In the pantheon of fictional universes, few are as rife with memorable characters as Star Wars. From Admiral Ackbar to Yoda, the galaxy far, far away has served as a host to all manner of unique and iconic personas throughout its history – some so much so, that they’ve managed to carry entire video games by themselves.

When the clone troopers debuted during the prequel trilogy, most assumed that they would never be given the opportunity to share the same spotlight. A genetically uniform army that served the Jedi prior to their downfall, the clones would largely function as background dressing to more important characters and conflicts in whatever fiction they made an appearance, lacking the presence or personality to carry most scenes on their own. However, it would be a squad of clones that would go on to feature in one of the most celebrated Star Wars games of the 6th console generation: Star Wars: Republic Commando. A tactical first-person shooter set between the films’ second and third episodes, Republic Commando not only provides players with an engaging gameplay experience, but gives distinct and endearing personalities to its unusual protagonists years before the Clone Wars TV show would attempt to do the same. It demonstrated that even without most of the franchise’s main stalwarts – the Jedi, the Sith, and everyone in-between – one could still create a Star Wars experience capable of reaching fans’ hearts. This is the history of Star Wars: Republic Commando.