Summary
After The Walt Disney Company’s historic purchase of theStar Warsfranchise from creator George Lucas for a staggering 4.05 billion dollars, the House of Mouse was determined to keep the space opera’s relationship with video games intact.Star Warsand video games grew up alongside each other during the 1970s and 80s, both utilizing burgeoning technology and rapidly improving hardware to create movies and interactive experiences that captivated multiple generations of fans.
Now, over a decade since Disney bought the franchise,Star Warsvideo games have continued to showcase the wonder and innovation of George Lucas' original vision. Tapping into the franchise’s large, expansive mythology and also crafting new, original experiences set within the world, Disney’s catalog ofStar Warsvideo games ranges from shooters to VR games, as well as keeping the flameof the legacy titles alivewith great care. These games have been ranked based on their overall quality, design, and contributions to theStar Warsfranchise.
7Star Wars Heritage Pack
A Compilation Of Star Wars' Greatest Hits
Star Warsand video games have been best friends for decades, and before the Disney acquisition, the vast number of games based on the franchise was remarkable. From games that allowed one to swing a lightsaber with reckless abandon to shooters, all the way to thrilling podracing games and RPGs, the franchise was not hurting for new video games. And to preserve these experiences for future generations, Disney and Aspyr teamed up to create theStar Wars Heritage Pack, an incredible compilation of seven classicStar Warsgames.
The Star Wars Heritage Packis the best way for one to experience some of the best games based on the franchise, as the variety is truly remarkable. It preserves a very fascinating time inStar Warshistory, and while the PlayStation version doesn’t containKnights of the Old Republic1and2, both versions are excellent for the amount of classic content that is on offer. Before Disney made the Expanded Universe non-canonical and transformed it into Legends, this was the peak ofStar Warsvideo games, and it is worth investing time in.
The space battles in theStar Warsfilms and television shows have consistently been the most exciting sequences in the franchise, and countless video games have tried to recreate these epic encounters. And while many have done it well, the best game of the Disney-era todo it wasStar Wars: Squadrons, an absolutely incredible space combat game by EA Motive that takes place shortly after the events ofReturn of the Jedi.
The feeling of flying around in these ships is still absolutely fantastic, as Motive did a spectacular job conveying the sense of weight and power that these ships have. Featuring a huge number of vehicles from the Galactic Empire and New Republic,Star Wars: Squadronshas proven itself a worthy successor to theRogue Squadronseries, focusing on the high-stakes ship combat that has defined the franchise for decades.Squadronsis also playable in VR mode on PC and PSVR, allowing for a fully immersive experience that is aStar Warsfan’s dream come true.
The Lego Group has been a staple of video games ever since the first title based on the educational construction blocks was released in 1995, but it truly began to show how much potential it had in an interactive medium when it started dabbling in licensed properties, resulting in the creation ofLego Star Wars: The Video Gamein 2005. After continuing the trend with titles based on the prequel trilogy and the Disney-led sequels, developer Traveller’s Tales delivered what became one of 2022’s best games withLego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, a culmination of everything that came before.
The Skywalker Sagapulls the entire story ofEpisodes 1-9together into one cohesive package, allowing players to control original trilogy heroes like Luke and Leia, prequel stars like Padme, and figures from the sequel trilogy like Rey, Finn, and Kylo Ren. It is built on the excellent foundation created by the originalLego Star Warsgames, where the focus is on having fun and playing around in this crazy space opera world. It taps into the lighter, more off-beat side ofStar Wars, and is a terrific way for young children to experience the franchise, appropriate for fans of all ages to have fun together.
Despite how fast the technology is advancing, the prospect of high-end VR video games is still rather new, as the budget to create something truly compelling beyond just a gimmick is still rather high. But with Disney at the helm, money didn’t seem to be an object when they createdVader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series, which casts players alongside the iconic dark lord as he tasks a force-sensitive smuggler with obtaining a mythical item.
Immortalputs the focus squarely on the fear and tension that Darth Vader is capable of, as staring him down in VR is still an absolutely breathtaking experience. And when the player isn’t being intimidated by him into doing what he desires,Vader Immortalalso features some of the best writing, dialogue, and charm thatone can find in a VR title. Welding a lightsaber or blasting away at Stormtroopers in VR feels excellent and is one of Disney’s best uses of theStar Warsproperty since they acquired it.Vader Immortalis currently available on Oculus and PSVR.
Star Warsvideo games have often visited some of the more seedy, underground worlds of the franchise, as titles likeBounty Hunterandthe canceledStar Wars 1313have proven that there’s an audience for this type of experience. And to cover as much of the universe as possible, Disney teamed up with Ubisoft Massive to create 2024’sStar Wars Outlaws, the franchise’s first open-world game that casts the player as a young smuggler named Kay Vess, as she finds herself plotting one of the galaxy’s most ambitious heists.
Making excellent use of the wide range of different planets, species, and factions that exist within theStar Warsuniverse,Outlawsportrays a harsh, unforgiving world where alliances and betrayal become second nature. It is a game that truly feels like theStar Warsuniverse sprung to life, as each planet has a wonderfully unique feel and vibe. Kay is an incredibly charming protagonist, andStar Wars Outlawsis a winning combination of sharp writing, fun mission design, and technical mastery.
Despite their pedigree, Respawn had to do a lot of convincing to allow Disney and LucasArts to let them make a Jedi game, as they believed the protectors of the galaxy were sacred and encouraged them to make something else. Armed with a concrete vision and respect for what makes the Jedi so endearing to fans, Respawn set out to do something special, and they did just that withStar Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, a fabulous third-person soulslike game that sees a young warrior named Cal Kestis on the run from the Empire in the aftermath of Order 66.
Alongside his faithful companion, anadorable little droid named BD-1, Cal embarks on an epic journey across both familiarStar Warsplanets and some new ones. The combat feels sharp and intuitive, as Cal’s skills with a lightsaber allow the player to fully embrace the fantasy of becoming a Jedi. Enemy escalation is also perfect, as players will go from slicing up Stormtroopers like butter to taking on huge monsters and other lightsaber users, culminating in some outstanding boss fights against Jedi Inquisitors.
After the success ofFallen Order, the developers at Respawn immediately went to work on the sequel, sending Cal Kestis back into action with a story that picks up five years later. The end result wasStar Wars Jedi: Survivor, which sees Cal attempting to find a hidden planet from the past that could help people trying to hide from the Empire, as well as grappling with the continuing emergence of the Inquisitors and even Darth Vader himself.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivortakes everything aboutFallen Orderthat worked and improves on it, as the combat feels much tighter, exploration is more rewarding, and movement is nearly flawless. Everything aboutSurvivormakes it feel like the ultimateStar Warsgame, feeling connected enough to the main saga while forging its own path, as Cal comes fully into his own and helps anchor this compelling slice of the universe. It is easily the best game of the Disney-eraStar Wars, an engaging journey from beginning to end.
