Star Wars: Republic Commando
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| Star Wars: Republic Commando | |
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| Developer(s) | LucasArts |
| Publisher(s) |  LucasArts Activision |
| Engine | Unreal Engine 2.0 |
| Release date(s) | Xbox PC |
| Genre(s) | First-person shooter |
| Mode(s) | Single player, Multiplayer |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: Teen (T) PEGI: 12+ |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows, Xbox, Mobile Phone |
Star Wars: Republic Commando is a first-person shooter Star Wars computer game and video game, released in the US on 1 March 2005. It was developed and published by LucasArts for the Microsoft Windows and Xbox platforms. The game uses Epic Games's Unreal Engine.[1] Currently, the Xbox version is not compatible with the Xbox's successor, the Xbox 360.[2]
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[edit] Plot synopsis
The game is set during the events of the Clone Wars that started at the climax of the movie Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones. In the game, the player is expected to take command of a Clone commando team, made up of elite Clone troopers. These clone troopers have been specially bred at the clone factories on Kamino. The commando team will travel to various locations in the Star Wars universe, including Kashyyyk, Geonosis, and the derelict spacecraft, Prosecutor. The game is the first in the Star Wars universe to feature a militaristic style of playing, which sets a darker tone than other games that are a part of the Star Wars franchise.
Near the beginning of the game, Delta Squad is deployed from the RAS Prosecutor individually into the front lines of the battle on Geonosis. There, Delta-RC-1138 (Boss, the player) meets up with Deltas 1262, 1140, and 1207 ("Scorch," "Fixer," and "Sev" respectively). Delta-38 has been selected to lead this unit and guides them on their mission to assassinate Geonosian leader, Sun Fac. After accomplishing this objective, they take on several other missions in the battle. They sabotage the droid factory underneath Sun Fac's headquarters, disable an anti-aircraft bunker that is wreaking havoc on the Republic Army's air forces, and then sneak onto a disabled Confederacy Core Ship, stealing important Launch Codes to prevent the Separatist fleet from retreating, escaping seconds before the ship is destroyed.
A year into the war the now veteran Delta Squad is sent to investigate the derelict Republic Assault Ship (RAS) Prosecutor, their former home before being deployed to active duty. The team splits up to investigate, when they begin to lose contact with each other one by one aboard the ship. When he first enters the ship, Delta-38 ponders why the interior of the Prosecutor remains deserted and eerily quiet, when he is suddenly ambushed by a droid known as a Scavenger, responsible for the communications disruptions between the squad members. Delta-38 continues fighting off Scavenger Droids and comes across Trandoshan Slavers and Mercenaries. He single-handedly fights his way through collecting information from the ship and reviving fallen teammates. Once his team is together again they take out a jamming device in order to restore communication. The Trandoshans are interested in Wookiee pelts, taking the Separatist side of the war. Delta Squad destroys the Trandoshan dropship in a hangar by blowing up the hangar's shield generator. Immediately afterward, a Confederate Trade Federation Battleship drops out of hyperspace nearby - it turns out the Trandoshans were about to sell the vessel in exchange for droid support. As Republic reinforcements are en route, Delta Squad defends the vessel against hordes of battledroids, destroying the docking shield stabilizers, allowing nothing to pass through. They then proceed to code the auto turrets while under fire, saving the vessel and providing support to its recently arrived escort.
As the war drags onward, Delta Squad participates in increasingly dangerous missions. A cry for help is heard by the Republic from the Wookiee homeworld of Kashyyyk. Delta Squad is sent to rescue General Tarfful from Trandoshan slavers and mercenaries. After spotting General Grievous himself in one of the compounds and fighting off his elite guards, they learn of the full ramifications of a Confederacy/Trandoshan alliance. Delta Squad sabotages a vital Trandoshan supply depot and proceeds to the key battle point of Kachirho. There, they move through the Wookiee tree city, securing important objectives and battling against hordes of advanced battledroids. They destroy the Bridge at Kachirho, cutting the droid army off from its reinforcements, and proceed to secure the Citadel. Soldiering through the most elite CIS forces and weaponry, Delta Squad once again splits up to man four Heavy AA turret in order to assist in the destruction of a separatist battleship. Once the ship is destroyed, Advisor orders the Deltas to regroup at 38's position. However, Sev did not make the rendezvous and the squad manages to grab a last transmission from him, in which it's clear that he is under heavy attack and is possibly injured or killed. Delta Squad prepares to rescue Sev, but the commander orders them to pull back. As they head out on the gunship, they are debriefed by Jedi Master Yoda. A huge Republic offensive is seen deploying outside the gunship, as Delta Squad prepares for another assignment in the battle.
[edit] Gameplay
The game features systems that have been featured in other first-person shooters, including Metroid Prime, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six, and Halo. The Heads-Up Display (HUD) in the game has a similar feel to that in Metroid Prime. The squad-based order system is similar to the Rainbow Six games, where certain positions are tied to an action. Pressing the order key will tell one of the squad to move to that position and do a predefined action, such as providing sniper or anti-armor fire. There are also orders that govern the entire squad, such as Search and Destroy, Hold Position, Form Up, and Recall. The player can only carry 2-3 guns during the game, though the main gun can acquire attachments to suit different needs, such as: Sniper fire, RPG Anti-Armor, and the standard ion blaster.
The game features a multiplayer mode for Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch and Capture the flag gameplay, with Xbox Live support for 16 players on the Xbox, and 32 for PC over the Internet.
In single player mode, players do not die, they are merely incapacitated for the time being. While they are "downed", they can order squad members to revive them, maintain their orders, or reload to the last saved checkpoint. The same applies when one of the squad members gets downed. Therefore, the game is only truly over when both the player and the squad members are incapacitated. This gameplay decision was based on the fact that the elite commandos of Delta Squad have special bacta implants that sustain them during severe injuries. Although in multiplayer mode, the player can die. When health is deteriorated, bacta packs can be found scattered around maps, and will heal any and all injuries, restoring health to full.
[edit] Delta Squad
The clone commandos featured in the game have distinct personalities, increasingly independent from regular clone troopers in the Republic's army. The commandos of Delta Squad are:
- RC-1138 (Delta Three-Eight or "Boss") It should also be noted that this particular name is a reference to the "1138 number" seen and referred to in many projects involving work from or related to George Lucas. "1138" originated from his first major film "THX-1138".
- RC-1140 (Delta Four-Oh or "Fixer")
- RC-1207 (Delta Oh-Seven or "Sev")
- RC-1262 (Delta Six-Two or "Scorch")
The player takes control of Delta 38 ("Boss") for the entire game. He is the commander of Delta Squad and issues orders to fellow teammates during missions. Delta 40 ("Fixer") is the hacker and technological expert of the team. He portrays the stoic and serious side of the commandos and takes on a strict adherence to protocols; he is also the only one to use actual military terminology during missions. Delta 07 ("Sev") is a marksman who displays a morbid sense of morality, desiring to annihilate every foe the squad encounters. One of his favorite activities is sniping ("With extreme pleasure, sir"). His voice is notable for having a deep, menacing tone when speaking. Delta 62 ("Scorch"), the "heart and soul of the group," is the demolitions expert. He maintains a sense of humor throughout the game, often attempting to crack jokes even in the midst of combat, much to the chagrin of Delta 40.
Although the player's squad members are said to specialize in certain areas, they all perform tasks with equal skill.
[edit] Weapons
This is a list of the various weapons available to the player in Republic Commando. In single-player mode, the player is given a DC-15s pistol, as well as the DC-17m and its attachments. A secondary slot is also open for carrying a foreign weapon, such as a Wookiee Bowcaster or an ACP-series gun. In multi-player mode, the player has two slots, and starts with the DC-15s Side Arm Blaster and the correct rifle for the team (either DC-17m for the Republic or Accelerated Charged Particle Repeater Gun for the Trandoshans), and can proceed to swap weapons with those in the map. Also, the Diversionary Flash Detonator is removed in the multi-player mode.
Republic weapons:
- DC-17m Interchangeable Combat System: Unlike most clone troops, Clone commandos wield somewhat more advanced weapons, such as the DC-17m Interchangeable Combat System. The weapon can be field-stripped and converted into three different weapons, using its attachments.
- DC-17m Blaster Attachment: Fully automatic blaster rifle. The DC-17m is a light repeating blaster rifle capable of rapidly firing blaster bolts. Each power pack clip provides enough energy for 60 shots before reloading is needed, and one may carry five power packs for a total of 300 shots. In multi-player, this is the standard Republic weapon.
- DC-17m Sniper Rifle Attachment: This attachment turns the DC-17m into an ion pulse sniper rifle. Its rate of fire is much reduced, but it has higher penetration, accuracy, damage, and a powerful electro-optical telescopic sight. This allows telescopic magnification 10x or 20x. This attachment uses a special high-discharge 5-round power pack. The player may carry up to four of these packs, providing 20 sniper rounds in total.
- DC-17m Anti-Armor Attachment: A rocket propelled grenade attachment for the DC-17m. It provides devastating firepower, but the player can only hold a maximum of four anti-armor charges which must be loaded individually after each shot.
- DC-15s Side Arm Blaster: A blaster pistol. It has a self charging energy cell that recharges at a slow but steady rate. It can only be fired five to six times consecutively before the user must pause to let the pistol replenish its ammunition.
- Vibroblade: The knuckle plate that covers a Clone Commando's left hand contains a retractable vibroblade. Combined with a commando's training and prowess, this allows the execution of a devastating close-quarters attack capable of instantly killing organic enemies and standard Battle droids.
Trandoshan weapons:
- Accelerated Charged Particle Repeater Gun: A standard Trandoshan mercenary equivalent of a submachine gun. Similar to the DC-17m, although it fires charged particle bursts as opposed to blaster bolts. This makes it ineffective against armored enemies such as droids but more effective against organics. It retains the ability to quickly overload shielding, however. In multiplayer, the ACP is the standard Trandoshan gun, although for the purposes of multiplayer balance, it's exactly the same as the 17m.
- LS-150 Heavy ACP Repeater Gun: A huge, belt-fed, chaingun-like weapon, the Heavy ACP Repeater Gun is used by heavily-armored Trandoshan elite mercenaries. It has an extremely high rate of fire and a 200 round energy magazine, capable of quickly downing a Clone commando when used by the mercenaries. Likewise, it is capable of mowing down Trandoshans en masse when Delta 38 appropriates one of these for himself. It is also tipped with a bayonet for melee purposes. Its weight and bulk slow the user down considerably. In addition, a considerable amount of time is required to reload the hefty energy magazine.
- ACP Array Gun: A shotgun-like weapon, mainly used by Trandoshan slavers. Very effective against organic beings but somewhat ineffective against droids. It is most effective at close range, since its firepower decreases rapidly over long distances. Eight round integral ammunition magazine.
- LJ-50 Concussion Rifle: The LJ-50 Concussion Rifle is a heavy field weapon used in medium to long distance engagements. It utilizes a concussive energy charge that implodes on impact and creates a sizeable area of destruction in a 500 unit radius. Its area of effect makes it exceedingly effective against concentrations of multiple organics and light droids, but it lacks the penetration to take down heavy droid units. Each concussion core provides five shots before it must be changed. Interestingly, its energized barrel can be slammed into a droid in melee to momentarily short-circuit its systems. This attack also has the ability to briefly stun organics.
Wookiee weapons:
- Wookiee Bowcaster: An artfully crafted Wookie weapon that fires powerful green energy quarrels. Individual shots are not normally very powerful, but the weapon can be "charged up" by holding down the fire button. Fully charged shots are referred to as "impaler bolts"; using three ammo units, it will not only impale organic enemies, but also pin them to a wall. Shots that miss targets bounce off solid walls, and are still harmful if they strike a target. It is equipped with a low-light telescopic sight.
- Wookiee Homing Launcher: A massive rocket launcher capable of locking on and homing into targets, and can fire its entire capacity of five rockets simultaneously in a single salvo. Its weight and bulk slow the player down. Best saved for use against the largest, most heavily armored enemies.
Geonosian weapons:
- Geonosian Elite Beam Weapon: A Geonosian weapon that fires a sustained orange energy beam. When used by the Geonosian Elite Warrior, it draws off virtually unlimited stores of energetic fluid within the insectoid alien's body, but when used by a Clone Commando, its ammo is limited. It requires a few seconds to charge before firing. One interesting note is that while using this weapon, small needles on the weapon can be seen scratching at the player's armor, attempting to dig into the user's skin. This is likely how the weapon obtains its "fuel" from its usual Geonosian host.
- Thermal detonator: The standard grenade, it releases a damaging barrage of heat and a concussive blast upon detonation; more powerful but comparable in use to a modern frag grenade.
- Electrostatic Charge Detonator: A grenade that, when detonated, releases a powerful pulse of electricity. Most effective against mechanical enemies such as droids, as it disrupts their neural circuitry.
- Diversionary Flash Detonator: Similar to the flash-bang grenade. When detonated, it releases a bright light and noise, stunning nearby organics including allied Commandos. It has very little effect on mechanical enemies. It is removed in multiplayer mode.
- Sonic detonator: A Geonosian-manufactured grenade that releases a damaging sonic blast, very effective against organic tissue and also useful against droids. The grenade is proximity triggered; if it hits a target it explodes on impact; if it hits a floor it may be proximity-triggered, or detonates automatically after ten seconds. If the grenade hits a wall, it will stick to the surface.
Demolition equipment: The player is not required to keep track of the squad's inventory of these explosives. It is assumed that Delta Squad possesses an adequate number of these items.
- Demolition charges: These are command-detonated, variable yield, high explosive shaped-charges used for military demolitions purposes. Used to destroy targets that are either too large or too heavily armored to be effectively damaged with the commandos' hand-held ranged weapons. These high-tech explosives are programmable with the built-in keypad to customize blast profile tamping based on the target type, thus maximizing the destructive efficiency upon detonation. Once placed, a commando takes some time to program and arm the charge. Upon arming, the squad leader can detonate them at will using a hand-held remote detonator.
- Breaching charges: Used to blow open sealed doors, a breaching charge is a small explosive device with a directional blast designed to destroy locking mechanisms. It explodes a few seconds after it is placed, allowing the commandos to storm the room.
- Proximity detonators: The small charge is not typically powerful enough to cause damage to enemies, but it can be placed on barrels and casks filled with fuel or other volatile chemicals, and set to proximity mode. When an enemy approaches, it will detonate, causing the barrel to explode as well.
Melee attacks:
When an enemy is in close proximity to a player, an effective melee attack may be carried out. The damage directly depends on the player's current weapon. The Commando's knuckleplate vibroblade is used when the DC-17m or Trandoshan ACP Repeater is wielded. Any other weapon will produce an attack more or less powerful, depending on the weapon itself. Other attacks include a buttstock coldcock with the ACP Array gun, or a slow but deadly thrust from the LS-150's large bayonet. The DC-15s Side Arm Blaster pistol-whip produces the lowest amount of melee damage, while the LJ-50 Concussion Rifle has a side-effect -- in addition to melee damage, it electrocutes its target in a similar matter to the Electrostatic Charge Detonator, minus splash damage.
Both squad members and most enemy units can use melee attacks when given opportunities. The other commandos in the player's squad can also be seen to execute impressive reversals when enemies attempt to attack them in melee, coming out on top.
[edit] Soundtrack
Republic Commando is notable for being the first entry in the official Star Wars game to feature licensed music. The song "Clones," performed by the band Ash, is played when the credits roll. Ash is known for their Star Wars fandom; their debut album was entitled 1977, and contained numerous Star Wars references.
The main bulk of the soundtrack is a break from convention of previous Star Wars games that use remixed versions of John Williams' original score, instead using a combination of Williams' music and new music composed by Jesse Harlin. This new music takes on a high-paced, gritty and vocal theme to the traditional Star Wars score, helping to immerse the player even more in the game.
[edit] See also
- Star Wars Republic Commando series
- Advanced Recon Commandos
- Clone commandos
- Storm commandos
- Clone troopers
- Vode An (main theme)
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Official Republic Commando homepage
- Star Wars: Republic Commando at MobyGames
- Gamespy Review of Republic Commando
- Gamespot Review of Republic Commando
- Republic Commando reviews at Game Rankings
- Star Wars: Republic Commando at the Wookieepedia
[edit] Modding Information
- RC Mod Site - Main Republic Commando Mod Site
- Unreal Modding Forums - Unreal Modding Forums, RC Modding Discussion
- Downloads - RC Maps Coding and other Downloads.
