Star Wars: Republic Commando

Star Wars: Republic Commando is a first-person shooter Star Wars computer and video game, released in the US on March 1, 2005. It was developed and published by LucasArts for the Windows and Microsoft Xbox platforms. The game uses Epic's Unreal engine.

Plot synopsis
The game is set during the infamous Clone Wars that was started at the climax of the movie Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones. This game essentially bridges the gap between Episode II and Episode III. In it, the player takes command of a squad of elite clone commandos. These clone troopers have been specially bred at the clone factories on Kamino, trained differently than their clone trooper brethren, taught to adapt to the situation and to think on their feet.

Clone commandos were trained by Mandalorian mercenaries, as clone template Jango Fett believed that computerised simulations would teach them nothing. Once the Commandos were fully grown, they were divided into groups of four, nicknamed 'pods', after the aiwha hunting pods that lurked beneath the surface of Kamino's waters.

The newly created Commandos were instructed and trained by the most elite of warriors, people such as the Cuy'val Dar, a group of brilliant training sergeants hand-picked by Fett, and renowned figures such as Sergeant Walon Vau. The Commandos were trained in situations with live fire, making them realize just what battle felt like.

Some commandos chose to concentrate on certain areas of their own expertise, some specialising in slicing(such as Fixer), some in combat(such as Sev) etc. The commando team featured in the game, known as 'Delta Squad', travels to various locations in the Star Wars universe, including Kashyyyk and Geonosis, as well as a derelict Acclamator I-class assault ship. The game is among the first in the Star Wars universe to feature a militaristic style, which sets a darker tone than other games that are a part of Star Wars. The developers state that if the novels and movies are seen from the point of view of the Jedi, then Republic Commando is from the point of view of the troops.

Gameplay
The game features systems that have been featured in other games, including Halo, Metroid Prime and Rainbow Six. For example, in the Xbox version, one analog stick moves the commando, and the other allows him to turn and look around. The HUD in the game has a similar feel to it like Metroid Prime, and the squad-based order system shares many similarities with the Rainbow Six games. The game also features a multiplayer mode for deathmatch and capture the flag gameplay, with Xbox Live support for 16 players on the Xbox, and the same for PC over the Internet. It was also rumored the PC version was going to contain a level editor, but most people will find that it does not. However if you search around in your system data folder of Republic Commando you will find access to this rarely heard of feature suitable named, UnrealEd (or Unreal Editor). A new feature is being able to revive fallen squad members. If one of the clones in your squad loses his health you can order another clone or yourself to revive him, the clones will automaticly do it if you are not in battle or if you lose your health.

Republic Weapons
The Republic weapons tend to be best used against droids, seeing as all their guns are ion-based. It is effective against, but requires more ammo to take down an organic.


 * Retractable Knuckle Plate Vibro Blade - This is the main melee attack for the commandos. The vibro blade is built directly into a gauntlet in the right wrist of the Katarn commando armor. Kills most enemies in one strike, but has a very short range.


 * DC-15s Side Arm Blaster - A small, fast firing pistol with unlimited ammunition, but relies on an energy cell to provide said ammunition. The energy cell can produce only so many shots before it needs to temporarily recharge.


 * DC-17m Ion Pulse Blaster Rifle - The primary weapon of the commandos, this gun has a fast fire rate with very little recoil. Due to it's ion-based ammuntion, it is best used against battle droids. It has an ammo capacity of 300 shots.


 * DC-17m Sniper Rifle - The sniper rifle attachment for the DC-17m is a highly accurate and deadly weapon. Equipped with an excellent scope, this weapon can kill most targets in one hit. Those who don't fall in one hit will still feel the awesome power of this weapon. It only has an ammo capacity of 20 shots, so smart commandos will make sure every shot counts.


 * DC-17m Anti-Armor Weapon - This gun will make anyone's day. The anti-armor attachment has a very small capacity (4 shells), but packs quite a punch. The weapon must be aimed higher or lower to reach it's intended target and all shells explode upon impact. Good for use against Super Battle Droids, Spider Droids, Trandoshan Elites, and groups of enemies.

Trandoshan Weapons
The Trandoshan weapons heavily reflect human weaponry found on Earth. They seem to be only effective against Trandoshans and Geonosians. Due to their bullet based ammunition, they have almost no effect on droids.


 * Accelerated Charged Particle Array Gun (ACP Array Gun) - This gun is a slug thrower, meaning it works just like a shotgun. Only effective at close range, this weapon can be very devastating against organic enemies, especially Trandoshans. It holds a maximum of 24 shells. Most often carried by Trandoshan slavers.


 * ACP Repeater - This is an inaccurate, mildly damaging automatic weapon. It is most often carried by Trandoshan mercenaries. This is easily the worst of the Trandoshan weapons, as it can be easily replaced with the far superior ACP Array Gun or the ACP Heavy repeater.


 * ACP Heavy Repeater - This is a highly inaccurate, fast-firing fully automatic weapon. It is essentially a minigun, and is very devastating against all organics in it's path. This weapon is carried only by Trandoshan elites. It has an ammo capacity of 400 rounds. It is very heavy, making the wielder move much slower when carrying it and it has a very long reload time.


 * LJ-50 Concussion Rifle - The BlasTech LJ-50 Concussion Rifle is a heavy field weapon used in medium to long distance engagements. It utilizes a concussive energy charge that implodes on impact and creates a 500 unit radius area of affect. Very few of these are found in the game due to their dangerously high firepower.

Wookie Weapons
Wookie weapons are both massive and effective. The Bowcaster has great range while the Rocket Launcher is the most devastating weapon in the game.


 * Bowcaster - The signature weapon of the Wookies, the bowcaster is as mighty a weapon as it's creators. While decreasingly effective beyond 30 meters, the bowcaster is more powerful and accurate than typical blaster weapons. This weapon can fire charged bolts that reflect of certain surfaces (walls, boxes, crates, etc).


 * Wookie Rocket Launcher - This massive weapon is the most powerful weapon in the game. One shot form this will kill anything in one hit, except Spider Droids. Due to it's large bulk, it makes the wielder move more slowly.

Geonosian Weapons

 * Geonosian Beam Rifle - The only weapon that the Geonosians use that commandos can use too is their Beam rifle. It is only carried by Geonosian Eiltes. Very devastating against organics, the weapon is attached to the Elite's arm, and then drains the Geonosian of its body fluids, and convert them into long waves of pure-beam energy. When used by a clone commando, the "fingers" could not obtain fluids. The remaining fluids in the weapon when the Elite was killed would be all that the clone would be able to use.

Spinoff facts
This game contains some facts that tends to depart from the Star Wars theme itself. Some weapons used by the clone commandos (namely the plasma rifle) have Earth-based weapon resemblances (and the fact that Earth does not exist in the Star Wars universe). For example: the plasma rifle used by the clone commandos is totally different than the standard one regular clone troopers use. All of the weapons used by the Trandoshans are almost identical to Earth weapons; namely the Railgun, the shotgun, and the SMG. Additionally, the Trandoshans use bullet ammunition rather than the traditional plasma weaponry. Another fact is that all of the B-1 battle droids have metallic-gray armor plating (which appears to be rusty). They also have oversized circular cybernetic eyes instead of black optical sensors.

The game featured somewhat high levels of violence that could have an M-rating (despite the game having a Teen-rating), an unlikely rating for a Star Wars game. For example: when the player punches an enemy to death, it (the enemy) essentially spills blood (or oil in the case of droids) over the clone commando's helmet visor, which subsequently cleans itself automatically. The Geonosians (having the most violent death graphical sequences of organic enemies) can explode if enough damage is made. Another example of heavy violence is that the player can venture through a Geonosian birthing chamber and kill Geonosian infants. And this violence does not only limits to alien species, but extends to humans as well (as the clones are humans). This is more apparent in the Acclamator-class assault ship raid, where at least in two sites of the ship some clone troopers are torned appart with a little spill of blood near them. Also, the clone commando Delta 07 "Sev" has red blood (or blood red paint) all covered over his armor.

More spinoff facts are the changes that are made on the physical structure of many species. The Wookiees and the Geonosians, for example, have an oversized height. The Geonosians also look mechanical more than organic, and the Wookiees are immense in height.

Delta Squad
The clone commandos featured in the game have distinct personalities, different than standard clone troopers. The commandos in Delta Squad are:


 * RC-1138 (Delta Three-Eight or "Boss"), voiced by Temuera Morrison
 * RC-1140 (Delta Four-Oh or "Fixer"), voiced by Andrew Chaikin
 * RC-1207 (Delta Oh-Seven or "Sev"), voiced by Jonathan Cook
 * RC-1262 (Delta Six-Two or "Scorch"), voiced by Raphael Sbarge

The four commandos each have a specific job assigned to them. Boss is the team leader and seems to be capable of handling any weapon effectively. Fixer is the second-in-command and the computer slicer. Sev is the die-hard fighter and sniper. Scorch is the demolitions expert. The player assumes the character of Boss. While every squad member tailors to their specific job, every character can perform the same task just as effectively.

Delta 38 (Boss)
"Delta Squad, lock and load!" "You lizards need to learn I'm a lot scarier than you are." "This 'deluxe model' is the only thing standing between you and a bloody death, so you'd best be showing some respect, trooper." "It's still kicking&hellip;I think we need to hit this thing again." "All right, let's get to it, Squad." "Hang tight, trooper. Delta Squad on our way!" "Just get us inside without killing the squad, ok Scorch?" "Deltas! We got a nest here!" "You. Bacta. Now." "Trenches. The Trandoshans have really dug in here." "Come on, you fat ugly fierfeks. Come and get me!" "BLAST!" (Fixer: What's that, sir? I didn't copy.)"Nothing, uh... just some interference on the comlink." "Fixer, keep scanning for 62. I don't want to become a three-man squad." "I really wish they'd stop doing that." "Misfire? MISFIRE! WHO PACKED THAT CHARGE?!" "Stop limping around and get some bacta." "Alone with all these droids....? They don't stand a chance."

Delta 40 (Fixer)
"Watch the Master at work." "Keep this comm clear, you two." "Six-Two, could you can the chatter until you've got something useful to say?" "Blast! Get that Wookiee out of the firing area!" (Scorch: Okay, you tell him to retreat, Fixer.) "Uh...negative on that." "String 'em along and we'll mop 'em up." "Hold up, Squad&hellip;I'm getting a read on something big headed this way." (A spider droid comes up from an elevator) "With all due respect, Sir, you're in my way." "What's he on about?" "No terminal can match my l33t hax0r skills!" [this is how it appears on the subtitles, so it's canon.] "Downed a Trando." "They just don't learn." (Boss: "Fixer! I just encountered a heavily armored Trandoshan. It definitely wasn't a slaver.") "Copy that. Must've been some hevy assualt mercenaries. Trandoshan elites. I heard they carry a LJ-150 heavy ACP reapeater." (Boss: "You heard right. Nasty weapon.")

Delta 62 (Scorch)
"If it weren't for all the guys trying to kill us, this wouldn't be such a bad place" "If we're all clones, then why am I the only one with a sense of humor?" "Sev! How many kills you got today, psycho?" (Delta 07: "More than you, wiseguy.")(Fixer: "Keep this comm clear, you two.") "Calm down, Fixer, just having a little fun." "That was for Delta 23! Or, or&hellip;was that 32?" "I wonder what the weather's like on Kamino right now." "Oh, yeah&hellip;this'll end well." "You hear that, Sev? Someone thinks I'm excellent." (Sev: "Well, that makes 2 of you.") "Look sir, droids!" (Boss is in an AT-TE gunner position) "Erm, sir, I know you're having fun up there... but don't forget to take out the regulator." "Is it too late to be one of those fighter pilots?" "Hehehe, that blew up real good." "No terminal can match my l33t hax0r skillz!" "Do you want a large or small crater, sir?" "These ARE the droids we're looking for." "Rule #1: Kill them before they kill you." "D'ya have to make such a mess?"(Sev: Rule 17: Always make sure they're dead.) "Rule 23: Never pull sentry duty on an empty stomach." "Rule 39: Never say no to bacta." "Rule 45, Sev: 'Any crash you can walk away from is a good one.'" "One's an anomaly, two's a trend. Rule 89, Boss." "You make a better door than a window, Sir." "What are these strange egg like things?" (Fixer announces they are in a Geonosian birthing chamber.) "Well, whaddya know? They are eggs!" "Is it red, red, green, or red, green, red?" (Delta 07: "And he's supposed to be the demolitions expert.") (After killing a Geonosian) "Hey Sev, this one looks like your mother." (Fixer announces that he sees the core ship) "Are you sure, Forty? I mean, maybe there's another one around the corner." "Do you think we used enough?" "How many kills do I get for droid dispensers?" "I think Sev might have an anger problem." (Sev: Well I think you have an intelligence problem.) "So lemme get this straight... the Trandos have taken over this ship... to give to the Separatists... to buy battle droids?"(Sev: I hate it when they do that.) "Tower full of Trandos: check." "Lizards give me the creeps! (Sev: "Everything gives you the creeps.") "The garden has a pest problem; Trandoshans." (Sev: "Would you prefer baby Wookiees?") "Naw. Too cute." "Ah, another bug for my collection." (Fixer: "ANOTHER hangar?") "What can ya say? Wookiees like hangars." "The way these droids are swarming, one might think we weren't welcome!" "Can you die later sir? It just isn't a good time now." "The boss is down!......can I be in charge now?" "Look! Fireworks!" "Hey, I didn't know Trandoshans could fly." "I love that clunk-sound when they fall!" "Click...click...click..." "Sev, did that corpse give you a nasty look?" (Sev: Rule 17...) "We know, always make sure they're dead." "Sir, I'd love to help but I'm kinda busy right now..." "Sev, when all this is over, I'm gonna make sure you get some R&R." "Assisting Seven... again..." "Killed that one." (After an explosion or door breach) "So much for stealth."

Delta 07 (Sev)
"Just point me at the enemy and stay out of my way." "Heheheh&hellip;stupid droids." "That Merc couldn't hit the broad side of an Assault Ship." "Now I'm REALLY going to rack up the kills!" (Scoch: Not if I get 'em first.) "Die, you metalhead piece of trash!" "I was just getting warmed up, Sir." "Boss, hold on to your guts while I rip out their's." "Damn! I don't believe it!" (Delta 62: "What's wrong, Sev?") "I've lost count of my kills!" (On Kashyyyk, into a trandoshan camp) (Delta 62: "This place is giving me the creeps.") "Ah Scorch...nothing like a jungle hunt...hiding in the bush...putting a plasma bolt through a hostile's cranium...makes me feel alive." (Delta 62: "Okay, now Oh-Seven's giving me the creeps&hellip;") (Advisor: Once, you're inside, proceed with disabling maneuvers.) "Disabling maneuvers?" (Scorch: Uh...blowing things up?) "Yeah...I knew that." (Scorch: I think Sev might have an anger problem.) "Well I think you have an intelligence problem." (In Kashyyyk elevator)(Scorch: Uh, why aren't we moving?)(Boss: Sev, the button?)"Oh! Sorry, sir." "No one steals a ship from the Republic when we're around." "I think... I see it! A Trade Federation battle ship!" (Scorch: Yeah, not even you can see into hyperspace, Sev.) "No, it's on the edge of the system. Take a look..." (ship jumps into system) (Scorch: Oh blast...) "Why do I feel like a nerf in a gurcat lair?" "Does anyone else find this planet a little...strange?" "I love that crunchy sound they make when they die." (Scorch: Sev, I thought you were invincible.) "Rule 39: Never say no to bacta." "I don't get it. It's a power generator, in the middle of a TREE. Strange." "Up... down... left..." (Scorch: "Sev, did that corpse give you a nasty look?") "Rule 17: Always make sure they're dead." (Scorch: "Looks dead to me.") "It is now." " Now it's EXTRA dead." "Ah... Bacta."

Xbox
''During gameplay, pause and enter any of the following. You'll hear the sound of a blaster being fired if you enter it correctly:''


 * Invincibility - Y, Y, Left Trigger, Up, X, Black, X, Y (Has to be entered after every new area)
 * Refill Ammunition and Grenades - Y, Y, X, Down, Right Trigger, Left Trigger, Right Trigger, Up

PC

 * For the PC codes, go here.

Trivia

 * The main character's number in the game is 1138. This is paying tribute to one of George Lucas's pre-Star Wars projects, THX 1138.
 * A novel tie-in of the game (Star Wars: Republic Commando Hard Contact) was released in October 2004, with a sequel (Triple Zero) released in February 2006.