10 Star Wars Games That Need Deep Lore Knowledge to Understand

The world of Star Wars has always offered a huge amount of content. Beyond the well-known films, there are hundreds of books, comics, games, and TV shows that expand the story, both in the older ‘Legends’ continuity and the newer Disney version.

You don’t have to read every Star Wars book or comic to understand the stories in the games, shows, and movies. However, reading those materials can definitely make the experience richer, particularly when playing the video games.

Understanding the broader story from other Star Wars sources—like books, comics, shows, and movies—completely changes how you experience these 10 video games.

10. Star Wars Battlefront II

The History of Inferno Squad

The initial marketing for the 2017 game Star Wars Battlefront II promised a campaign where players would experience the story from the perspective of elite Stormtroopers after the events of Return of the Jedi. Fans were enthusiastic about playing as villains during a relatively new period in Disney’s Star Wars story, but the game quickly changed course, turning the Inferno Squad into rebels just a few levels in.

The game Battlefront II doesn’t reveal much about Inferno Squad’s history, which makes their abrupt departure from the Galactic Empire seem surprising, especially for such a skilled team. However, the novel Star Wars Battlefront II: Inferno Squad by Christie Golden provides background on how the squad was created and explains their inclination to understand the rebels’ point of view.

Iden Versio’s background as a TIE Fighter pilot during the Battle of Yavin explains her impressive piloting skills and her sadness when the second Death Star was destroyed. The story also follows her squad, Inferno Squad, as they go undercover within the remaining forces of Saw Gerrera’s group, forming connections with some members before ultimately being ordered to eliminate them.

9. Star Wars: Squadrons

The Rise of the New Republic

While Star Wars: Squadrons is a highly immersive space combat game, its story isn’t overly complex. However, it includes lots of enjoyable references to other Star Wars books, TV shows, and games, which fans of those stories will appreciate.

The single-player story in Squadron largely adapts the Aftermath novels by Chuck Wendig, which detail the New Republic’s emergence after Return of the Jedi. The game specifically focuses on building the New Republic’s Starhawk capital ships—vessels first introduced in the Aftermath books and briefly featured in Battlefront II.

Interestingly, the Empire’s Titan Squadron unintentionally paved the way for the First Order. Though they failed to defeat the New Republic, they retreated to the Unknown Regions and became key founders of the First Order. Havina Vonreg, a member of the squadron, is related to Baron Elrik Vonreg, a character from Star Wars Resistance.

8. Star Wars: The Old Republic

Ancient Lore of Impactful Conflicts

Set around 3,600 years before the Star Wars movies, Star Wars: The Old Republic is a massive online game packed with original stories. It follows the adventures of Jedi, Sith, and soldiers as they battle for control of the galaxy.

While enjoyable on its own, Star Wars: The Old Republic is even better if you’re familiar with the backstory of the Sith Empire. Their return is the result of a plan centuries in the making, starting with the Great Hyperspace War over 900 years earlier. This war led to the original Sith species being forced to leave their home planet, Korriban, and rebuild their power in secret on Dromund Kaas.

The classic Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi comics tell stories like The Great Hyperspace War and the origin of Exar Kun, a fallen Jedi who famously wielded the first double-bladed lightsaber. These comics had a significant impact on the story and events of the Old Republic era, adding a lot of depth and intrigue.

7. Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast

Yavin IV’s Dark Past

The story of Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast is subtly but powerfully shaped by events from The Great Hyperspace War and the legend of Exar Kun.

In Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast, Kyle Katarn—a former Stormtrooper and reluctant Jedi—visits Luke Skywalker’s Jedi Academy on the planet Yavin IV. He’s searching for his lightsaber and investigating the Dark Jedi Desann, who is believed to have killed Katarn’s friend and colleague, Jan Ors.

Currently, Luke Skywalker is trying to use the temples on Yavin IV for positive purposes. However, these temples might have unintentionally contributed to Desann’s fall to the dark side. They were originally built thousands of years ago by the Sith Lord Naga Sadow after a large-scale war, and were later further tainted by the spirits of the Sith Lords Freedon Nadd and Exar Kuun.

6. Star Wars: Republic Commando

The Training and Plights of Clone Commandos

Before the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars premiered in 2008, the video game Star Wars: Republic Commando was the first to really delve into the backgrounds and individual personalities of the Clone Troopers.

Set during the Clone Wars, Star Wars: Republic Commando puts you in the boots of Delta Squad, an elite group of Clone Commandos. They’re sent on dangerous missions to places like Geonosis to eliminate important enemies and disrupt the plans of the Separatist forces.

The game does a great job of showing each member of Delta Squad’s personality. However, reading the Republic Commando novels by Karen Traviss would add even more depth to the experience. These books explain how both Delta and Omega Squad were trained by the Mandalorians Walon Vau and Kal Skirata, and also reveal what happened to the Commandos after Order 66 was issued.

5. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

Revan and Malak’s Fall

BioWare’s Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is considered one of the best Star Wars games ever made. While the game itself is a fantastic experience, reading related books can give you a deeper understanding of how Darth Revan and Darth Malak turned to the dark side.

The story of how Revan and Malak fell to the dark side is revealed in the game KOTOR, but the full picture is much more detailed. The origins of the Mandalorian Wars – the conflict that started them on this path – are explored in Tales of the Jedi, particularly with the story of Mandalore the Ultimate succeeding Mandalore the Indomitable.

The Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic comic series provides more details about Revan and Malak’s devastating actions during the Mandalorian Wars, even revealing the story behind Revan’s famous Mandalorian mask. However, to get a complete picture of Revan’s life, fans should also read Star Wars: The Old Republic: Revan.

4. Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire

The True Story of Dash Rendar

It’s common now for new Star Wars movies, TV shows, and games to have companion books and comics that add to their stories. But the very first project to do this was Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire in 1996. It included a video game for the Nintendo 64, a novel, and a comic book series, all released together.

The different editions of Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire all tell the same story: Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, Dash Rendar, and the rebels work to save Han Solo after the events of The Empire Strikes Back, all while trying to stop Prince Xizor, a powerful ally of the Empire and leader of the Black Sun crime syndicate, from carrying out his plans.

To fully understand the story of Shadows, fans will need to experience it through all its forms – the game, the novel, and the comics. While the game shows only Rendar stealing the plans for the second Death Star, the book and comics reveal the complete story: Rendar, Skywalker, and a team of Bothans worked together to obtain them.

3. Star Wars Outlaws

Darth Maul’s Criminal Legacy

Ubisoft’s Star Wars Outlaws shares a lot with Shadows of the Empire. Both games are set during the same era, and understanding the broader Star Wars universe through novels or comics really enhances the experience in both cases.

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Star Wars Outlaws is set during and shortly after the events of the Star Wars comics War of the Bounty Hunters, Crimson Reign, and Hidden Empire. These comics detail the return of the Crimson Dawn crime syndicate, led by Qi’ra, and how it took control by weakening other criminal organizations, ultimately shaping the galactic landscape seen in the game.

To fully understand Crimson Dawn’s place in the galaxy after Darth Maul’s death, players should read the related comic events. But for those playing Outlaws, it’s also helpful to check out stories from the High Republic era – you can even explore the remains of a High Republic ship that’s over 200 years old!

2. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

Flaws of the High Republic

While Star Wars Outlaws is a new game set in the High Republic era, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor actually explored that period more thoroughly. Outlaws features the High Republic, but Jedi: Survivor delved into it much deeper.

The game lets players discover lots of ancient High Republic sites on the planet Koboh, its broken moon, and the enigmatic Tanalorr. While the High Republic Jedi Knight Dagan Gera is a powerful enemy, the game doesn’t fully explain what the galaxy was like during that time, or why he became so obsessed with Tanalorr and turned to the dark side.

To really understand the characters of Gera and Jedi Master Santari Khri, and what motivates them, players should read the eight main High Republic novels and some of the Marvel comics. These stories offer a deeper look at the galaxy and the Jedi Order 200 years in the past, and how the war with the Nihil caused divisions and a shift towards a more military approach within the Jedi.

1. Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series

The Horrors of Mustafar

For a truly unique Star Wars experience, especially once you’re familiar with the broader story, Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series stands out. It puts you in the role of a smuggler with Force abilities, learning to control them while helping people fight against Darth Vader’s evil plans.

Okay, so most of Vader Immortal takes place inside and around Darth Vader’s castle on Mustafar. The game really builds on the planet’s backstory, but honestly, it gets even better if you’ve read the Star Wars: Darth Vader comic series by Charles Soule. That comic fills in a lot of details about what Vader was up to after Order 66 and explains how the castle was even built in the first place. It really adds a lot of context to everything you see in the game!

In this part of the story, players discover how Darth Momin, a powerful and unstable Sith Lord, caused Mustafar to change from a beautiful, green planet into the volcanic wasteland seen in most Star Wars content. Though the Jedi defeated Momin, his spirit lingered within his helmet. Later, Darth Vader used this helmet as the foundation for his fortress, hoping to reach Padmé’s spirit.

2026-05-20 16:12