While the oversaturation of content onDisney+is beginning to affect quality — Star Wars included —Andoris making an impressive effortto revitalize the IP. Its down to earth and gritty scope is a breath of fresh air, and it’s making familiar ground feel worth revisiting. As the show spurs renewed excitement over Star Wars, the video game medium offers some great experiences for fans looking to chase thatAndorhype.
We’ve yet to get a similarly grounded, stealth third-person shooting game in this universe for the modern age. Perhaps the canceledStar Wars 1313might have scratched that itch to some degree, but games likeFallen OrderandBattlefront IIcan touch on related thematic points.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
One ofAndor‘s most impressive feats is how it delivers a genuinely compelling Rebellion-era Star Wars storywithout concerning itself with the Skywalkers, Jedi, Sith, or even the Force. That might make Respawn Entertainment’sJedi: Fallen Ordera jarring choice on the surface, but Cal Kestis and company’s post-Revenge of the Sithand pre-A New Hopejourney is among the more welcome tales since Disney’s acquisition of the franchise.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Ordersees Cal, a Jedi Padawan in hiding, get roped into a game of cat and mouse against the Empire and its Inquisitors — as well as taking the fight to them. This action-adventure game incorporates Metroidvania and Souls-like progression mechanics in terms of exploration and combat, making for an engaging gameplay experience and Rebellion story.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Orderis available now for PlayStation 4,PlayStation 5, Xbox One,Xbox Series X|S, and PC. A sequel,Jedi: Survivor, is set for a 2023 release.
Star Wars Battlefront II
Star Wars Battlefront IIis simultaneously known for one of gaming’s most disastrous launches and one of its biggest comeback stories. When EA and Dice initially launched the game, it was marred with controversies from bare-bones content to a mess of microtransactions, however, admirably dedicated post-launch support turned it into a genuinely solid game.
Battlefront IIis now packed with substantive single-player and multiplayer content, as well as several character classes. While the flashy “hero” class characters like Luke Skywalker, Obi-Wan, Darth Vader, and more certainly are highlights of the game, players can just as well take part in exciting boots-to-ground firefights with soldier classes — including Rebellion-themed maps and characters.
Star Wars Battlefront IIis available now on PS4, Xbox One, and PC.
Star Wars: Squadrons
Similar to how Dice’sBattlefrontgames were spiritual successors to the original games of the same names, Motive Studios’Star Wars: Squadronsowed much to the belovedRogue Squadrongames that started on theNintendo 64. The game managed to be another critical success for EA followingFallen OrderandBattlefront II‘s second lease on life, this time focusing on space dogfights rather than lightsaber combat or third-person shooting.
Andormight revolve around a character whot’s more covert and grounded, but part of his skills lie in being a talented pilot when necessary, andSquadronsprovides a nice focus on this side of the Star Wars universe with a story set during the age of the New Republic. The gameplay was well-received for its level of immersion, as well as the execution of multiplayer.
Star Wars: Squadronsis available now forPS4,Xbox, Xbox Series X|S, andPC.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic/Knights of the Old Republic II
In terms of both Star Wars games and RPGs in general, BioWare’sKnights of the Old Republicand Obsidian Entertainment’sKnights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lordsare landmark games in the industry. Both games were critically acclaimed for their deep role-playing mechanics that allowed players to shape their character, party, and the trajectory of the galaxy’s fate through customization and dialogue-driven gameplay.
Neither game has the same intimate, espionage-themed scope asAndor, but what they loosely have in common is how bothKnights of the Old Republicgames feature gripping narratives that tackle the darker, more thought-provoking themes of the Star Wars universe.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old RepublicandKnights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lordsare both available on modern systems through Xbox One and Series X|S backward compatibility, as well asNintendo Switch, PC, and mobile. A PS5 remake is currently in development.
