Star Wars: The Force Unleashed Preview

"Difficult to see. Always in motion is the future." - Master Yoda

Feel my electrical wrath!

I never liked Stormtroopers anyway!

Since E3 2006, we haven't heard zilch from LucasArts. The fact that one of the most prominent developers in the industry remains quiet, without revealing even the slightest hint about what the company might be up to, certainly doesn't denote that they're larking about. All we were allowed to know is that the company is experimenting with "groundbreaking new technologies" to create new titles in the Indiana Jones and Star Wars franchises. However, expectations are higher than ever, now that the public is used to licenses like Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Star Wars: Battlefront, Star Wars: Empire at War and the Jedi Knight series. Surely enough, when it comes to video games, LucasArts has been known to pioneer the way for many genres. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed promises to be no exception.

Inevitably, this mysterious new project caught the interest of George Lucas, who was more than eager to work closely with the core team at LucasArts. Good old Georgy was evidently concerned about the setting as well as the story backbone, which for the most part is kept under wraps. Well, save for a few recently divulged tidbits, that is.

The game is set during the period between Episodes III and IV. You step into the boots of an avid young hero, secretly trained by everyone's favorite villain, Darth Vader. The principal character is extremely gifted in the ways of the Force (well, I wouldn't have it any other way, really), but there also appears to be a dark and sinister edge to his personality, unlike typical protagonists in other Star Wars games. However, it was specified that the leading character isn't a Sith, despite his evil streak and the fact that he wields a red lightsaber, which, as you know, has always been recognized as a distinct trademark of any self-respecting Sith Lord. In any case, Darth Vader is determined to complete the extinction of all remaining Jedi and will rely on you to finish the job. In case you were wondering, alongside Vader, the Emperor is also going to make an appearance, as another villainous Star Wars character. In addition to that, LucasArts let another interesting piece of news slip. Shaak Ti, a female Jedi included in Revenge of the Sith, but who never made it to the final cut of the movie, is also to grace us with her presence in the game. Other characters were revealed, such as Juno Eclipse, a blonde female imperial pilot, and General Kota, an aging Jedi commander, wielding a blue lighsaber and using a unique samurai fighting style.

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is in very early stages of development and, as it happens, a lot of details referring to the gameplay mechanics remain hidden. But after gathering a few crumbs here and there, we can presume that the development team intends to stick to some familiar elements from earlier Star Wars games. Knights of the Old Republic instantaneously leaps to mind. In similar fashion, players will be introduced to a space cruiser, named Rogue Shadow, no larger than the Millennium Falcon. Since the game is mostly action-oriented, nothing was mentioned about space travel ala KotOR. On the other hand, the Rogue Shadow will apparently be used to take you from one mission to another.

Endeavoring to wipe out any existing Jedi that might stand in Vader's way, you'll be sent on numerous assignments, relying on a range of destructive Force powers in the process. Speaking of Force powers, LucasArts decided to allow gamers to begin with four basic categories: Force Grip, Force Push, Force Lightning and Force Repulse (pushes enemies around you in a 360-degree radius). With time, your character is able to advance within each of these categories. Certain powers are, of course, connected strongly to the lightsaber, such as the famous lightsaber throw.

On several occasions, LucasArts was excited to point out the highly realistic effects exercised via the new-fangled physics. Simulating real-life physics, certain characters might react as you'd expect them to. If, for instance, you Force-pushed a Stormtrooper towards a precipice, you might witness him grabbing the edge and clinging on for dear life - instead of just plunging into the abyss right away. "Realistic" physics also denote pragmatic reaction time in certain situations, which means that the same "cliff-hanging" Stormtrooper could easily fall to his death if he's clinging on to particularly sensitive material, like worn out wood. Almost every move, with the use of the Force, causes a reaction of some sort. Let's say you use the powerful Force Repulse - the result may send enemies flying in all directions, as they dent metal surfaces, smash through glass or even batter through columns.

A Sith who had one too many...

Being knighted by Vader. A Sith dream come true.

The really delicious part is that both Xbox 360 and PS3 versions are being developed with the same technology used by G. Lucas and ILM in the movies. In that respect, many tools are being utilized, such as DMM (Digital Molecular Matter) and 'euphoria.' DMM indicates specific effects and reactions depending on definite real-world substances and material like metal, flesh, wood, glass, stone or even jelly. With that in mind, explosions and more destructive Force powers may have a greater impact on the environment, which in turn obliges you to consider your actions. Of course, it also calls for more sophisticate artificial intelligence. Alas, we have yet to see how these systems work in practice, but, for now, they do seem quite promising.

So, are there any bad omens about this game? Well, certainly the fact that LucasArts is determined to make such an awesome-looking Star Wars game, expressly for next-generation consoles, which will, no doubt, infuriate PC users. Of course, there's always a possibility of a PC port, but given LucasArts' recent achievements, such as the console title Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, I'm afraid it's fair to assume they mean to stick with the console version for now.

In a nutshell, that's about all the info we have on Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. The details are scarce, but it does give both gamers and hardcore Star Wars fans something to look forward to. Let's hope they don't screw it up.

By the way, you can check out more footage from SW: The Force Unleashed here and here - these clips basically show off the potential of the 'euphoria' technology.