Jeff Thomas

It might be tactics-light (you're not going to be making elaborate battle plans or pouring over a tactical map) BUT you can't ignore the tactics, and that is the magic of Republic Commando. It feels like a pretty good SW FPS with fun gameplay but if you try to just run-n-gun your way through it you're going to get slaughtered no matter how good you are. You MUST effectively use your squad, positioning them intelligently and shifting those positions as needed in the heat of battle while trying to keep everyone, including yourself, alive. Your decisions matter and will make the difference between success or failure. Your team is effective and don't require hand-holding (I never saw them stuck on geometry or getting themselves killed needlessly), the battles are hard, the story is good, the voice acting excellent. It's such a rewarding experience why this game didn't spawn a franchise or at least some imitators is a mystery to me. It deserves a modern sequel.