8 FPS Star Wars Games That Might Inspire The New Game From Respawn

With a storied history, diverse characters, and plethora of amazing locations, weapons, and conflicts, the Star Wars universe has always offered an exciting playground for gamers. EA acquired Respawn in 2017 and they’ve since announced three new Star Wars games for the future, one of which will be an FPS game set in the galaxy far, far away.

With the studio known for its snappy futuristic shooters like Titanfall and Apex Legends, fans of both shooters and Star Wars alike will be excited to see what Respawn comes up with, and they are likely to take some inspiration from the variety of FPS Star Wars games that have come before.

Star Wars: Dark Forces (1995)

As the very first FPS Star Wars game to ever come out, Star Wars: Dark Forces was a game-changer for fans of the Star Wars universe. In a world full of lightsabers and force powers, this title allowed players to view and engage with the lore and characters through the newly burgeoning genre of first-person shooters, offering a truly memorable experience.

While the style and graphics are a product of their era, the retro Star Wars game is still worth playing. The idea of capturing this unique and revolutionary experience that Dark Forces offered to gamers will definitely inspire the new FPS entry in the Star Wars universe, as stated by the assigned game director Peter Hirschmann.

Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II (1997)

With the second entry in the Dark Forces series offering a few new changes to the newly created Star Wars FPS genre, the impact of its inspiration has the potential to still be felt decades later. Hirschmann, spoke about the “excitement and emotion” he felt initially playing an FPS in the Star Wars universe with Dark Forces II, and his plans seem to revolve around capturing that initial excitement and emotion, but for the modern era.

With Hirschmann having worked on the original Star Wars: Battlefront games, as well as the popular Force Unleashed series, fans should feel in good hands with his creative process and passion.

Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast (2002)

While it wasn’t the first Star Wars title to do it,  Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast probably gave fans the era’s best iteration of both gameplay worlds: first-person shooting with a blaster and third-person slashing with a lightsaber. The lightsaber combat was truly revolutionary for its time and continued to be the industry standard with the next Jedi Knight game, Jedi Academy. With a multiplayer mode that let players fight each other with varying weapons (lightsabers, blasters, Force powers), gamers got a true taste of the versatility that Star Wars combat could offer.

As one of the higher ranked Star Wars games ever according to Metacritic, Jedi Outcast captured dynamism and versatility with its combat, traits that could be an important inspiration for the new FPS title from Respawn. They might even combine these systems, and give fans the first-person lightsaber dueling game they have always dreamed of.

Star Wars: Battlefront (2004)

The original Star Wars: Battlefront game gave players the all-out warfare that many gamers imagined after seeing the films. In addition to different classes that offered unique approaches to the battlefield, the original Battlefront let gamers step into their favorite battles on their favorite planets for the first time through an immersive first-person perspective.

Replicating the ground-breaking scale of this type of game is much easier said than done, especially in the modern era of massive games, but if Respawn can capture even an inkling of the immersion players felt after spawning into Cloud City or Kashyyk for the first time, their FPS title will be well on its way to capturing players hearts.

Star Wars: Battlefront II (2005)

Setting aside the slightly improved graphics, new maps, and updated Galactic Conquest mode, Star Wars: Battlefront II further changed the game. It added the ability for players to control their favorite heroes and villains on the battlefield, as well as the inclusion of massive space battles between two opposing star destroyers.

This innovation was music to fans’ ears, giving players new ways to experience their favorite battles and Jedi vs. Sith duels, offering the full scope and potential of a Star Wars video game that they had only dreamed of. If Respawn can fulfill even an inkling of the nostalgia and gameplay dreams for fans like the original Star Wars: Battlefront II so generously accomplished, then their new FPS title will be adored.

Star Wars: Republic Commando (2005)

For many fans and gamers, Star Wars: Republic Commando was one of the better and more underrated Star Wars games ever made. The inventive title let players control the leader of Delta Squad, a special ops unit within the Clone Army. As team leader, players had to instruct their squad on the battlefield, from setting explosives on an objective to positioning their sniper in order to get a clean shot.

The tactical nature of the FPS offered a unique approach to both the FPS and the Star Wars genre, including a unique HUD that let players feel like they actually had a Clone Army helmet on. With Respawn making an FPS for the modern era, incorporating the tactical approach introduced by this beloved game would give players the control and creativity on the battlefield they are looking for.

Star Wars: Battlefront (2015)

The original Star Wars: Battlefront was an iconic entry for many gamers of all ages, so the excitement was palpable when E.A. had D.I.C.E., the team that created the modern Battlefield games, use their modern FPS approach and amazing graphics to take a stab at a new Battlefront game in 2015.

While the title didn’t have as many features or depth as fans had hoped, the graphical leap that this title had provided the closest game we had to the Star Wars movies, and fulfilled the photorealistic dreams that many gamers had when they thought of the Star Wars games of the future. This graphical fidelity will likely be the standard for any new Star Wars games being released, and after seven years, fans will have high hopes for the quality and realism in the new FPS game from Respawn.

Star Wars: Battlefront II (2017)

The 2017 release of Star Wars: Battlefront II by E.A. and D.I.C.E. was the last FPS Star Wars game to be released, and likely a good indicator of what to expect from the new Respawn game, at least in regards to graphics, nostalgic likeness, and all era-encompassing content.

The game had a somewhat rocky release, but worked out its kinks and is still a somewhat popular FPS game played today. It was the closest that fans got to a truly modern version of the 2005 version of Battlefront II,  and with massively scaled battles and a fully updated roster of both new and old characters, fans will expect a similar level of scale and authenticity in the new release from Respawn.

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