...Star Wars games have been hit and miss ever since the creation of LucasArts; the gaming division of LucasFilm and the George Lucas Empire, starting with the old-school SNES or likewise games based on the original three movies, and ending with games like Battlefront, KOTOR, and the horrid Force Unleashed series. It goes without saying that most of the "true movie-based" titles were nothing more than shovel-ware, the old 2D ones seeming to be practically impossible to beat, and likewise with the new renditions of the prequels.
Star Wars gaming shined brightest when the developers weren't limited to individual bits and pieces of the universe: Republic Commando being a side-story, Battlefront encompassing the franchise as a whole in shooter form, and the "KOTOR" series being an even further back prequel with its unique emphasis on player decisions. All three franchises became popular and were quite enjoyed by both star wars and non-star wars fans.
The problem began when the co-developers behind games like Battlefront and KOTOR ended up abandoning Star Wars and LucasArts. Pandemic left to create a Battlefront-esque Lord of the Rings game for EA, but ended up shutting down after the title horribly bombed, and also BioWare left the KOTOR franchises to create Mass Effect and Dragon Age for both EA and in some cases Microsoft.
After this predicament it seems LucasArts made things worse with the shovel-ware hit "The Force Unleashed", claimed to be the best-selling Star Wars game to date, though many of the true star wars fans have done nothing but ignore the series as a whole. The sequel being termed as a short "expansion pack" and the gameplay repetitive, it seems LucasArts have dug them into an almost inescapable pit. Thus it's about time someone or some group came in to save the day.
It will take someone like Sakaguchi and Kojima to save the day with their industry experience and superior genius. That said you might think me as madman for picking these two, but it will all make sense by the end of this article.
A perfect fit don’t you think?
THE PREMISE:
Now I haven't anything truly against the deviant madness that Pandemic and BioWare had bestowed on the Star Wars Universe, but their mechanics were used far before they created Battlefront and KOTOR. Star Wars: Battlefront was nothing more than BATTLEFIELD: STAR WARS, and BioWare's "pick a choice and change the game" was invented way back in games like Tactics Ogre. That being said both game franchises were popular, enjoyable, and finally gave Star Wars gaming something to brag about.
The issue being, there should be more to games than just a "tried-and-true" mechanic that makes the game fun, and games like Battlefront needed to evolve to become a more unique figure that should feature "Star Wars-only" mechanics. There was the chance for a proper "Battlefront 3" that had this sort of growth for the series, but the developer known as "Free Radical" ended up shutting down as well. The series is or was degraded to horrible PSP and/or DS ports, practically killing the franchise for good.
BioWare has done no better as they've returned to the KOTOR franchise, but with an over-budget MMORPG that's costing them over 100+ million dollars to produce. Fans have wanted no more than a proper KOTOR 3 game, but it seems BioWare has done nothing but overkill the situation.
Also the fact that the one-time Republic Commando game that was also extremely popular seems to have no hopes of a sequel. It is a dark day in the world of Star Wars gaming, and we need Sakaguchi and Kojima to create a new ground-breaking Star Wars IP.
REVIVAL:
Sakaguchi and Kojima know MORE than a thing or two about their respective fields; Immersive RPGs and Tactical Stealth Action games. Now that we have that out of the way, would you be surprised that Star Wars had these sorts of features...IN THE MOVIES? Just picture instead of a sword or tranquilizer gun, change it to a lightsaber and laser rifle. Boom, first problem solved!
Now what of the game's overall design and how exactly could Kojima and Sakaguchi benefit it? Well, we all know Sakaguchi is a master of story-telling, and creating great characters. One of Star Wars greatest strengths is its story and awesome characters, also on a note if the game will utilize characters with lightsabers (which it most definitely will): we need someone who knows a thing or two about swordplay and the whole "mystical" stuff. Kojima is a given seeing how the second half of Star Wars is basically espionage and combat. I mean the first movie starts off with spies and stolen battle plans, and guns blasting everything! I mean what else do you need to get for an action-element working in the game? Also the fact that Raiden is a slice and dice maniac, Kojima could have a hand in the lightsaber action also.
There's also the fact that there are things Kojima and Sakaguchi have in common that are essential for an amazing Star Wars IP; both love character development and dialogue. There's plenty of it in the Star Wars movies so having story-junkies such as Kojima and Sakaguchi are a natural fit. As long as they mostly stick to the star wars lingo it should be nothing short of perfect, the only issue now being the backdrop and timeline that the game would take place.
PROPOSAL #1:
Obviously there's always multiple ways of doing things, and the first option would be an alternate side-story. Knowing full well that Republic Commando was an amazing game, it would be the first line of defense for the new IP. A squad of Rebel Commandos fighting skirmishes and completing missions while people like Luke takes all the fame. The Rebel Commandos would sport mechanics like CQC, Snake-like tactics, and electronic-swords that worked similar to lightsabers. Of course with this in mind there should be opportunities for local and online co-op, albeit not "forced" to where a lone player is left frustrated at times. Also the possibility for competitive online matching should definitely to be taken advantage of.
PROPOSAL #2:
One thing’s for sure, and it is that there are enough if not too many prequels to the original movies. Let's go with something that has been only done really in book-form...Sequels! It would be nice to give the game a clean slate with the possible war-ridden scenarios of the future, a time after the destruction of the Empire. From what books I read the Jedi are now back in full abundance and there's deceit to be had in the newly-restored republic. If there is anything that Sakaguchi and Kojima CAN do, it is making suspenseful plot twists and making a game exciting. The premise to begin a Star Wars IP with an emotional potency is what games like Final Fantasy and Metal Gear are about, and something this duo of geniuses is best at accomplishing, the characters being fully capable of welding both Jedi powers and lightsabers with also characters who could use guns and other weapons. The possibilities are endless!
PROPOSAL #3:
Now there is always the safest best for this proposal, and go with the most logical approach. This would mean recreating the original trilogy in video-game form. As I said earlier the original script and scenario had the attributes of an immersive RPG that had "shared" mechanics of a tactical stealth action game. Instead of just a redundant movie-game that had cheap snippets of gameplay, it would be a fully-realized gameplay-universe which gives players an interactive alternate "look" of what was going on. Gamers would have a "main hub" in which they could "witness" immersive tidbits of the original universe. Of course this would require access to George Lucas' original scripts and what-not, but it's definitely something that has to be experimented with!
What Saka/Jima can learn from Pandemic/BioWare:
There were a few things that BioWare and Pandemic got right that Sakaguchi and Kojima can use; and that is making the game accessible to people outside of the Star Wars "fan club". BioWare made their games intriguing with KOTOR's immersive mechanics, Pandemic made Star Wars a fun shooter experience with Battlefront. If anything Sakaguchi and Kojima should look to their Star Wars predecessors while determining which of the three (or so) proposals the best choice is. Star Wars territory is not to be treaded lightly, if anything it is almost like entering the emperor's throne room before the last battle of the final movie.
Good luck to you Sakaguchi and Kojima!
CLOSING COMMENTS:
So I am still a madman and it still doesn't make sense, but hopefully I was able to influence at least some of you with my argument. In my opinion Sakaguchi and Kojima are the most capable in this dire situation...what are you top picks for the revival of Star Wars gaming?
Also...
Until Next Time!
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