What Are The Best Star Wars Games For PC?
Whether you are a long-time fan to Star Wars games or a shiny, it can never hurt to learn about new games. Here we will discuss the best Star Wars PC games and rank them. Games are ranked based on replay value, quality, and features, and we try to keep in mind that old graphics don’t necessarily make a game bad. Finally, some game duos are combined to save space on this list. And sadly, no, Dejarik doesn’t count here.
Warning: spoilers follow for the entire Star Wars universe, including movies, shows, and games.
10. Star Wars: Galaxies (2003)
Galaxies is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) and one of our only PC-exclusive games. Being an MMORPG, Galaxies allows players to design their own character from ten different species and embark on a unique adventure in the Galaxy.
Taking place between the destruction of the first Death Star and the battle of Hoth, the game allows players to freely explore the galaxy on well-known planets such as Tatooine, Naboo, and Dathomir. Players are also able to fly in multiple space sectors corresponding to these planets.
Players are able to choose their career and work with or against other players to construct buildings and ships, acquire items, and complete missions.
As one of the incredibly few MMORPGs set in the Star Wars universe, Galaxies gives a unique perspective for players allowing near total freedom to do as they wish. In addition to the unparalleled exploration, players are also able to partake in a virtual economy and an empire-building expedition.
9. Star Wars: Republic Commando (2005)
Republic Commando follows Delta Squad: a small team of highly trained Clone Troopers as they turn the tide of battles in the Republic’s favor. Unlike the more prevalent Jedi-centered games, Republic Commando is pure blaster gameplay in a team format.
Republic Commando starts during the First Battle of Geonosis (after an introductory scene, of course!) and continues through to the Battle of Kashyyyk. In addition to the planets, players also get a first-person look in an Acclamator assault ship.
Apart from a brief multiplayer mode, Republic Commando employs linear levels in the campaign to feed the player the story using their special equipment and AI teammate commands to progress through each level and complete the missions.
Ever since their debut in 2002 until recently, Clone Commandos have had very little exposure in media aside from this game. In addition to giving fans a rare look at Commandos, Republic Commando also features a unique AI teammate system and realistic combat gameplay.
8. Star Wars: Squadrons (2020)
Squadrons is a modern take on the older space battles games allowing players to take control of various spacecraft in what is basically a simulator. Played completely in the first-person perspective, Squadrons fully immerses players in combat.
Squadrons takes place after the destruction of the second Death Star and follows a series of battles between the Imperial Remnant and the New Republic as they fight for control of the newly-liberated galaxy.
Throughout the campaign, players will find themselves fighting as both the New Republic and the Galactic Empire in a bid to maintain control over the galaxy. Players are able to modify their ship’s loadout for each mission in order to get the upper hand against the enemy. In multiplayer, players take part in two small-team game modes; a team deathmatch and a base assault.
Being designed as a space combat game, Squadrons is in a unique position to dedicate its entirety to fighter combat, giving players the best experience at firefights.
7. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (2003)
Knights of the Old Republic follows the titular Jedi from the era 4,000 years prior to our usual trilogies in a Dungeons and Dragons inspired MMORPG.
The game takes place 4,000 years before the Clone Wars and Galactic Civil War during the Sith attack on the Republic. The story follows the mysterious protagonist character as they fight the Sith Empire - or join them.
Aside from the main story of the game and defeating the Sith, players can also influence their character to become either good or evil with their actions.
In addition to its unique setting and lightsaber functions, KotOR is one of very few games where player actions have an effect on the outcome of the game and its story.
6. Star Wars: Empire at War & Forces of Corruption (2006)
Empire at War (EaW) and its expansion pack Forces of Corruption (FoC) is a rare real-time strategy game based in the Star Wars universe. Tying into the Battlefront series via the Command Post system of spawning units, EaW gives more life to the game universe. The base game allows the player to choose either the Rebel Alliance or the Galactic Empire as their team and the expansion adds in a third option: The Zann Consortium, a criminal empire led by Tyber Zann.
Empire is set in the build up between Episodes III and IV with the Rebel campaign showing the beginnings of the Alliance. Meanwhile, the Imperial campaign follows Darth Vader as he attempts to destroy the Alliance before they can become a team. Forces, on the other hand, starts shortly before the Battle of Yavin and ends after the destruction of the Second Death Star. In this story, we follow Zann as he attempts to build his army and wealth by fighting off both the Rebels and the Imperials.
Being RTS games, EaW and FoC focus on building an army on the ground, a fleet in space, and bases on planets around the galaxy. There are three main modes; the campaigns, a skirmish mode, and Galactic conquest. Skirmish battles are short battles on or above one planet involving the fight between individual armies or fleets. Galactic conquest is a Risk-like mode where the player(s) fights for control of the entire galaxy involving multiple skirmish-like battles across dozens of planets.
Both games are a rare instance of an RTS game set in the Star Wars universe. Although the Clone Wars era is missing entirely, the game is slow to feel old with the vast array of content with dozens of levels, dozens of unique units, and an active modding community.
5. Star Wars Battlefront 2 (2005)
Battlefront 2 is the successor of the massively successful first Battlefront game and follows the 501st legion as it transitions from the Republic to the Empire. Utilizing a class system, players are able to choose from units such as a standard rifleman up to specialized, faction-specific units.
Battlefront 2 takes place from the First Battle of Geonosis through the Battle of Hoth and follows the 501st legion as they take part in battles across the Clone Wars era and the Galactic Civil War. The story-driven campaign focuses on the change from the Republic to the Empire as the 501st transitions into Vader’s Fist.
In the campaign, players are tasked with several missions to save the galaxy first from the Separatists and then later from the Rebels. The multiplayer offers 24 maps in both eras with multiple standard and unique game modes.
Battlefront 2 offers fans an extraordinary way to explore their favorite locations across the galaxy as their favorite teams and characters, including Clones, droids, Jedi, and Bounty Hunters. Finally, Battlefront 2 allows players to view the conflict from the eyes of the Imperial side, which is a rare sight.
4. Lego Star Wars The Complete Saga (2007)
Lego Star Wars the Complete Saga (TCS) is the third game in the Lego Star Wars series and combines the previous two into one game. TCS spans both eras and allows players to play as (nearly) any character from any movie in any level in the fun and familiar Lego feel.
The Complete Saga guides players through all six main movies from the Naboo Blockade to the Battle of Endor in 36 main levels.
Players will fight, explore, and puzzle their way through 36 short stories from the main six movies to complete the story and find collectibles hidden across the galaxy with the ever-elusive 100% being the often-missed goal of many players.
Despite the large amount of games set in the Star Wars universe, The Complete Saga feeds the story to players in the fun style of Lego pieces with the familiar humor of Lego sprinkled in.
3. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed I (2008) and II (2010)
The Force Unleashed games allow the player to do exactly as the name suggests: Unleash the Force. Players utilize the Force in unrestricted ways as an agent of the Empire and uncover dark secrets in the meantime.
Both games are set during the Galactic Civil War and show the audience how the Rebel Alliance was created and what sacrifices were needed to bring hope back to the Galaxy.
Each level gives a way to slightly boost the players skill levels as they follow the story. While there are some collectibles to find, the gameplay is closed and follows a guided path.
The Force Unleashed and its sequel gave gamers their first taste of nearly unrestricted Force powers and tight lightsaber combat gameplay. Beyond this, we also got an expanded look into the time between the two movie trilogies.
2. Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order (2019) and Jedi Survivor (2023)
Jedi: Fallen Order and Jedi: Survivor sees the player take control of lightsabers, blasters, and various force powers to overcome enemies and explore the world to become stronger, make more friends, and survive.
The Jedi series takes place in the gap between the Prequel Trilogy and the Original Trilogy and follows Jedi Padawan Cal Kestis on his quest to survive the new Empire’s regime at the height of the Imperial hunt for Jedi.
Both games follow story driven gameplay with side quests and collectibles in a semi-open world split between multiple planets. While players don’t necessarily need to find the collectibles, they make the boss fights easier to tackle. On the other hand, some players make it their mission to attain 100% completion in the game.
Similar to the older Force Unleashed titles, these games allow the player to use the Force and their lightsaber in their own way to defeat enemies, however the Jedi games improve on the old recipe by introducing semi-open world gameplay. This allows players not only to decide the pace of the game, but also to explore the world at will to find easter eggs and collectibles.
1. Star Wars: Battlefront II (2017)
Similar to the original Battlefront 2 from 2005, Battlefront II is more or less a remastering with the new material added in. Released to mostly negative feedback and almost killed on release, major updates brought the game back to the forefront of gamers’ attention and into the yearned-for spot of “Best Game” for many players.
The campaign is set immediately after the Battle of Endor and shows the rise of the First Order as the galaxy’s replacement for the Empire. Updates brought the Clone Wars era to the game, albeit not to the campaign.
The campaign follows Inferno squadron immediately after the destruction of the second Death Star as they complete their final mission from the Emperor. On the other side of the conflict, we also follow the Rebel Alliance as they attempt to stop the Empire and then the First Order.
Battlefront II successfully combines all three eras of the Star Wars universe into one piece of media and is able to make each era, faction, and unit feel unique and appropriate. In addition, we get wonderful looks into the universe at our favorite locations, characters, and weapons.
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