6 Video Games That Make You Feel Like A Jedi
If I were ever faced with a Robin Williams-style Genie, there is no doubt in my mind that I would spend one of those wishes on becoming a Jedi. Sorry, world peace. Pushing stuff around with my mind comes first. You might not be as passionate about sacrificing world peace to be a space wizard as I am, but chances are you have dreamed about wielding a lightsaber of your own. Although there are some very smart nerds out there who have come close to creating an actual lightsaber as well as liars who claim to be “telekinetic,” we are pretty far off from becoming Jedis ourselves.
So where can we attempt to live out that childhood fantasy? Where can we feel the weight and consequence of swinging a lightsaber? How can we experience throwing something across the room without touching it? I’m so glad you asked. There have been countless video games that take place in the Star Wars universe over the past few decades. Some leave a lot to be desired in more than one area. However, there are a few that do a good job of giving you a taste of what being a Jedi is like, short of handing you a golden lamp from Agrabah.
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Knights of the Old Republic (KOTOR)
I’ll level with you. It is painful to talk about this game in any capacity following the report that we may never get its remake after all. As outdated as the gameplay and graphics are in KOTOR, there are several reasons why many Star Wars fans go back to this game time and time again. One of them is the amount of freedom you are given in creating your character. KOTOR is a true RPG through and through with one of the most compelling storylines not just in Star Wars but within all of pop culture. You are able to choose between 44 different Force powers to build your character, figure out what handful of different lightsaber types to wield, and even decide whether to align with the light side or the dark side of the Force. You could have hundreds of different run-throughs of this game and have a different experience each time.
The Force Unleashed
Galen “Starkiller” Marek is one of Star Wars Legend’s most beloved characters. The Force Unleashed gives you a real sense of what it feels like to wield the Force. You can pick almost anything up in any given space and use it to throw at enemies, blow through doorways, or just to see how far you can throw it. I will not admit to the amount of satisfaction I feel when I Force punt an Ewok across the forest. This sense of power is highlighted by one of the most badass scenes in any Star Wars game when Starkiller pulls a Star Destroyer from orbit. When (yes I am saying when) we see Starkiller introduced into Star Wars canon, he will not possess an iota of this ability. However, you feel just as powerful as your character does when walking away from that downed Star Destroyer.
Jedi: Fallen Order
Admittedly The Force Unleashed does a pretty good job with lightsaber combat, but it does not hold a candle to Jedi: Fallen Order. No game is perfect, and Fallen Order is no exception. However, in my opinion, the power you feel wielding Cal Kesits’ lightsaber is almost perfect. With every swing, and every time you connect with something, you feel the weight of the weapon and the power that a lightsaber puts out. The lightsaber duels, which I would argue is one of the hardest aspects to translate into a video game, are done exceptionally well in this game. The duels between (SPOILER for an almost three-year-old game) the Ninth Sister and Taron Malicos are top-tier boss fights. The Souls-like Sekiro-style gameplay makes this a near-perfect representation of how fun and difficult wielding a real-life lightsaber would be. Here’s hoping we see the sequel sooner rather than later.
Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy
Similar to KOTOR, this game has a very interesting plot that keeps you engaged throughout the game. The unique feature is in the point of view you play from. While you have the chance to play in third-person, the option to shoot a blaster and swing a lightsaber from the first-person point of view yields a unique experience that these other games cannot give you.
Battlefront II
This game arguably has one of the worst launches of any video game in history. Battlefront II was highly anticipated prior to release. Unfortunately, limited improvements upon its predecessor and a controversial loot box system nearly snuffed this game from even being considered playable. Electronic Arts (EA), for the most part, has fumbled the bag with its handling of Star Wars video games. Admittedly, this is a redemption story for EA. After many improvements and bug fixes, Battlefront II evolved into a very enjoyable adventure in a galaxy far, far away. You can experience this game through an array of characters, but the play with the Jedi and Sith is exceptionally well done. From the powerful single-armed swings as Darth Vader to the acrobatic martial arts demonstrated by Darth Maul make this a staple in Star Wars gaming.
Beat Saber
Of all these games listed, you won’t get closer to wielding an actual lightsaber than you will in Beat Saber. This highly addictive VR rhythm-based game gives you two lightsabers and countless blocks to swing at, all to the beat of dope music. There is not a lot I wouldn’t give to see Ahsoka swing her lightsabers to Run DMC’s “It’s Tricky.”
Honorable Mention: Star Wars Trilogy Arcade
This may be before many people’s times, but Star Wars Trilogy Arcade took way too much of my Dave and Busters points back in the day. In this arcade game, you climb into a recreation of an X-Wing cockpit with a joystick where you play as Luke Skywalker as you battled AT-AT walkers on Hoth and TIE fighters outside the Death Star, and even scuffle against Boba Fett above the Sarlacc pit. The reason this gets an honorable mention is the nervousness and fear I felt while dueling Darth Vader. All of these battles are from the first-person point of view. Seeing Vader swing a giant red lightsaber and hit you in the face with it over and over again really made me feel like a youngling in the Jedi Temple. There is not a more disappointing or defeated feeling than walking away from Dave and Busters after Vader annihilated you for the seventeenth time.
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Source(s): Strategy Wiki