like this - you simply point where you want them to go, a kind of neon ghost figure appears, you confirm orders such as "Form on Me", "Search and Destroy" and obediently enough, away they go. Simple as that, but it does add a fair of degree of tactical nuance and sophistication to the gameplay, before the fireworks well and truly begin.

Republic Commando's combat component certainly doesn't disappoint either, with a raft of 12 authentic Republic approved weapons and equipment like the primary Republic Commando firearm, the DC-17m Interchangeable Combat Weapon System and the DC-15s Sidearm Blaster Pistol, as well as captured enemy weapons such as Geonosian Elite Beam Weapons.

You can even find occasional new Star Wars favourites like the Wookie Guided Missile Launcher - which packs a devastating punch - and those old fur bags usually look like such peaceable sorts too.

Once the bolts start flying though, Republic Commando certainly puts both your command and shooting abilities to the full test. Working our way through the underground system, we were first assaulted by wave after wave of droids, both upright and rolling varieties and they certainly provide decent if rather disposable fodder, for both your own and your squad's shooting prowess.

Next came General Grievous's personal bodyguards, the insect-like Genosians who come in both drone and warrior varieties and hover above your heads with ill-disguised menace. Their beam weapons are certainly pretty hot stuff, but if you can shoot a couple down, grab their own weapons and turn them against the flying peril, they certainly don't like it up 'em.

We rounded off our excursion into the Genosian underworld facing a set of armoured blast doors, and it was the work of moments before our demolition specialist was planting the charges to blow them utterly asunder.

As the dust from the blinding explosion cleared, what should be waiting but a giant spider droid, replete with eight legs and as many lasers and machine guns. Ouch - even the Wookie rocket launcher barely made a dent and it started to take a heavy toll, pinning down all four members of our squad with some wicked suppression fire, before mercifully the curtain fell and our demo ended.

So what have we learned from our little excursion into Republic Commando's war-torn universe? Well, the game certainly looks great and provides plenty of Star Wars shooty thrills, but taking control of the squad and trying to anticipate and respond to each tactical situation certainly raises it above the bar of most ordinary FPS's.

With a wealth of Episode III content to enjoy too, it's certainly going to be on our FPS hit lists early next year when it finally releases; and pop pickers will also be able to fill their boots too, as apparently popular beat combo Ash has been signed up to provide a track or possibly two for the final game.

Star Wars: Republic Commando is set to parachute in onto both PC and Xbox in February 2005.

John Houlihan