Star Wars: Battlefront Ii (2005)

Author: Pandemic

Star Wars has inspired countless video games, but so far nothing has been able to beat the Battlefront series. While it's a difficult pick between the first and second games, the latter edges just ahead for us today. Its closer attention to single player, especially, makes it a more enjoyable experience now that vanilla multiplayer is gone. That plot takes the form of an autobiography of sorts. Rise of the Republic details the story of a clone trooper in the 501st, a unit that eventually became Darth Vader's Stormtroopers. Through him you experience the rebellion, transforming from a force of good to one of evil. It's joined by a turn-based galactic conquest mode, offering less story but a more strategic experience and plenty of large battles. It's in those battles that you'll have the most fun, both in single player, and online, which is still possible using third-party tools. Battlefront II introduces a ton of vehicles and lets you play as Jedi or Sith heroes for the first time. The maps are well-designed, the game is mostly well-balanced, and huge space battles gives the truly epic feeling of the Star Wars universe. Fan of the franchise or not, there's plenty of value to be found in this title.