The Lack of a Sequel to Republic Commando Disturbs Me
/A Long Time Ago, in a Galaxy Far, Far Away…
Star Wars: Republic Commando was released way back in 2005 and instantly became a classic in the FPS genre of games. It is still, to this day, regarded as being one of the best and most unique Star Wars games ever made, due to its darker take on the Star Wars universe and its innovative squad-based mechanics.
Its incredible soundtrack, memorable single-player campaign and surprisingly fun multiplayer ensured the game’s success, at least among Star Wars fans.
Star Wars: Republic Commando - Lucasfilms
What Happened to Sev?
By now, this is a question that’s been on our minds for years: what in tarnation happened to Sev? Republic Commando ended on a cliffhanger, and I’m sure that at the time, many people just assumed a sequel was already in the works. Technically, there was a sequel planned, even before Republic Commando was released, and it was called Star Wars: Imperial Commando.
sev - Lucasfilms
This proposed sequel was supposed to take place during the era of the Empire, and would tackle its predecessors ending and the fate of the character Sev in particular. It would have placed players in the boots of soldiers serving the newly risen Galactic Empire, and for me , that’s good enough on its own. There simply aren’t enough games where you get to play as the bad guys.
Unfortunately, there was some corporate shuffling going on at LucasArts around this time, and many projects — including Imperial Commando, which had only gotten to the concept art stage — were cancelled. It’s also worth noting that Republic Commando didn’t live up to commercial expectations; this was likely in part due to the outrageous success and popularity of Halo 2, which had released only a year earlier on the Xbox.
For many people, myself included, the most significant reason why Republic Commando needs a sequel is closure.
“Take Offensive Formation”
Another reason this game deserves a sequel would be because of how unique it is. Let’s face it, there aren’t many Star Wars FPS games out there, and most Star Wars shooters are meant to be played from the third-person perspective.
delta squad - lucasfilms
Obviously, when I talk about Star Wars shooters, the most recent examples would be DICE’s Battlefront games, which are… certainly something. If this was a blog about the Battlefront games, then I’d have a lot more to say on the topic of those games, but, ultimately, they’re just not what I’m personally looking for. As I said earlier, Republic Commando was dark; it was gritty, it didn’t have any larger-than-life Jedi or Sith, and it was something totally unseen before. As it turns out, dark and gritty Star Wars works very well, and it’s a niche currently left unfilled in the modern-day.
Republic Commando is a tactical squad-based arena first-person-shooter based in the Star Wars universe, and to this day, it is the only tactical squad-based arena first-person-shooter based in the Star Wars universe; for many people, that’s the issue. But can this issue be resolved?
A New Hope
Early in 2021, Gamers everywhere rejoiced when the Empir- I mean EA, lost their exclusive rights to make Star Wars games,
This is very good news for fans hopeful of a sequel, or at the very least a spiritual successor, to Republic Commando. Already, in the very same year EA lost their exclusive rights, a remake of the classic and universally beloved Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic has been announced.
I’m not the most optimistic of people, especially when it comes to entertainment, but I’d honestly say the future looks brighter for Star Wars games. Hopefully, in a few years, we’ll finally find out what happened to Sev.
Ladies…
Kyle Michaud
Kyle is an aspiring writer at Algonquin College’s Professional Writing Program. Bad (but great) at Halo, comedian, and plays guitar sometimes.
