Another E3 has come and gone, and one of the companies with a strong showing was LucasArts. Out of the eleven games shown at the Expo, five are Star Wars titles. Two of those, Galaxies: An Empire Divided and Knights of the Old Republic, have been in development for some time. However, three recently-announced titles: Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy, Rogue Squadron III: Rebel Strike and Republic Commando all were debuted at this year’s show. Here’s a brief overview of each of the upcoming Star Wars titles:

Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided (Role-playing, PC)
Availability: Summer

When it was originally announced almost two years ago, the game was expected to be available for PC, Xbox and PlayStation 2. Recently, LucasArts and Sony Online have quietly stopped mentioning the consoles and have instead hyped only the PC version. As the first Star Wars based massive multiplayer online role-playing game, the release date for Galaxies has been pushed back several times during the beta testing phase. This is a hugely ambitious title, promising to immerse players deep into the Star Wars universe.

Gamers are promised the opportunity to play as one of several races, work in one of several professions and be afforded the chance to visit a dozen worlds known in both the film canon and Expanded Universe. Characters are created from the ground up, traits and skills are chosen, then expanded upon as the character interacts with others playing online.

The PC requirements are very steep, as this is going to be a visually-intensive game. Right now, nothing less than the latest processors and video chipsets will run this game to its potential. Also, be prepared to pay a monthly subscription fee, which has yet to be announced. Galaxies is currently scheduled for a summer release.

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (Role-playing; Xbox/PC)
Availability: June for Xbox, Fall for PC

The next Star Wars game to be released is Knights of the Old Republic, a first for Star Wars gamers as an in-depth RPG that takes place 4000 years before the events in the films. Developed by BioWare, the company behind the successful Neverwinter Nights and Baldur’s Gate franchises, this promises to be a deep and compelling RPG that’s free of the restrictions placed on storylines dealing with the official canon. The Sith are in full power in this era, allowing for battles between the Light and Dark Sides that have never really been seen before in a Star Wars game.

Players will begin by creating and customizing a character. Once the storyline begins, the character’s abilities and Force powers will increase or decrease according to decisions made in-game. Also, the character will be given the option to follow either the Light or Dark Sides, creating new paths and quests. What looks particularly exciting is the lightsaber combat function. Players will be able to customize their sabers, and will be able to choose from several fighting styles, including single saber, dual sabers and double-bladed sabers.

The Xbox version is on schedule for release in June, and looks fantastic. Early impressions of the gameplay have also been postitive. The PC version is scheduled for a Fall release. No computer specs have been announced, but expect them to be very steep.

Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy (Action/RPG-lite; Xbox/PC)
Availability: Fall

The third game in the Jedi Knight series will not have Kyle Katarn as the main character. Now an instructor at the Academy, Katarn assists Luke Skywalker in the training of new Jedi. One of these students is the character that players will use in the course of the game. Essentially an action title like the first two Jedi Knight games, Jedi Academy will have some RPG aspects. This RPG-lite factor will prove key as players can choose their character’s gender, species, style of clothing and physical attributes. As the Jedi student moves forward in their training, various lightsabers will become available for use.

Also key is how decisions made during gameplay will affect the outcome. Characters will make choices in how they apply their Force skills, and will either come out in the Light Side or fall to the Dark.

Like Jedi Outcast, this game is being developed by Raven Software, so you can expect the multiplayer modes to be outstanding. While PC online play is a given, word has yet to be said if online play will be available on Xbox Live. Like the other PC titles, expect the graphics and processor requirements to be high.

Star Wars: Republic Commando (First-person shooter; Xbox/PC)
Availability: Summer 2004

A surprise announcement at E3 was Republic Commando, a gritty FPS based in the timeline of the Clone Wars. Currently in development, the game will utilize the Unreal engine, which should guarantee some outstanding visuals.

Gamers will play as an elite commando in the Republic Special Operations unit. LucasArts is promising a “brutally realistic Star Wars combat experience,” something that we haven’t seen yet in a Star Wars game, but is a welcome change. Still unknown are online and multiplayer options, though hopefully, both the Xbox and PC versions will allow players to work together as squads online. Games such as Ghost Recon and Return to Castle Wolfenstein have proven the demand for squad-based shooters, and it would be great to have a Star Wars title in the mix.

Star Wars Rogue Squadron III: Rebel Strike (Combat action; GameCube)
Availability: Fall

The latest in the Rogue Squadron series, also developed by Factor 5, is Rebel Strike. Players will once again game as Luke Skywalker as he leads Rogue Squadron through several space and land-based missions. As stated in LucasArts’ press release, “For example, players can fly a combat mission over the dense forest landscape of Yavin 4 before landing to engage Imperial Stormtroopers in ground battle.”

Not only will gamers be able to live vicariously through Luke Skywalker, other levels enable players to carry out missions as Wedge Antilles or Han Solo. Worlds included are Hoth, Bespin, Yavin IV and an asteroid field. As with the other Rogue Squadron games, players will unlock bonus ships, locations and missions by reaching goals set out in each level. This game is currently scheduled to ship this fall.

In Conclusion

Seems that after a string of disappointing games, LucasArts has a strong portfolio of titles ahead for the Star Wars game fan. The diversity is commendable, from the role-playing titles to old-school action and finally, a dark first-person shooter. Keep checking back with Echo Station for reviews of these games as they are released.

See game info, screenshots, trailers, and more on the Lucasarts website!

(Screenshots from official website used by permission of Lucasfilm.)
(Logo made to dance by demented web designer, not with permission of LucasAnything.)

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