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Star Wars: 5 games we wish indies could make set in a galaxy far, far away

Although EA holds the rights to making Star Wars games, that doesn’t stop us from imagining what indies could do with the property.

It’s a good time to be Star Wars fan. There’s Rise of the Skywalker releasing within a month, The Mandalorian already going on Disney+, and even Respawn Entertainment’s spectacular action game Jedi: Fallen Order. While Disney will no doubt continue to churn out all things Star Wars, we do hope that they’ll also give indie developers a chance.

Brace Yourself Games already proved that indies can capably handle established properties with Cadence of Hyrule, and so did Bithell Games with John Wick Hex. And then there’s Nerial’s Reigns: Game of Thrones, too. There’s no reason why Star Wars can’t be done!

Here’s five concepts we’d love to see indies explore in the Star Wars universe.

Survive the rise of the Empire

By who? Stoic
Set when? Shortly after Episode III
Like what? The Banner Saga

While we’ve little doubt that there must be seeds brewing of an adventurous Star Wars RPG already, we think Stoic could tell a particularly capable game of decision-making and survival set right after Revenge of the Sith. You would play as one of the Jedi survivors of Order 66, you would have to both escape the clutches of the Empire and build a following of like-minded souls.

Instead of journeying by foot in snowy lands, whoever, you would travel across planets and even across the galaxy, recruiting surviving Jedi and establishing the beginning of the Rebel Alliance.

Run a cantina (and decide whose kind to serve)

By who? Sukeban Games
Set when? In any period
Like what? VA-11 Hall-A: Cyberpunk Bartending Action

Few locations in the Star Wars universe excite the imagination as much as a good ol’ fashioned cantina. This is where you’d likely to find all sorts of spacefaring species under one roof, gossiping, cutting illegal deals, assigning bounties, and of course: getting a drink.

But what do residents of the galaxy drink, and what do you need to keep in mind? How do you keep your shadier business on the down-low? Do you support the Rebels or are you secretly passing on information to the Empire? There’s a lot that can happen in a cantina, and it would be up to you to call the shots.

Explore a derelict Star Destroyer

By who? Lucas Pope (or Fullbright)
Set when? After Episode VI
Like what? The Return of Obra Dinn (or Tacoma)

Rey’s life as a scavenger on Jakku may not have been her true calling, but what if it indeed was? What secrets could be found on an abandoned or wrecked Star Destroyer?

A game like this could really delve into the everyday lives of Imperial crewmembers, with perhaps cameos from high-ranking Imperial officers, bounty hunters like Boba Fett, or even Darth Vader himself. Perhaps the idea could be taken a step further by allowing you to scavenge items from the ship and sell them as well. We just hope we earn more than one quarter portion for it.

Explore the galaxy and smuggle goods

By who? Failbetter Games (or inkle)
Set when? In any period
Like what? Sunless Skies (or 80 Days)

Look, swinging a laser sword is fun and all, but wouldn’t you like to just be a shady smuggler and make illegal cargo runs across the galaxy? There’s a lot of planets to explore in Star Wars, and a thriving economy to partake in. Regardless of whether it’s the Republic running the show or the Empire calling the shots, you’ll have to dodge the authorities and mingle with the locals.

Of course, there’d be more than just cold hard numbers involved. You’d also get into all kinds of predicaments and stories, maybe pick up a bounty or two, and who knows, you might just end up letting a couple of Jedi hitch a ride to a moon. (Is that a moon?)

Tear stormtroopers (or droids) limb from limb as a Wookie

By who? Gabe Cuzzillo (or Dennaton Games)
Set when? In any period
Like what? Ape Out (or Hotline Miami)

Wookies are absolute forces of destruction, and the best way to depict that is to strip the wookie of their bowcaster and let them loose on a bunch of stormtroopers (or Clone Wars-era droids, if you’d rather not see blood).

For more indie games, have a look at these previews of DicTater and The Button Witch.