Star Wars: Force Commander

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Force Commander is also the name of a character in the Micronauts toy line.

Star Wars: Force Commander
Developer(s)	Ronin Entertainment
Publisher(s)	LucasArts
Platform(s)	Windows
Release date	March 22, 2000
Genre(s)	Real-time tactics
Mode(s)	Single player, multiplayer
Rating(s)	ESRB: Teen (T)
System requirements	100% Windows 95/98 DirectX compatible computer CPU: 266 MHz Memory: 64MB RAM Hard Drive Space: 454MB for install Video: 8MB PCI or AGP Direct 3D Graphics Accelerator Sound: 16-bit sound card CD-ROM: Quad speed DirectX: Requires DirectX 7.0a or higher. (DirectX 7.0a included on CD) Multiplayer Support Direct Modem: 2 Players Additional Multiplayer Requirements Modem: 28.8 kbit/s or faster modem for Direct Modem or Internet Play Internet: Dial-Up or Direct TCP/IP connection. 28.8 kbit/s Minimum 100% DirectX 7.0a compatible 3D accelerator is required.
Input methods	mouse, keyboard

Star Wars: Force Commander is a real time tactical computer game released in 2000.

The game was originally conceived as a 2-D strategy game, similar to StarCraft. However, possibly seeing the success of Homeworld, Lucasarts decided to use an optimized version of a 3-D engine used in Rogue Squadron 3D arcade/simulator. Although fans eagerly waited for this game, it did not live up to the hype due to a poorly designed interface, graphical glitches and poor game design in general.[1] Technically, Force Commander is a relatively early 3D Real-time tactical game on PC platform. One feature of note in Force Commander is its music, which are remixes of John Williams' original Star Wars scores; however, fans are bitterly divided when it comes to offering an opinion on the matter.

The game covers the events of Episodes IV through VI, and some other events that are not portrayed in the movies. It is shown from the point of view of a young officer in the Imperial Navy, who begins as a stormtrooper, but soon enough is given his own command. The first task (from the training missions) is to search for an escape pod that landed on Tatooine, and then track the droids that were inside - which is a reference to the opening scenes of Star Wars Episode IV when C3PO and R2-D2 escape Imperial clutches via an escape pod which crashes on Tatooine. The main character is loyal to the Empire for the first few missions. However, as the game progresses, the main character becomes more disillusioned with the Empire and decides to defect to the Rebel Alliance. As well as the Tatooine training missions, there are other playable moments which are lifted from the films, which include the Battle of Hoth (from the Imperial point of view) and the Battle of Endor (as a Rebel). The game ends with the battle to capture the Imperial Palace on Coruscant.

[edit] References

GameSpot.com Review
GMR Magazaine compiled a list of their 5 best and 5 worst Star Wars games of all time. Number one on the list of five worst games was Force Commander, because of its "horrible interface" among other things. They said you would be "better off recreating said battles with your action figure collection".