Lucasfilm’s Obi-Wan Kenobi has finally wrapped on Disney+, with Andor next in the pipeline for the Star Wars franchise on the streamer. However, fans coming off the TV series can get their next galactic fix through a handful of solid games.
The Star Wars license had been most recently mishandled and wasted due to being chained to gaming publisher EA, but games from both the pre-and post-Disney eras have paved the way for some memorable and entertaining video games. Classic RPGs like Knights of the Old Republic are rich adventures for hardcore fans, but some modern entries have also earned warm receptions from fans and helped diversify Star Wars’ catalog in gaming.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
Publisher EA’s in-house developer Respawn Entertainment was the first Star Wars game under the former’s control that stuck the landing at launch. Among these games, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is perhaps the most tonally in line with Disney+’s recent series. The story is set in between Episode III – Revenge of the Sith and Episode IV – A New Hope with an original protagonist, Jedi Padawan Cal Kestis, as he tries to evade the Empire before being inevitably entangled with them.
Cal is somewhat bland, but he and his supporting cast shine through as the story progresses and the gameplay is a solid foundation of action-adventure, Metroidvania, and Souls-like elements. Fans should be sure to look out for next year’s sequel, Jedi: Survivor.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is available now on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
Star Wars Battlefront II
The classic Battlefront games were frequently regarded as one of the best Star Wars games that the franchise has spawned. It was initially exciting to hear that developer DICE (Battlefield series) was in charge of a reboot, but goodwill was already steadily crumbling by the time the first game launched. EA and DICE’s Battlefront II fared even worse, having one of the most infamous launches in video game history.
However, credit should go to the devs at DICE for spending the next 1.5-two years adding DLC and polishing (and removing microtransactions) it into a genuinely solid game. Single-player gameplay modes for the third-person shooter/action game were made more viable and multiplayer was given more depth and accessibility, turning it into the good game it should’ve launched as.
Star Wars Battlefront II is available now on PS4, Xbox, and PC.
Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast
Though it’s certainly dated in some regards, Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Outcast II is another one of the Star Wars games that’s looked back on with nostalgia. In some ways, it even pushed forward how lightsaber combat and physics in a real-time action setting would work in these games.
Jedi Outcast‘s story follows Kyle Katarn — a character long since set aside in Lucasfilm’s Legends timeline — in a post-Return of the Jedi galaxy. Its combat is clunky by today’s standards, but those willing to dive into gaming generations past should have a blast in this original tale and acrobatic combat. Jedi Outcast has since been preserved thanks to Aspyr’s ports to modern hardware.
On modern platforms, Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast is available now on PS4, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic/Knights of the Old Republic II
Often regarded as some of the best RPGs ever made, let alone Star Wars games, BioWare and Obsidian Entertainment’s Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic games have been widely acclaimed. Similar to the aforementioned Jedi Outcast, both of these games have been pushed away from mainline canon and into Legends — as well as having gameplay mechanics that admittedly show their age.
Even still, the Dungeons & Dragons-style approach to a Star Wars-themed RPG will be engrossing and sprawling adventures for die-hard fans. They feature some of the most compelling writing in any Star Wars game, and the ability to shape your own Jedi or Sith makes things all the more fun and immersive. Aspyr once again helped port these games to modern hardware, and the team is also at the helm of the upcoming Knights of the Old Republic Remake for PS5 and PC.
On modern platforms, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and Knights of the Old Republic II – The Sith Lords are available now on Xbox, Switch, PC, and mobile.
Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
For a much lighter, yet still unabashedly Star Wars game, Traveller’s Tale’s recent Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga will surely satisfy for a fun and casual experience. There’s not much that needs to be said of the premise of the game, with the developer nailing their Lego video game formula and giving it a fresh Star Wars-themed coat of paint.
Players can unlock swathes of characters from around the franchise and play through levels spanning the entirety of the Skywalker Saga‘s stories. And as is with any Lego game, Star Wars or not, the other half of the fun lies in the addictive co-op multiplayer.
Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is available now on PS4, PS5, Xbox, XSX|S, Switch, and PC.
All six episodes of Lucasfilm’s Obi-Wan Kenobi are available to stream now on Disney+. To find more content to watch on the streamer, take a look at our what’s new on Disney+ list.
