Star Wars‘ video games span various genres. The Battlefront series is a Battlefield-style shooter, with two armies battling each other to take control of objectives across different maps like Hoth, Kamino, and Endor. Meanwhile, the Jedi: Fallen Order and Survivor titles are action-adventure romps with Metroidvania-style progression and combat mechanics reminiscent of Soulsborne games. The Lego Star Wars titles, on the other hand, provide some lighthearted fun with easygoing third-person combat and puzzles. It seems like the recently released Star Wars: Outlaws had the stealth genre covered. However, SW can do better by creating a full-blown stealth game based on one of its most critically acclaimed storylines.
The Star Wars franchise has been in the video game business since its first movie, with its first licensed game, Star Wars Electronic Battle Command, being released in 1979.
SW has collaborated with various developers like Atari, Inc., Namco, Electronic Arts, Activision, and others. It has also released games on various platforms, ranging from classic systems like the Apple II and NES to current-generation consoles like the PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch. Most of its titles have been action-adventures, first-person shooters, and space flight simulators. Now, Star Wars has the perfect opportunity to delve deeper into the stealth genre with Rogue One and Andor.
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Andor and Rogue One are Perfect Source Materials for a Star Wars Stealth Game
Rogue One’s plot is centered around the Rebel Alliance team that went on the perilous task of stealing the closely guarded Death Star schematics from the Galactic Empire. Meanwhile, Andor follows future Rogue One member Cassian Andor and his journey from thief to Rebel Alliance revolutionary. It dives deeper into the corruption and oppression that ordinary people face under the fascist rule of the Galactic Empire and how the early iterations of the rebels had to move in the shadows to fight back. Rogue One and Andor have perfect story beats for a Star Wars stealth game.
One could play as Cassian or another Rebel Alliance member as they sneak into army garrisons and other Empire-controlled areas. The missions could have objectives related to the major operations in the show and movie, such as the Rebels’ heist of the Aldhani Imperial credit vault, Cassian’s escape from an Imperial prison, and Rogue One’s attempt at stealing the Death Star’s schematics in Scarif.
What Star Wars Can Learn from the Best Games for Its Own Stealth Title
Since such missions often require each member to commit to disguises and get their objectives done behind enemy lines. A single mistake could not only compromise the mission but also lead to certain death for its participants, who are ordinary people, not powerful Jedi. Therefore, the game should reward players who make an effort to achieve their mission without alerting and engaging enemies, similar to the Metal Gear Solid and Hitman games. Giving Cassian or other playable characters unique skillsets, like Dishonored, can add some flair and creative options for takedowns or achieving objectives.
Star Wars can Improve on Outlaws’ Stealth System
Outlaws had legitimate stealth mechanics, including sneaking past enemies, using distractions, and executing stealth takedowns. However, some fans didn’t like its forced stealth missions. It didn’t help that players also felt that the enemy AI had inconsistent detection. Sometimes they seemed to have superpowered hearing and eyesight, and other times they won’t notice Kay crouching around their field of view. The devs eventually patched this feature so that players could finish levels even if they got caught. If Star Wars creates a dedicated stealth game, perhaps it could build on Star Wars: Outlaws‘ established stealth mechanics and fix its AI issues.
Star Wars has the building blocks for a successful stealth series. Andor and Rogue One offer excellent references for the story and level design. Meanwhile, Outlaws‘ stealth system offers a solid foundation for the gameplay. Perhaps the series could work with cloak-and-dagger veterans like IO Interactive or Arkane Studios to create a stealth game worthy of Rogue One and Andor’s prestige.