Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds Saga

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a game by LucasArts
Platform: PC
Editor Rating: 6/10, based on 2 reviews
User Rating: 8.3/10 - 8 votes
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See also: Movie-Based Games, All Star Wars Games
Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds Saga
Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds Saga
Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds Saga

The wonderful thing about having a universe as expansive as Star Wars is the opportunity to have games spanning multiple genres take place in any corner of it—which is how we have the timeless classic, Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds Saga, a real-time strategy game. Inspired by games like Age of Empires II, Galactic Battlegrounds is a lasting marvel of the 2D RTS era. With voice-acting to emulate the prequel trilogy (being that the movies came out close to its release), tons of deep civilizations, the original Star Wars aesthetic, and a well-realized building system—it has all the necessities of a good RTS.

A Galaxy of Games

The early 2000s saw a myriad of Star Wars games released to coincide with George Lucas’s prequel trilogy. The games spanned genres, consoles, developers, and Star Wars eras—and Galactic Battlegrounds was among the first as a consequence of that supremacy by LucasArts. Where some of the popular Star Wars games of the age introduced the galaxy to new genres like Dark Forces, Rogue Squadron, Knights of the Old Republic, and Battlefront—Galactic Battlegrounds was the first foray in the uncharted RTS realm—something perfect for a world as realized as Star Wars. And, in the same vein, a predecessor to Empire at War that would be released years later.

Cover the Basics

To say Galactic Battlegrounds was inspired by Age of Empires is a bit of an understatement. From the menu, to the campaign set-up, to the UI, and even the use of the same Genie Engine—this game may have the blood of Star Wars, but it has the bones of AoE. That being said, it isn’t really a problem to be so inspired by, honestly, one of the best RTS games of the age. Where AoE delves into the historical realm, Galactic Battlegrounds does the same with a Star Wars coat of paint. Not to diminish the work—they used the same engine but that doesn’t mean they didn’t construct all the Star Wars buildings, ships, character models and animations from the ground up. That being said, there is some exciting sounds, troops, and heroes only canon to the Star Wars universe—and those assets brought to the combat give the game, in many ways, more exciting battles than AoE.

Call it Inspiration

There was a methodology of LucasArts to rework popular gaming genres of the time and bring them to the Star Wars universe. Sometimes that was done to great success like with the infantry series, Star Wars: Battlefront—and other times the Star Wars name, based on novelty alone, wasn’t enough to sell it. With that in mind, Galactic Battlegrounds falls somewhere in between. There’s something inherently exciting about RTS capabilities in the Star Wars universe, but there’s also a lack of polish to the gameplay that something like AoE refined—and that refinement can still be seen today.

5

And, speaking more on the game today, it’s a difficult one to run properly. Being that it was designed for older computer systems, it hasn’t acclimated to modern ones as easily without a few mods to lessen the hassle. However, the game remains a classic and great stepping stone to its more refined RTS younger brother—Star Wars: Empire at War.

Pros

  • Well-realized Star Wars aesthetic
  • Deep civilizations to choose from
  • Heroes and great battles

Cons

  • Tough to run smoothly
  • Feels like a reskinned AoE
  • Lackluster story mode

Download Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds Saga

PC

System requirements:

  • PC compatible
  • Operating systems: Windows 10/Windows 8/Windows 7/2000/Vista/WinXP

Game Reviews

Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds Saga is the combination of both Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds and the expansion pack Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds Clone Campaigns. There haven't been any changes to either game as they are re-released in their original form. Those who haven't played Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds may want to consider it but be cautious as the game's graphics engine is extremely dated and the gameplay can get tedious. To read full reviews, click on the links above.

Snapshots and Media

PC Screenshots