Recently, I reported an exciting new mod for the hit video game Helldivers 2. The mod transforms the interplanetary space battlefield into an incredibly immersive adaptation of the Star Wars animated show, The Clone Wars. At the time we published that article, the mod had not been released to the general public, but now, aside from a few elements that require permission from other creators, almost all of the mod is now available for download on the Nexus Mods website. I was able to interview the head of the mod team that created this Helldivers 2 Clone Wars mashup, who goes by @ToastedShoes online, and ask him a few questions.

Alex: Clearly, you and your team spent a lot of time making this as accurate to Star Wars The Clone Wars as you could. How much of a fan of  The Clone Wars are you, and of Star Wars in general?

ToastedShoes: I’m actually a HUGE fan of The Clone Wars animated show! I remember watching it the day it came out on Cartoon Network and going to see the prequels at the cinema. It was a huge part of my childhood, and I’m still an avid watcher of everything Star Wars.

Alex: Of all the epic space battle games out there, what first made you think Helldivers 2 would make a great Clone Wars game?

ToastedShoes: I think the nature of the game just lends itself perfectly to the Clone Wars. Being a nameless trooper fighting against an onslaught of enemies draws many comparisons to the Clone Wars I feel. I think a Star Wars game made in that genre would really lend itself greatly.

Alex: From a layperson’s perspective, it seems like this mod was a rather large undertaking. What were some of the challenges creating this Helldivers 2 mod?

ToastedShoes: The biggest challenges were reverse engineering the [Helldivers 2] game engine itself. It took 8 weeks of brute force, but the guys got there in the end. They are literally the best at what they do.

Alex: The mod pack you put together is pretty comprehensive, but are there plans to add to this Clone Wars mod pack?

ToastedShoes: Yes, there is! We would love to overhaul all the weapons, sounds, more skins, etc. Some stuff we can’t do due to limitations, but that would be the end goal.

Alex: Is there anything that you wish you could have added, but that ended up not working?

ToastedShoes: Sound mods are something we tried but sadly couldn’t get to work. We also tried to mod the drop ships as the droid drop ships from the Star Wars prequels but couldn’t get it to work.

Thanks to ToastedShoes for giving us the chance to ask these questions about his team’s project. Personally, I can’t wait to download the full Clone Wars mod pack and start blasting battle droids, and sharing the occasional hug, with friends as our favorite Clone Troopers (plus Din Djarin from The Mandalorian and Jar Jar). We completely agree with Mr. Shoes that we need a good triple-A game, based on The Clone Wars, in the same genre as Helldivers 2. However, until Lucasfilm takes the hint, this epic mod will keep us fully entertained.