When encountering combat in a Star Wars game, chances are players will be using one of two famous weapons: a blaster or a lightsaber. The lightsaber is synonymous with Star Wars and is, according to Obi-Wan Kenobi, an elegant weapon for a more civilized age. Whenever players use a lightsaber in a Star Wars game it is exciting, although, over the years, the mechanics behind lightsabers have changed dramatically.
Too often, using a lightsaber in a Star Wars game can feel like using a solid weapon. The character may as well be using a sword or bat as the player button mashes to hit their opponent. It is a problem that crops up repeatedly as Star Wars games fail to get lightsabers right.
However, when done well, using a lightsaber in a Star Wars game can feel realistic, which is an odd way to describe a fictional weapon. Lightsabers can cut through flesh, metal, and other materials with ease and, when properly implemented into a game, can become fearsome weapons. Here are some of the most interesting examples of lightsaber combat in Star Wars games over the years.
#8 - KOTOR's Lightsaber Battles Are Slow And Strategic
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is considered by many to be one of the best Star Wars games of all time; however its combat system hindered lightsaber battles. The game follows the player from amnesiac to powerful Force user as they race to stop Darth Malak. KOTOR is a brilliant Star Wars RPG filled with tons of lore and complex characters.
As much fun as the storyline of KOTOR is, the combat is not very exciting. BioWare used a turn-based system similar to D&D, which slowed down fights. While this had the benefit of making them more strategic, lightsaber battles are meant to be fast-paced with acrobatic leaps, and there was none of that in KOTOR. That said, KOTOR's combat system meant that players could swap their weapons during combat, and planning ahead is often the best approach.
#7 - SWTOR Makes Jedi And Sith Lightsaber Combat Different
Star Wars: The Old Republic is an MMORPG set thousands of years before the main Star Wars trilogy. Players can choose from eight different classes, four for the Old Republic and four for the Sith Empire. Each class has its own quest line and a variety of companions, like all good BioWare games.
Whether joining the Empire or not, SWTOR players can choose to be either Jedi or Sith if they want to use a lightsaber, and while the combat is basic, each lightsaber-using class does feel distinct. Jedi Knights don't fight like Jedi Consular. Sith Inquisitors don't use their lightsabers like Sith Warriors. The subclasses chosen for each can also influence what fighting style and type of lightsaber the player can use. This allows lightsaber combat to feel different depending on the choices made and helps gameplay feel a little more in-depth than button mashing.
#6 - Revenge Of The Sith Offers A Surprisingly Satisfying Lightsaber Experience
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith is not the greatest Star Wars game out there; in fact, far from it. It is a rush job of a Star Wars tie-in game full of annoying glitches and repetitive enemies. However, the lightsaber combat in it is really well conceived and implemented.
In Revenge of the Sith, duels feel enjoyable, and winning them feels like an actual achievement. Attacks must be timed properly, and it takes time and effort on the player's part to learn how to use a lightsaber effectively. And that is the best part of this underrated game, as the lightsaber duels feel fluid and surprisingly complex.
#5 - KOTOR 2 Improved KOTOR's Lightsaber Battles
Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 2: The Sith Lords was the famously rushed sequel to KOTOR. KOTOR 2 used the same combat system for the action from KOTOR with some tweaks to make the game more balanced. In the game, players take on the role of the Exile, a former Jedi, as they fight to stop Sith Lords Nihilus and Sion.
KOTOR 2 was a step up in lightsaber combat with developer Obsidian adding new forms, which are lightsaber fighting styles. KOTOR 2 allowed players to switch between the various Force forms for different situations in combat, which kept battle from becoming stale. Playing a Jedi or Sith also feels much more unique, as each class offers different skills. All this, along with the ability to upgrade lightsabers, makes KOTOR 2 a lot of fun with great replayability.
#4 - The Force Unleashed Acrobatics Save It From Becoming Too Repetitive
Both Star Wars: The Force Unleashed and its sequel put players into the shoes of a dark side force user, Darth Vader's secret apprentice, Starkiller. Gameplay for Starkiller, who was almost called Darth Icky, can be divided into two categories: lightsaber and Force powers. The Force Unleashed uses Force powers really well, and players can get a feel for having the power of a Sith Lord.
However, lightsaber combat is not quite as developed and can get repetitive quickly as combat soon turns into button mashing. The Force Unleashed does, however, have a few things that make it stand out and make lightsaber battles very enjoyable. The game builds on gameplay from Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy, a game that was released five years prior, and allows players to use acrobatics and terrain to their advantage. Leaping around the battlefield as Starkiller wields and throws his lightsaber at enemies is very satisfying.
#3 - Jedi Outcast Set The Standard For Star Wars Lightsaber Combat
Star Wars Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast continued the story of Kyle Katarn as part of the Jedi Knight series, which started in 1995 with Star Wars: Dark Forces. In Jedi Outcast, Katarn has cut himself off from the Force after becoming tempted by the dark side. For the first part of the game, Katarn uses traditional ranged weapons like blasters until he reconnects with the Force, and that's where the fun begins.
Jedi Outcast changed how lightsabers were used in Star Wars games as, for the first time, players really felt like they were using a lightsaber. Controls are a little clunky now by modern standards, but Jedi Outcast was praised for its lightsaber mechanics at release. The one criticism that was - and still is - leveled at the game is how long Jedi Outcast waits to give Katarn a lightsaber back. When playing, the experience of using a lightsaber was far different from using any other weapon, as players could control speed, strength, and pattern of attack, making it feel very natural and instinctive.
#2 - Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Lightsaber Combat Is Inspired By Soulslike Games
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order tells the story of Order 66 survivor Cal Kestis as he reconnects with the Force and battles against Sith Inquisitors. Fallen Order takes more than a little inspiration from games like Dark Souls with its lightsaber combat. Unfortunately, it's still easy to fall back on hack and slash tactics, and boss fights can leave players feeling underwhelmed.
Fallen Order does feel a lot like Jedi Outcast but slightly more polished with better animations. Players feel as though their lightsaber is actually making contact with enemies, defecting blaster fire and countering enemy moves. Unlike Jedi Outcast and The Force Unleashed, Fallen Order's lightsabers don't cut off limbs, which doesn't make sense in the Star Wars universe but doesn't detract from combat immersion which is what makes Fallen Order stand out.
#1 - Jedi Academy Still Has The Best Lightsaber Battles
Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy is still considered the best lightsaber combat in any Star Wars game. In Jedi Academy, players control Jaden Korr, a Jedi Padawan studying under Luke Skywalker and Kyle Katarn. Fighting alongside Katarn and Skywalker, Korr must stop the plot of the evil Disciples of Ragnos.
Jedi Academy took what Jedi Outcast did and made it better. Jedi Academy offered players tons of customization for their lightsabers, with different blade colors and hilt styles. If a player could imagine it, then they could probably wield it. This included a double-bladed lightsaber complete with its own weird move. In combat, players could use terrain, speed, and Force abilities to fully play out out their Jedi roleplay fantasies. Different stances mixed seamlessly with intuitive controls, and the result was a Star Wars game that made lightsaber fights feel realistic.