Since its debut in 1977, Star Wars has without a doubt grown to be one of the most popular franchises of all time. With popular entries in the gaming, television, movie, comic, and book industries they seem unstoppable. The only problem with them pumping out so much content is that it isn’t always the best. Some of Star Wars’ biggest flops were TV movies like Ewoks and the infamous Holiday Special. And some people would even include the sequel trilogy on their list of failures. But one thing that everyone has agreed on is that Star Wars had produced some terrible games over the years. Save yourself the heartbreak and use our list of the top modern Star Wars games to skill directly to gaming.
Best Modern Star Wars Games
10. Lego Star Wars
It would be hard to pick which Lego Star Wars game to put on the list so we decided to just put down the entire franchise. All having the same core gameplay and trademark humor the only real decision is which saga you want to play. Having been successful in not only Star Wars, but Harry Potter, Marvel, and DC as well, it wouldn’t be fair to make a list without including it. As of right now, the Lego Star Wars franchise has five games in the main series and another on the way in 2021. Any fan of Star Wars will have a good time reliving their favorite movie moments in Lego brick form. The simple gameplay makes it great for kids of all ages, from 5 to 95.
9. Star Wars: Republic Commando
Republic Commando is the oldest game on our list of modern Star Wars games, but it never gets enough credit. Released in 2005, this first-person shooter had stealth and squad mechanics which were uncommon for the time. Each member of your clone squad had their own personality, making it easy to tell them apart. Meant to be a prelude for Episode III, the game contained enemies and units not yet seen in a Star Wars film. Most people enjoyed the game but complained about its short length. Unfortunately, like the next two games on the list, Republic Commando is no longer considered canon with Disney acquisition of Star Wars.
8. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is an awesome game that was released for sixth and seventh-generation gaming systems in 2008. The game is considered by many to be the changing point in Star Wars game quality. The game follows a young secret apprentice of Darth Vader as he begins to question his purpose in life. Throughout the game, the player gets to interact with some of the most popular names in Star Wars. Until Disney acquired Star Wars, The Force Unleashed was considered canon. Despite the change, the game still has an amazing story and is worth playing for any Star Wars fan.
7. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II
The Force Unleashed II makes the list for the same reasons as the first game. Picking up 6 months after the first game, the Force Unleashed II completes the story of Starkiller. While keeping the core gameplay style, the game added several new mechanics to the previous entry of the series. This made it an instant hit with any fans of the first game. Some gamers claim that the story did not live up to the standards of the first, but that is something that would be hard to do. The changes to gameplay made you feel even more in control of the force than ever before. Starkiller was a force to be reckoned with.
6. Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series
Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series is a three-part VR experience allowing the player to play as a smuggler involved with Darth Vader. The game’s story was written by David S. Goyer who had previously written The Dark Knight trilogy. Vader Immortal fills a much-needed Star Wars sized hole in the VR community. With the franchise being known for its visuals, it’s truly surprising it took this long for them to enter the VR market. The game offers seamless Jedi combat and rememberable storytelling. The biggest downside of the game is its short playtime, each episode can be completed in less than an hour.
5.Star Wars: The Old Republic
Star Wars: The Old Republic is an MMO released in 2011 based within the Star Wars universe. When released, the game was met with positive reception leading to several updates and expansion packs. The game’s popularity has also led to several books and comics being made based on the story. The game has 8 selectable classes and 9 playable races. In ‘The Old Republic‘, the player must align themselves with either the Republic or Empire but can still sway from the Light to Dark Side of the force based on their decisions. I put The Old Republic on the list because of its fun gameplay, interesting characters, and edge of your seat story.
4.Star Wars: Squadrons
Squadrons is the most recent Star Wars game to be released and it really looks amazing. Like other Star Wars games, the player has the option to pilot various Star Wars spaceships into battle. Modern-day technology allows the game to rise to levels the X-Wing franchise never could. Taking you to six breathtaking locations, Squadrons is without a doubt one of the best looking games on the market. And while the game looks great on a screen, I suggest you play it in VR if you get the chance. Flying around in an X-Wing is something many people dream about, and this is as close as you can get. If Porkins can do it, so can you.
3. Star Wars: Empire at War
Despite its list placement, Empire at War is easily my favorite Star Wars game ever made. The chess-like strategy of the overworld and epic scale space battles made for a great game. The only downside of the game is the disappointing planetside battles. It’s weird how developers could win and lose so much in the same game. Luckily you can play most of the game avoiding going planetside, so you can avoid them when needed. Second-rate land battles aside, Empire at War gained enough popularity to garnish an expansion pack called Forces of Corruption. I spend many hours replaying the same space battles just to zoom in and watch the dog fights taking place. Good Times.
2. Star Wars Battlefront II
Star Wars: Battlefront II is an action-filled shooter set within the battles of Star Wars. The main selling point for the franchise, aside from the visuals, is that it includes both land and space battles. Anyone that is a fan of the epic battles of Star Wars will be a big fan of this game’s nonstop action. Players are able to take control of some of the franchise’s biggest names in both online and single-player modes. Like many games on this list, Star Wars: Battlefront II is a great game but would be worth playing for the graphics alone.
1. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order comes very close to being a perfect Star Wars game. With jaw-dropping visuals, in-depth lightsaber combat, and vast planets to explore, most fans were left happy. Much like the Mandalorian, Fallen Order has a gripping story taking Star Wars in the direction it needs to go. The games combat system was heavily inspired by Batman: Arkham game series allowing for high-speed combat. Like all Star Wars third-person games, you can use the force to aid in combat or unlock access to new areas. Because of its intense approach to combat and beautiful landscapes to explore I gave it the number one spot.
Are any of the games we listed one of your favorites? Can you think of a modern star war game we should have listed, but did not? If you answered ‘YES’ to either of these questions, I would love to hear about it in the comment section.
