If you even tangentially enter star warsyou now know the fraction: andorra It’s hot shit. I mean the good way, not the Bantha poodoo way. After The Rise of Skywalker did its best to cure my long-standing ailment of Star Wars fandom, Andor finally offered me something exciting to rekindle my interest in the universe – so naturally , my thoughts now turn to how what Andor showed could work in the world of video games.
The best Star Wars game content we’ve had lately – whatever you want.
Andorra is about fighting fascism, really. Star Wars has always had the odd problem of being a fun and fantastical space opera for kids, while at the same time one of its key factions is clearly inspired by the Nazis – so the villains must simultaneously be space opera dorks, the ones who would be beaten up by the Nazis Human teddy bear, but also terrifying, willing to set a torture robot on innocents.
That means Andor doesn’t quite fit in with all the other Star Wars at times. In fact, I think this tends to be true for the best franchises; when one part of it decides to run as it is, don’t worry too much about how that affects the rest of the series.
Andorra’s world of paranoid rebels and an empire that casually throws out weird genocides here and there is consistent with movies and children’s shows, but at the same time, it’s not just for its raw brutality. It speaks volumes for the series’ pleasure in setting multiple episodes in the relentless, barren grind of a labor camp, where people are worked to death — in a universe where free robot labor also exists. Andor is silent and unspoken for much of these episodes: he has nothing to say, and he, like the audience, is a witness to the atrocity.
Of course, there are exciting things too. There’s a lot of action here and there, and it’s at this point that you can start to see the outlines of where video games might take place. Everyone wants to play as a Jedi and wield a laser saber, but I think this is the more interesting side of the Rebellion worth exploring: the narrow streets filled with tension, the tense soldiers with all the power watching every citizen suspiciously, because everyone can become an enemy. When things break out, it’s impossible to predict the scale of what might happen: it could be a guerrilla attack, or it could be an all-out city-wide revolt. There’s a ton of potential combat scenarios out there that many game developers will indeed find fertile ground.
But perhaps the most interesting aspect of all of this is Star Wars’ place at this point in the series’ timeline as The Rabble Rebellion.At this point, it is worth noting that it is the rebellion, not the Rebel Alliance. That’s key, because it means there’s an interesting additional factor at play: There are different types of rebels, and they don’t all sing the same hymn.
In Andor, these are represented by three characters who are interestingly from different eras of Star Wars. Mon Mothma, the rebel leader in the original trilogy, is here still a senator in the false democracy of the imperial machine, opposing it from within while fearing detection. Then there’s Saw Gerrera, a deranged Clone Wars veteran rooted in cartoons who comes alive with Forest Whitaker’s wonderfully anti-reality accent. Honestly, Saw is a rebel without much tactics. Consumed with rage and hatred, he wants nothing more than to burn the Empire down, no matter the cost. In several of Andor’s scenes, he’s shown as an unknown danger – capable of going from friend to foe in an instant.
Then, Andor’s new addition is Luthen Rael. A mysterious man lives a double life as upscale store owner and rebellious kingmaker with a ship filled with gadgets that would make James Bond blush and a deep-seated rage , which means he will do almost anything for the greater good. He’s without a doubt the funniest character on the show, and not because idiot fans with preteen intelligence think he might be a fallen Jedi. He’s interesting because of who he is, not who he was.
Regardless, what interests me most is the interplay between these three different forms of rebellion, and the characters behind them. It’s deals and bargains – factions working towards the same goal, but not together. Share resources, keep secrets. Fighting against the Empire together, but sometimes secretly against each other. Some of these people hate each other, but they also need each other. This is the power of empire.
Star Wars lore clearly dictates that these factions will eventually come together to form the Rebel Alliance. This is one of those occasions when those two words, probably written without thinking by Lucas after a few whiskeys while writing late at night, provide an interesting basis for storytellers decades later. But this particular base feels…perfect for gaming.
I’ve been thinking about a strategy game; maybe something like XCOM, and it’s been on my mind because of course XCOM 2 is both a game about guerrilla resistance and one of the greatest strategy games of all time. It’s one of those adaptation ideas where the source material is so mature that I can almost see the full game in my head: mostly close quarters, tactical combat, turn-based or real-time — either — but There’s a strategy layer that’s not only focused on avoiding the Empire, but navigating the factional struggles between rebels.
Players will have to face the choices that characters such as Saw, Luthen and Mon must make. When to sacrifice, when to attack, when to alert allies, when to break them. As an idea, I just find it fascinating.
But putting aside my very specific game ideas, I have to say: Well done Andor. I’ve enjoyed some of the recent Star Wars games (Jedi Order in particular), but this show is the first time in decades that I’ve become enthusiastic about a game idea in this universe. I hope the style and tone outlined by Andor is mined further — hopefully in our interactive media.
Anyway. If you haven’t already, watch Andorra, eh? Then play XCOM 2. Then imagine a cross between the two. cheers.