Star Wars: Republic Commando
Year: 2005
Type: Original Soundtrack (OST)
Composer(s): Jesse Harlin
Number of tracks: 15
The clones are going to war
A male chorus, then a march is drummed. The choir resumes, singing in an unknown language. It is Mandalorian. The words evoke brotherhood. These are the first impressions you get when you start Republic Commando . A great game that can still be recommended to shooter-hungry Star Wars fans today - also because there are hardly any alternatives for the franchise.
We are a clone trooper on a mission for the Galactic Republic. But we're not just thrown into the game, we experience how our character is raised in the breeding station on Kamino. How he and his brothers study, learn to fight and are eventually shipped to Geonosis for the first battle of Episode 2.
Following our first mission, we enter abandoned spaceships and shoot our way through hordes of enemies in well-known movie locations. As the title suggests, we are not alone, but leader of an elite squad, called 'Delta One'. With us: tech crack 'Fixer', sniper 'Sev' and explosives expert 'Scorch'. All with different personalities and, although they are clones, different voice actors. Well, that's quite important for distinguishing them, but it always bothered me a bit.
Unfortunately, the OST is not really extensive: you are presented with a meagre 15 tracks. And half of them are ambient tracks that don't create much of an atmosphere. In contrast, tracks such as Gra‘tua Cuun (Our Vengeance), Rage of the Shadow Warriors and Make Their Eyes Water are all the more impressive. And I don't need to mention that I think the main theme Vode An (Brothers All) is great.
In terms of gameplay, however, you shouldn't expect too much tactical depth. As is usual in cover shooters, you enter rooms in which the possible cover options are already displayed. There's not much tactics involved. But that doesn't make the game too easy. You'll propably quickly break into a sweat, especially when the less talkative super battle druids or droidikas suddenly appear instead of the usual battle druids of the 'Roger-Roger' variety. In those cases, fighting your way through alone is completely out of the question. But that's why you have your brethren sung about at the beginning.
The music remains true to the beginning, lots of drumming, driven rhythms and deep male voices. In general, it has something primitive, something rough, which gives us the feeling that we are part of a group of hunters who are superior to their prey. And that's what we are in the story: a group of elite soldiers who are used as a spearhead to carry out particularly difficult operations. All without any laser sword-wielding or force-shenanigans.
All in all, a well-rounded experience. Even if the graphics are dusty, you can do little wrong here for little money.
Nostalgia warning
The rating of the individual tracks is purely subjective and clearly colored by my own experience with the game. You can find out more in the article About Nostalgia.
| No. | Title | Artist(s) | Ratings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Vode An (Brothers All) | Jesse Harlin |  |
| 02 | Prologue | Jesse Harlin |  |
| 03 | The Egg Room | Jesse Harlin |  |
| 04 | Gra'tua Cuun (Our Vengeance) | Jesse Harlin | |
| 05 | Improvised Entry | Jesse Harlin |  |
| 06 | They Must Be Asleep | Jesse Harlin | |
| 07 | The Ghost Ship | Jesse Harlin |  |
| 08 | Ka'rta Tor (One Heart of Justice) | Jesse Harlin | |
| 09 | Com Interference | Jesse Harlin | |
| 10 | The Jungle Floor | Jesse Harlin | |
| 11 | RV Alpha | Jesse Harlin | |
| 12 | Through the Canopy | Jesse Harlin | |
| 13 | Rage of the Shadow Warriors | Jesse Harlin | |
| 14 | Make Their Eyes Water | Jesse Harlin | |
| 15 | Kachirho by Night Vision | Jesse Harlin | |
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