Summary
Star Warshas hadmany games over the yearsin a variety of different genres. The full roster ofStar Warsgames includes RPGs, shooters, edutainment, real-time strategy, puzzle games, racing games, flight simulators, hack n' slash, and fighting games. But they’ve never really had a survival game. Sure, some games have had sections that deal with being stranded on a remote planet.Knights of the Old Republichad the “unknown world,” for example, but these were usually small parts of a larger story and survival was never the main focus.
Turns out theStar Warsgalaxy has a lot of remote worlds with extreme environments that would make a great survival game. These are worlds full of environmental hazards and dangerous creatures that could easily end any unsuspecting traveler unfortunate enough to be stranded on them. In some cases, even some of the most powerful characters in theStar Warsfranchise have struggled with the challenges these settings can pose.
1Dagobah
A Swampy World Full Of Danger
Fans may remember Dagobahas the location of Yoda’s hideout during the Galactic Civil War. He was the only sentient being to take up any permanent residence there (unless you count Obi-Wan’s force ghost), and it turns out that’s with good reason. This swampy planet is full of dangers that can easily throw off even the most seasoned space travelers.
Luke Skywalker, normally a very capable pilot, managed to crash into a bog because of its unfavorable weather, and the normally very resilient R2-D2 was almost eaten within minutes of arriving. The land isn’t much better, with a variety of slug, snake, and insect-like creatures that would offer plenty of challenges for any unfortunate visitor who happened to land there.
2Endor
A Forest Moon Where Ewoks Are The Least Of The Worries
The “forest moon” gained notoriety as the site for the second Death Star’s deflector shield, but it is also a remote location that easily offers a lot of challenges to anyone stranded there. Their famous Ewoks are a lot more dangerous than they look, as the Empire learned the hard way.
The Ewoks are not the only tribe one can encounter, though. There are also the Duloks, their biological cousins and sworn rivals. And there are several creatures that even the Ewoks fear. Thoselog traps used to crush AT-STs weren’t made for fighting the Empire…
3Hoth
A Frozen Planet Where Blizzards Happen Regularly
Hoth is a frozen world that was used as the base of operations for the Rebel Alliance, at least until it was found by the Empire. They escapedthanks in part to Ozzel’s tactical blundering, but from what fans do see, it’s not an easy world to survive in. Outside the shelter of the base, Hoth is prone to freezing temperatures and snowstorms. There was also the danger of predators like the infamous wampa.
Frozen environments make great settings for survival games, and Hoth would make some of the most intense cold survival games look mild by comparison. Survival would require finding food, but it would also mean having to keep warm and find shelter, and making sure that shelter isn’t already occupied by something dangerous.
4Kamino
An Ocean World Where Survival Means Diving Deep
This world is certainly remote. It was locatedoutsidethe galaxy and only gained wider recognition when the Clone Wars started, due to it being the source of Clone Troopers. The environment was certainly extreme, too. Even the native Kaminoans had trouble dealing with it. Kamino would have two things going for it as the setting for a survival game: heavy storms and vast oceans. It did have cities built above the water, but that changed thanks to Imperial bombardment.
A survival game dealing with Kamino could take a few cues from the likes ofSubnauticaand focus on ocean survival, with the player having to not only find food but also ways of navigating its oceans and being able to breathe. However, unlikeSubnautica,the addition of Kamino’s storms would add an extra level of danger, especially on the surface. There would be a lot of creative freedom with this one since Kamino’s oceans haven’t been explored in much detail.
5Kashyyyk
A Dense Forest Planet Where Menacing Creatures Hide In The Darkness
Much like Endor, the Wookiee homeworld was known for its forests, only Kashyyyk’s trees werea lotbigger. One could feel reasonably safe in the Wookiees' treetop villages, but that changes when venturing further down. Just getting through the canopies can be a challenge, but the actual surface is called theShadowlandsfor a reason. Many of Kashyyyk’s trees are so massive they block out sunlight.
Aside from just needing to produce light, anyone wandering down here would need to be prepared to deal with any number of dangerous predators that might try to ambush them. Plus there’s the challenge of finding food and seeking shelter and the odd terentetek. This would be a very unsettling environment to have to survive in.
6Korriban
A Barren Wasteland Plagued By Evil
Thehomeworld of the Sithis quite hostile, especially after being ravaged by centuries of wars and dark side activity that left it a barren wasteland. Even the Sith alternately settled and abandoned the planet. Survival was difficult even at the best of times. Food is hard to come by, and the creatures that remain are vicious in their own right thanks in large part to many of them being created by previous Sith. One would have to deal with shyracks underground and Sith hounds on the surface, but there are other much worse creatures like the terantetek or maybe a leviathan.
But the real danger of Korriban is its strong dark side presence. The planet had a way of naturally corrupting its occupants even at the best of times. A survival game on Korriban could take a page fromFar Cry 3and not only deal with survival but alsohowa person is affected by their survival instincts, with a big part of the gameplay being whether the player resists or embraces the planet’s influence.
7Mustafar
A Volcanic Planet Where Lava Flows Unchecked
Mustafar is probably best known as the site of the first duel between Darth Vader and his former master, Obi-Wan Kenobi, but it is probably one of the most extreme environments one can get. This is a planet with volcanic activity that makes Io look quiet. Although some people (including Vader himself) managed to establish themselves on the planet, its volatile environment creates a lot of risk.
Just having to avoid being engulfed in lava would be enough of a challenge, and a survival game could go further with the player eventually finding ways to block and/or control its flow. Body temperature would be important, as would needing to find water. Shelter would also be a lot harder since anyone trying to survive on the planet would need to figure out protection both from lava flows and heat radiation.
8Rakata Prime
A Lost World Full Of Ancient Secrets
This one has some interesting opportunities on multiple levels. Aside from being more than sufficiently remote and full of danger, it also offers some room to explore a lot of the history of theStar Warsgalaxy. This was the homeworld of the Rakata, a largely forgotten ancient alien race that once ran a galaxy-wide empire. Additionally, it became home to a lot of shipwrecks from different factions and eras.
The planet is a largely tropical environment with a mix of both new and familiar creatures, and it has some vast oceans if there is interest in adding a sailing or underwater aspect. There would also be the potential danger posed by the Stone Age-level tribes that remain of the Rakata themselves. This would be an interesting opportunity to mix survival mechanics with a deep dive into more obscure parts ofStar Warslore.
9Tatooine
A Desert Planet Where Water Is Valuable
Tatooine hasbeen a staple of theStar Warsfranchise from the beginning. It has appeared to some degree in six of the nine mainStar Warsfilms and has also been featured in books, video games, comics, and TV shows. While not as remote, it does have one thing going for it - being a desert. While it has some bustling cities, they’re usually surrounded by huge swaths of uninhabitable land known as the “Dune Sea.”
Hydration would be crucial, as would the need to hide from sandstorms. The player would also need to deal with the two native species - Jawas and Tusken Raiders, both of whom could be allies or enemies depending on the circumstances. And of course, there would be the potentially dangerous wildlife, especially Krayt Dragons.
