Let’s make something clear: Despite recent efforts to rehabilitate the Star Wars prequels, these films are simply not very good. George Lucas’ final trilogy is defined by flat direction, cumbersome dialogue, and an obsession with 3DCGI tech that makes nearly every scene detached and alienating — a flaw that’s only worsened with time. Aside from Revenge of the Sith, which still fumbles key moments, these movies are downright tedious, and were rightly panned at release. Even with these flaws, the prequels have one great boon; buried beneath the horrible execution are nuggets of something compelling.

Star Wars Zero Company harvests much of this raw potential. Working in a realm pioneered by the Clone Wars TV series, Bit Reactor and Respawn Entertainment’s turn-based strategy game convincingly places us in the late Republic era, where a band of mercenaries ends up way in over their heads as the world crumbles around them.

Perhaps most impressively, Zero Company does all this within the margins of a tactics game, as you spend dozens of hours methodically blasting Separatists and cult members in cleverly constructed skirmishes. This combination ends up fitting: you spend so much engrossed in what’s right in front of you, as background news briefings and idle chatter point toward something very dark on the horizon. It’s not your problem until it very much is.

You play as Hawks, a disgraced Republic officer in charge of the ailing mercenary crew Zero Company. It’s a ragtag outfit, and while Hawks is former military, their squad takes in all kinds: former Separatists, discharged clones, freedom fighters, legendary warriors, and misfits alike.

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