Disappointed we'll never get that open-world version of Star Wars 1313? Can't wait for DICE's Star Wars: Battlefront? Well here's a list of mods and fan games for all Star Wars gaming fans out there with a PC, and an eagerness to try some fellow fans' creations.
Star Wars Mod: Galactic Warfare -- Call of Duty 4 Mod
A long time ago in the Call of Duty that started the trend of modern military shooters there's a mod that converts the online experience into a full Star Wars battleground. The mod converts the traditional Call of Duty 4 gameplay into a Star Wars experience, including maps on Bespin and Tatooine. A few additional maps and content updates have actually been released since version 1.0, and there are two servers to connect to if you're looking for players:
213.133.110.38:27000 -- Africa
208.167.250.217:28960 -- USA
Galactic Warfare has what every reflex shooter Star Wars fan wants. You can grab it and start shooting all those scruffy looking nerf herders on ModDB.
Star Wars: Conquest -- Mount & Blade Mod
Speaking of a galaxy far, far away -- did you know there's a mod called Star Wars: Conquest? It takes Mount & Blade and converts the entire historical setting into a Star Wars sandbox the likes of which Lucas Arts never provided. You can become a Jedi, a Rebel, an Imperial, a droid, and whatever else pleases you. All the core gameplay of Mount & Blade remains, along with blaster combat and vehicles.
Arguably, the combat is still very Mount & Blade (love it or hate it), but the attention to detail is sound. Also, nothing beats defeating Grand Moff Tarkin with a massive army of Jawas, while charging on a speeder bike as a droid Jedi. Here's a link to the game's ModDB page.
Dark Times II: Rising Son -- Star Wars: Battlefront 2 Mod
What is this madness? Starkiller from The Force Unleashed in Star Wars: Battlefront 2? A full new single-player campaign with a branching trail and numerous new units to unlock along the way? Multiplayer support for the new maps and units as well? Tons of rebalancing, including brand new classes and abilities? Why it's none other than the Dark Times II: Rising Son mod.
Yes, it genuinely has a main campaign (played in the game's Conquest mode) with branching side objectives. It also does its best to bring the Dark Times era to Star Wars: Battlefront II, stretching the combat and mechanics to the brink. New powers from The Force Unleashed also make the jump despite the game being technically an entire generation older. Just bear in mind that to compensate for this, the game's AI and combat is also much less forgiving. Consider it a warm up for the battles ahead.
You can grab this one on here.
The Brotherhood of Solomon: Solomon's Revenge -- Knights of the Old Republic Mod
One of the truly greatest Star Wars mods, The Brotherhood of Solomon: Solomon's Revenge. This mod is practically a fully-fledged expansion pack for Knights of the Old Republic. You get new companions, new enemies, new worlds to explore, and more -- all with multiple voice actors bringing life to the story when other mods would just have subtitles. It's a massive project and one of the most ambitious ones out there.
Did I mention it also perfectly integrates into the main storyline, taking place after your first confrontation with Malak? The original Knights of the Old Republic already featured a rather lengthy campaign, but for fans wanting more in their next run, nothing really beats Solomon's Revenge.
The Force Unleashed II: Evolution -- The Force Unleashed II Mod
The Force Unleashed II is a criminally short game, and that's a pity since the gameplay is genuinely solid. Now though, with the lower price and one man having finally cracked how to mod the game, there's incentive to snatch it up on PC.
With numerous new challenges, weapon stances, and assets from the cut PC version of the Endor DLC campaign, you can finally get something far closer to the experience the game should have offered. You can snag SWTFU II Evolution mod in it's Alpha form here.
But of course, no new and improved Force Unleashed experienced would be complete without all the character skins from the last game, plus new ones, and multiple weapons to choose from. You can also find a mod that unlocks them on ModDB.
Star Wars: First Strike -- Battlefield 2142 Mod
Arguably one of the longest living fan multiplayer mods, First Strike takes DICE's Battlefield 2142 and turns it into galactic warfare. Unlike a lot of mods and fan projects, the developers have passed version 1.6 and are only stopping to participate in a new fan project (which you should also keep an eye on), Star Wars: Battlecry. They've supported their community and have hosted several special campaign events for players to fight for supremacy.
The game may not look the prettiest, but it contains a vast amount of content for players. There's single-player, co-op, and multiplayer modes, along with a full progression system and both space and ground combat maps. Really, if you have a copy of Battlefield 2142 lying around, you owe it to yourself to at least try this once.
If any of that piques your interest, be sure to grab the mod's latest installer here.
The Battle of Yavin -- Fan Game
The Battle of Yavin, one of two fan games by Bruno R. Marcos, is a rare treat. It's a simple arcade flight sim, but offers the chance to see if you can destroy the Deathstar. As the Rebel reinforcements deplete rapidly, you eventually become the lone pilot, and it can be a nerve-wracking, yet rewarding experience. It's like a mix of X-Wing and Contra.
You can download the game from Game Jolt. For those who complete it or prefer Return of the Jedi, Marcos' second Star Wars fan game is the same core gameplay but during the Battle of Endor.
Total Conversion Mod -- Star Wars: Battlefront 2 Mod
Done with Dark Times II: Rising Son? Need a bit more of a Bioware flair to your battlefields? Look no further than the Total Conversion Mod! Possibly one of the most comprehensive mods for Battlefront 2, it offers:
New Maps:
- Alderaan
- Bespin: Platforms
- Bespin: Cloud City
- Concord Dawn
- Geonosis: Spire
- Haruun Kal
- Kashyyyk: Docks
- Kashyyyk: Islands
- Naboo: Plains
- Ord Ibanna
- Kamino: Tipoca City
- Methlyn
- Naboo: Prototype
- Rattatak
- Rhen Var: Citadel
- Rhen Var: Harbor
- Tatooine: Dune Sea
- Yavin IV: Arena
- Space Bespin
- Space Endor
- Space Geonosis
- Space Rhen Var
New Game Modes:
- Deathmatch
- Team Deathmatch
- Holocron
- King of the Hill
- Classic Conquest
New Unit Content:
- Knights of the Old Republic Era: Includes over 20 new hero units and more than 30 infantry units from the games KotOR I and KotOR II. Playable as a third era.
- Clone legions varying based on the map: Includes Galactic Marines, 41st, 146th, 212th, and 327th legions.
- Over 30 new heroes for Galactic Civil War and Clone Wars eras.
- Over 40 new infantry units for Galactic Civil War and Clone Wars eras.
- Over 30 new vehicles for Galactic Civil War and Clone Wars eras.
- All the sides from Battlefront 1, to be played in the "Classic Conquest" mode (which includes gameplay like Battlefront 1).
- Visually enhanced stock sides, as originally featured in the Unofficial 1.2 Patch by RepSharpshooter.
Here's the download page. Download it, and relive all your favorite moments from the Knights of the Old Republic games and the original Battlefront.
The Sith Lords: Restored Content Modification -- Knights of the Old Republic 2 Mod
I don't think any other mod on this list has had as troubled and manic a development cycle as Restored Content. You see, Knights of the Old Republic 2 was forced out by Lucas Arts way before it was supposed to. Originally, Obsidian had much grander plans, but they had to release a game that was only three fifths finished (at best) and with an entire planet and more cut.
However, several mod teams over time have managed to not only restore the planet, but a vast majority of the game's ending. For the first time, players can see Knights of the Old Republic 2 as it was intended, not as it released. While the core game itself is not drastically changed, it offers a great deal more closure and clarity on the events that transpired. The mod is so thorough and well executed that it even won an award from ModDB.
You can download the mod and experience Obsidian's pathos filled epic properly, right here.
Halo Star Wars -- Halo: Custom Edition Mod
Halo: Custom Edition fans who also like Star Wars are also in for a treat with Halo Star Wars, a full conversion map set in space. Two Star Destroyers host the ground battle in their interiors whilst players battle with X-Wings, Tie Fighters, and a fully explorable and pilotable Millennium Falcon. There's even an R2 unit available as a vehicle to fly around in, and several weapons from the Galactic Civil War era.
While definitely one of the odder mods, it is notable because of just how much effort had to be made to make Star Wars work within the Halo: Combat Evolved engine. As a series inspired more by Aliens than Dash Gordon, pulling off a successfully homage is quite impressive.
Bonus! -- Mass Effect: Unification -- Star Wars: Battlefront 2 Mod
"What's this? Mass Effect? But I thought this was a Star Wars slideshow?" No worries, it still is, just this is one little bonus mod for fans of both Star Wars: Battlefront 2 and Bioware's own science fiction universe. The total conversion mod Mass Effect: Unification turns Battlefront 2's PC port into a warzone for Geth, Alliance Troops, Collectors, and more. It's still being semi-actively worked on with more factions and maps on the way. To download, just stop by the mod's ModDB page.
That said, don't let this list be your only time with Star Wars mods. I was torn between so many other choices out there that you should totally explore. The Battlefront modding community has a staggering amount of content beyond the two mods mentioned, including some crazy levels for the original game that brought in Heroes mode and a few custom single-player levels that outdo anything Pandemic themselves created.
The Jedi Knight community has its own lengthy archive of mods, reskins, and multiple lightsaber combat upgrades to intensify the strategy and skill to dueling. There's even been an effort to remake the original Dark Forces game in the new engine. And there's the Movie Duels mod that remakes scenes from the core trilogy.
There are some other Star Wars games like Empire at War, X-Wing Alliance, and Galactic Battlegrounds with their own great mods and communities as well, with far too many notable choices to pick from. All you gotta do is take a look, and you'll have plenty of great fan-made Star Wars gaming to enjoy until the next major AAA release. If there are any projects I missed that you loved, please be sure to let me know in the comments below!
Published: May 1, 2015 06:30 pm