Star Wars has had quite an interesting journey with video games in the last several years. It only truly hit a reliable stride recently with Respawn’s Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, and meanwhile Star Wars Battlefront and Star Wars Outlaws have buckled. Star Wars Outlaws was arguably better than its reception would suggest, too, but players have understandably and rightfully high expectations now when it comes to Star Wars games emerging from a middling pack.
That’s why Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic’s remake and Quantic Dream’s Star Wars Eclipse have so much gravitas—if and when either of them is released, it will surely leave a crater in its wake. Star Wars Eclipse in particular is a colossal question mark regarding exactly how it will look, but with Detroit: Become Human as its last title released it would make sense if its design structure was similar. Indeed, because Quantic Dream is known for highly cinematic gameplay with high stakes in players’ branching decisions, Eclipse should take this ethos and craft an equally high-stakes Star Wars adventure.
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With two major narrative-driven titles on Star Wars’ horizon, a trait that these games share could be the key to the future of the whole franchise.
Star Wars Eclipse Needs QTEs and Dialogue with Consequence
It’s impossible to say at the moment how Star Wars Eclipse will take shape by the time it eventually launches. But, in the meantime, it’s fair to assume that Quantic Dream will largely rely on its bread and butter. Quantic Dream’s gameplay revolving around dialogue options and QTE prompts has typically been gripping, particularly when such choices and actions are on a timer that will expire with dire consequences ensuing regardless.
Gameplay in Star Wars Eclipse could be jarringly different and deviate from Quantic Dream’s traditional formula entirely, and yet Quantic Dream of all developers should allow itself to indulge in its gameplay strengths as they’re so niche and refined. That said, if Star Wars Eclipse does amount to QTEs, dialogue, and light exploration/investigation exclusively, it can’t be afraid to make high-stake choices and actions a pillar of its gameplay and narrative.
How Lightsaber Duels Could Look as Arresting QTEs
Unless Quantic Dream is fundamentally altering how it approaches gameplay in general, it’s fully possible that Star Wars Eclipse’s billing as an “action-adventure” game may still depict lightsaber duels and blaster gunplay exclusively in QTEs. A dedicated combat system might be favorable in general due to the standards and expectations established by Star Wars games, and yet it’s undeniable that a failed QTE resulting in lightsaber dismemberment would be a thrilling way to wield that gameplay.
Quantic Dream has demonstrated how fluidly it can craft and segue branching narrative paths, and when lightsabers are brandished it would be fantastic to have any and all permutations of how that battle could ensue result in intriguing character developments. Characters in the Star Wars universe such as Anakin Skywalker and his son Luke have adorned themselves with prosthetic hands, and it could be incredible if one player’s character looks wildly unique to another player’s by tumbling down opposite branching paths.
This way, players will be fully engrossed in the action every time a lightsaber ignites because they’ll know that failing the battle could have big consequences—if not for their playable character then perhaps an NPC. Ultimately, it would be absurd for Quantic Dream to tackle a Star Wars game and be expected to have completely overhauled the gameplay design it’s stuck to, and there’s no reason it should have it anyway when those features and systems could be exciting in Eclipse.
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Lucasfilm Games