Systems like base construction, resource allocation, and training new units can be managed from the galaxy map, where you amass your fleet between missions. Combat is tactical but largely automated, and land and space engagements can be “auto-resolved,” letting players focus on the parts of the game that interest them most in a given session. A single click of your mouse will let you highlight an individual unit click and drag to quickly select a large group of troops and vehicles. It’s a delicate balance, but Empire at War pulls it off: it brings something novel and exciting to those who have played this kind of strategy game in the past without alienating players who haven’t.
Sure, it looks great and tells an original story in the Star Wars universe, but it’s also an inviting experience for newcomers to the RTS genre. What’s most impressive, coming back to the game more than a decade after release, is how easy it is to jump in and play. The game’s story mode features animated cut scenes with full voice-over, giving added context to the action. Each faction comes with its own unique single-player story campaign, exploring the Galactic Civil War through a Legends-era narrative about the construction of the first Death Star and culminating with the iconic Battle of Yavin. In Empire at War, players command the Rebel Alliance, the Empire, or - thanks to the included Forces of Corruption expansion - the criminal underworld. Feel like you could take on the whole Empire yourself? Get ready. Given the green light to work on a Star Wars project, Petroglyph took its decade-plus of experience with real-time strategy (RTS) games and put it to the test, crafting an real-time strategy game with three separate fronts: infantry skirmishes, space warfare, and galactic conflict. The Las Vegas developer had been founded in 2003 by veterans of the defunct Westwood Studios, maker of such titles as Dune II, Blade Runner (’97), and the award-winning Command & Conquer series. Originally launched in 2006, Empire at War was the first-ever game from Petroglyph. Plus, thanks to Steam’s huge mod community, additional content can be easily downloaded via the Steam workshop. And right now, a ton of classics are available at a discount in Steam’s Summer Sale - including Star Wars: Empire at War, in a newly optimized edition featuring online multiplayer support. Another batch of beloved titles, including Knights of the Old Republic II and Republic Commando, were added to Xbox’s stellar backward compatibility program in April. It’s a great time for Star Wars fans who play games.
In Replaying the Classics, revisits Star Wars games of yesteryear, examining why we loved them then and why they stand the test of time.
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