28 Years of Galactic Conquest
Aaah… 20 years ago, I was playing Star Wars Rebellion on PC….. wait ? Was that actually 28 years ago ? WOW ! Indeed, time flies ! 20 years ago, I was actually playing… Star Wars : Empire at War ! Oh YEAH ! How can we talk about one without mentioning the other ?
Star Wars Rebellion (1998) : The Brilliant Ancestor
A Strategy Game in Three Dimensions
Released in 1998, Star Wars Rebellion delivered one of the best strategy experiences of its era thanks to its unique three-dimensional system : the galactic dimension, where you fought for control of planets across the entire galaxy ; the hero and unit management dimension, used for skirmishes and specialized missions ; and finally, the ground and space combat dimension. It was incredibly well-designed for the time…
To give you "the big picture", it was a true galactic game of cat and mouse. You could play as the Empire (powerful fleets, highly efficient primary heroes, main base on Coruscant) or the Alliance (diplomacy-focused heroes, slightly lower base stats, and the floating city of Bespin as a mobile headquarters !).
💾 The goal ? Defeat the enemy faction at any cost. This is where it got fascinating, as we had a full arsenal at our disposal : diplomat heroes, colossal fleets, orbital bombardments, and even… the Death Star. All of this set to the iconic music of the Original Trilogy—with The Phantom Menace only hitting theaters the following year !
A Complete Arsenal for Every Faction
The objective was obviously to crush the enemy faction. This is where the game truly shined, offering a deep tactical toolbox :
- Our Heroes : They could embark on missions to convince planets to join your cause, suppress uprisings, or even capture and eliminate enemy heroes !
- Our Planets : Depending on what you built, they provided a credit income while producing ground units (Troopers, AT-ST, etc.) and space fleets (Cruisers, troop transports, and the Death Star !).
- Our Troops : Used to lead ground assaults, perform in skirmish missions, and defend your worlds against invasion.
- Our Fleets : These allowed you to engage in epic space battles, destroy orbital infrastructures, or rain down orbital bombardments.
A Galactic Game of Hide and Seek
The ultimate goal was to capture or kill the primary heroes (Luke, Leia, Han, and Mon Mothma for the Empire ; the Emperor and Vader for the Alliance) while conquering Coruscant or destroying the mobile base at Bespin. This created intense moments of hide and seek, as you could constantly move your heroes and the Bespin base.
You had to deploy probe droids to gather intelligence on your opponent's movements : Where are their factories ? In which system are they massing troops ? What is their fleet composition ? Through scouting, you planned your best moves : kidnapping Luke Skywalker before he finished his training with Yoda, assassinating Han Solo, sabotaging Death Star construction sites, or wiping out orbital shields before a massive strike.
Star Wars Empire at War (2006) : The Modern Successor
Same Foundations, New Dimension
That was Rebellion, the spiritual ancestor to Star Wars : Empire at War and its expansion Forces of Corruption. This title took those same foundations and modernized them in 2006. The galaxy returns with many planets to conquer, but with a major rework : space combat is far more detailed, and ground combat finally allows us to lead troops "manually", whereas Rebellion relied on automatic simulations.
The big innovation was the ability to influence battles using the unique skills of each ship or unit, and calling in reinforcements "in-game". Heroes also have their specialties : Boba Fett pilots the Slave-1 with its devastating sonic mine in space, while on the ground, he can unleash his flamethrower. Hero duels took on a whole new dimension !
The Trailer That Makes You Want to Rule the Galaxy
The Arrival of the Zann Consortium
A Third Faction from Organized Crime
With the Forces of Corruption expansion, we discovered a completely new faction : Tyber Zann's Consortium. If you are unfamiliar, think of it as a galactic mafia, much like the Hutts or Prince Xizor. For context, Xizor was a deeply developed character in the books (set between Episodes 4, 5, and 6) who frequently clashed with Luke, Leia, and Han, though he was left out of the films to simplify the plot.
This faction's gameplay brings a breath of fresh air : it operates entirely differently on the map. It can corrupt planets, spread influence, and utilize the black market. It features a completely original roster of units and heroes.
A Legacy Kept Alive by Modders
Empire at War defined a generation of fans hungry for RTS action. The three factions offer immense freedom. Furthermore, modders haven't missed the chance to enhance the game : there is a plethora of mods that add factions (like the Trade Federation), remodel units and planets, and bring the galactic map into HD. It is pure bliss for anyone who loves tinkering with their games !
💡 Pro Tip : Today, 20 years later, the game remains very accessible. Even if the graphics have aged slightly, the sound design and the scale of controlling these factions across the galaxy is still incredibly cool. The Gold Pack is almost always on sale for a few dollars. Don't miss out !
We love games that allow us to "zoom out" for total freedom. Enjoy it before the arrival of the upcoming Star Wars games we discussed here !
Hungry for More Star Wars ?
You are in luck, because the trailer for The Mandalorian and Grogu just dropped, promising an action-packed movie that we can't wait to see ! Judge for yourselves :
If you have Star Wars games that defined your childhood, feel free to share them in the comments right below !
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