The user interface is slick and polished, with responsive inputs and highlighted keybindings. This all layers together to make for a meaningful and immediately accessible real-time strategy game. The Maw’s countless black holes and lack of cover make you completely rethink naval engagements, especially if you rely on missile boats for naval artillery. Jabiim’s constant thunderstorms and hostile isolationist natives make for a tough trek through mudslides. Dathomir is a nightmare to navigate without a heavily armored task force just because of the flora and fauna, let alone Nightsisters riding on rancors. Whether managing one of the game’s three factions or taking the lead on battles across over 50 star systems, Petroglyph distilled every ounce of potential out of the setting. It all beautifully knits together into a cohesive experience, rather than simply a boatload of fan service. Everything from the Thrawn trilogy to Knights of the Old Republic and Rebel Assault II gets a mention or a nod somehow. Units, planets, and heroes you might have never heard of like Tie Phantoms, Honoghr, and Senator Garm Bel Iblis take center stage. Obscure short stories like IG-88A hacking the Death Star II are the basis for gameplay mechanics. Welcome to the Zann Consortium, motherkriffers. Accompanying him are some of the most ruthless cutthroats the galaxy has ever seen, all on a journey to subvert both the Rebellion and the Empire across the entire galaxy. Set during the tail end of the original Star Wars trilogy, the Forces of Corruption expansion for Empire at War had players settle into the throne of Tyber Zann, wannabe intergalactic gangster, rival of Jabba the Hutt, and all-around delightful scumbag. And my gosh did they do so with gusto, in what remains easily the grandest celebration of the original Star Wars Expanded Universe, by far. Last week, we discussed how Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens eagerly explored the potential for the new Star Wars timeline, but what game best matches that love in the original Expanded Universe? How do you embody such a massive, weird, expansive spread of storytelling, distilling it into a single product? One team of developers, Petroglyph, found a way with Star Wars: Empire at War: Forces of Corruption.

Star wars empire at war