5 Star Wars Stories that Should Be Told in Video Games
. Oh - and there's the assorted LEGO Star Wars games, which are also, most certainly, a ton of [...]
If you've been watching recent rumors, you might already know what's up -- but if not, then here's some very, very unconfirmed news: in the wake of bad publicity stemming from EA's Star Wars: Battlefront II loot box system, Disney and Lucasfilm are rumored to be turning their eyes elsewhere when it comes to publishing major video games. While absolutely nothing is confirmed in any way, it's always fun to day dream about the incredible possibilities of AAA Star Wars games that don't suffer the limit of being created under a single primary publisher.
Back in the day, when LucasArts brought several imaginative Star Wars games to consoles, there was a little something for everyone to enjoy. If you liked massive battles from a first person shooter point of view, then the old Battlefront games only really hit the tip of the iceberg when it came to the titles you could play. For those of us who prefer taking to the stars in an X-Wing or TIE fighter, the Rogue Squadron games and others like it told stories of valiant pilots and let players control the action as they defended their respective sides against the other. Beyond RPGs like Knights of the Old Republic and Shadows of the Empire, there were even huge strategy games, and beloved racing games that spun out of the prequel era.
It really didn't matter what kind of Star Wars fan you were back in the day, because when it came to video games, there was always something around that even the most casual of players would enjoy. These days, of course, the options are a lot more limited: you either pick up Star Wars Battlefront II, its predecessor, or settle for the huge selection of mobile games that still don't quite make the cut for some (but are, for what it's worth, definitely entertaining for many fans). Oh - and there's the assorted LEGO Star Wars games, which are also, most certainly, a ton of fun.
So as we wait with hope in our hearts for news on the future of Star Wars games, it's always nice to pass the time by imagining what could be.
Rise of the First Order
While most of the First Order's early origins can be found among the pages of Chuck Wendig's Star Wars: Aftermath novel series, some folks are understandably still in the dark about who was behind the First Order's creation, and how it warped into the somewhat disorganized-yet-terrifying war machine it is by the time the sequels roll around.
Fans have always gone crazy for games and stories told from the bad guys' point of view. One of the most lamented cancelled Star Wars games of all time was one that focused on how Darth Maul became who he was, and stories about Imperials like Tarkin have flown from bookshelves in the past. Centralizing major players in the First Order's ascension and telling it from their point of view could work brilliantly, especially set within a video game that may be part-RPG, and part strategy.
Grand Admiral Rae Sloane, one of the primary antagonists of the Aftermath series (and one of the most decorated Imperials to ever receive the seal of approval from Vader himself) would be the perfect cold eye to see this through. Of course,the story could be told through the eyes of a young Armitage Hux, but passing it from Sloane to Hux -- from the greatest remnants of the Empire to the steadfast glare of the First Order -- could be the perfect way to tell the story and even, perhaps, explain more about the late Supreme Leader Snoke.
prevnextRogue Squadron: Legacy
I'm not too shabby at title pitches, am I? Anyway: Rogue Squadron is not only a beloved Star Wars video game, it's also the title of a book series that even fans today continue to read. Part narrative, part starfighter assault, these games could use a good revival in the form of a sequel-era continuation. Yeah, I know, another story about the torch being passed on might seem a little repetitive, but the members of the Rebel Alliance shared some incredible connections that carried on into the Resistance. Poe Dameron's A-Wing Pilot mother, Shara Bey, served under Princess Leia; Nora Wexley introduced her son, Poe's friend Temmin (better known as Snap), to Wedge Antilles, who took the kid under his wing.
Starting with Wedge's Rogue Squadron and challenging the player to complete every single battle leading up to the sequel trilogy wouldn't just be a way to tell the stories of the galaxy's greatest pilots in short bursts -- it would also open up the potential for new ship designs, new planets, and even new characters that don't necessarily need to be Force sensitive in order to save the day.
prevnextStar Wars: Corellian Racer
Think you can beat the Kessel Run in a measure of time that isn't exactly a measure of time? With the release of Solo looming over our heads, one big thing that stands out about the galaxy's favorite scoundrel is his need for speed. Han participated in various races throughout his life, including the epic Dragon Void run, and ultimately landed himself a job managing a racing circuit known as the Five Sabers racing championship, where he ended up recruiting some of the best and brightest for Leia Organa's Resistance.
There's definitely some gold in the idea that following Solo through these races could work: almost all of his epic showdowns happened on exotic and interesting planets, meaning that tracks -- especially tracks in space -- could have boundless potential for radical design.
prevnextThe Knights of Ren
Okay, I don't have a clever title for this one. But: We know next to nothing about the Knights of Ren, outside of the fact that Kylo Ren is their leader (even though they haven't hung out much on screen) and that they're super duper not nice. Kylo's squad seems to have been set aside as of recent, and with the way Star Wars games tend to perform when they prominently feature bad guys, this particular RPG might be the one to make.
In this writer's perfect vision, the story would focus on Kylo Ren as he builds this violent faction of warriors under the guidance of Supreme Leader Snoke, all under Luke Skywalker's nose. Each member could be the type of character to level up with specific items and actions (ala Final Fantasy) in order to build the perfect party. This could amplify the roles of the Knights of Ren in ways that they haven't really gotten the chance to yet.
Granted, this kind of game pitch is likely too little and too late (the final chapter of the sequel trilogy will be going into production this summer, after all) but finding out more about them so that they seem more intimidating than a group of Sith Mean Girls would be really interesting.
prevnextClone Wars: Underworld
Finally, this idea turns the clock back to the prequel-era, specifically during the Clone Wars, from the perspective of the villains and bounty hunters that raised Boba Fett. Asajj Ventress, Bossk, Dengar, Aurra Sing, and the ruthless Cad Bane were always interesting when they made appearances in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, but with the show's Jedi- and Clone Trooper-focused storytelling (which wasn't a bad thing), they often ended up floating in and out of the show whenever they interacted with the main characters.
These days, they're practically non-existent, and as a nod to the cancelled Star Wars 1313 -- which was supposed to tell the story of the young Boba Fett -- this might be just the title needed to revive the seedy underworld of scum and villainy that only pirates and bounty hunters dared to set foot in.
There's plenty of characters to put the player in control of, too, ranging from pirates like Hondo Ohnaka, strong and silent types like Fett, and even Force weilders (who know way more about the Force than they're given credit for) like Ventress. Pop a good storyline and some first person action on that, and you've got yourself an interesting title, if I do say so myself.
Which stories from your favorite galaxy far, far away do you think should be told in video game format? Let us know below, and may the Force be with you.
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