The Star Wars saga will continue in Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, a videogame developed by LucasArts, which casts players as Darth Vader's "Secret Apprentice" and promises to unveil new revelations about the Star Wars galaxy. The expansive story, created under direction from George Lucas, is set during the largely unexplored era between Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope. In it, players will assist the iconic villain in his quest to rid the universe of Jedi - and face decisions that could change the course of their destiny. As its name implies, The Force Unleashed completely re-imagines the scope and scale of the Force. The Wii version will not only give you a solid story-line developed by LucasArts involving the Darth Vader's secret apprentice, but you'll experience a new style of gameplay only the Wii can offer. With the Wiimote and Nunchuck you'll be able to battle your way through your enemies utilizing your Lightsaber attacks and Force powers. Not only can you experience this new control system in story mode, but you can also try your Jedi skills against a friend in the Wii, "Battle Mode." Joining the Dark Side doesn't seem like such a bad idea after all. Game Features: During the period between Episodes III and IV, players hunt Jedi in the role of Darth Vader's Secret Apprentice. Unleash and upgrade the Secret Apprentice's four core Force powers - Force push, grip, repulse and lightning - throughout the course of the game, and combine them for ultra-destructive, never-before-seen combos. Examples of unleashing the Force in ways never thought possible: The Secret Apprentice won't just Force push enemies into walls - he'll Force push enemies through walls. The Secret Apprentice won't just Force grip foes to throw them aside - he'll Force grip them in midair, zap them with lightning, then drop them to the ground to explode like a bomb. In addition to new adversaries created just for the game, such as fugitive Jedi and Force-sensitive Felucians, players will also confront and associate with familiar faces from the Star Wars films, including Darth Vader. Visit locations such as Episode III's Wookiee homeworld Kashyyyk and the floral Felucia, the junk planet Raxus Prime, plus an Imperial TIE fighter construction facility. The Wii system's "Battle Mode," a one on one fighting arena simliar to the classic game, Star Wars: Masters of Teras Kasi. Use the Wiimote to slash and pierce your enemies with your Jedi Lightsaber while you use the Wii Nunchuk to disable other opponents with your Force Powers. LucasArts is preparing an unprecedented promotional effort around the launch of The Force Unleashed, encompassing a full line of toys and game-based action figures from Hasbro, as well as a full publishing program from Dark Horse, Del Rey and Palace Press.
The Star Wars saga will continue in Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, a videogame developed by LucasArts, which casts players as Darth Vader's "Secret Apprentice" and promises to unveil new revelations about the Star Wars galaxy. The expansive story, created under direction from George Lucas, is set during the largely unexplored era between Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope. In it, players will assist the iconic villain in his quest to rid the universe of Jedi - and face decisions that could change the course of their destiny.
Join the Dark Side
You are Darth Vader's Secret Apprentice
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Use the Force to disable your enemies
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Artwork of the Jedi "Maris"
.As its name implies, The Force Unleashed completely re-imagines the scope and scale of the Force. The Wii version will not only give you a solid story-line developed by LucasArts involving the Darth Vader's secret apprentice, but you'll experience a new style of gameplay only the Wii can offer. With the Wiimote and Nunchuck you'll be able to battle your way through your enemies utilizing your Lightsaber attacks and Force powers. Not only can you experience this new control system in story mode, but you can also try your Jedi skills against a friend in the Wii, "Battle Mode." Joining the Dark Side doesn't seem like such a bad idea after all.
Game Features:
During the period between Episodes III and IV, players hunt Jedi in the role of Darth Vader's Secret Apprentice.
Unleash and upgrade the Secret Apprentice's four core Force powers - Force push, grip, repulse and lightning - throughout the course of the game, and combine them for ultra-destructive, never-before-seen combos.
Examples of unleashing the Force in ways never thought possible:The Secret Apprentice won't just Force push enemies into walls - he'll Force push enemies through walls.
The Secret Apprentice won't just Force grip foes to throw them aside - he'll Force grip them in midair, zap them with lightning, then drop them to the ground to explode like a bomb.
In addition to new adversaries created just for the game, such as fugitive Jedi and Force-sensitive Felucians, players will also confront and associate with familiar faces from the Star Wars films, including Darth Vader.
Visit locations such as Episode III's Wookiee homeworld Kashyyyk and the floral Felucia, the junk planet Raxus Prime, plus an Imperial TIE fighter construction facility.
The Wii system's "Battle Mode," a one on one fighting arena simliar to the classic game, Star Wars: Masters of Teräs Käsi.
Use the Wiimote to slash and pierce your enemies with your Jedi Lightsaber while you use the Wii Nunchuk to disable other opponents with your Force Powers.
LucasArts is preparing an unprecedented promotional effort around the launch of The Force Unleashed, encompassing a full line of toys and game-based action figures from Hasbro, as well as a full publishing program from Dark Horse, Del Rey and Palace Press.
Meet the Cast
The Star Wars Saga will continue in 2008 with LucasArts' biggest-ever video game event. Set during the "dark times" between Episodes III and IV, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed portrays the previously untold story of Darth Vader's Secret Apprentice -- and now you can put a face to that mysterious character as well as the major supporting cast members as LucasArts unveils the actors set to star in The Force Unleashed.
The Technology of The Force Unleashed
With The Force Unleashed, LucasArts not only introduces a new chapter in the Star Wars saga, but also pushes the Wii's game engine to deliver amazing detail and realism only found in a Star Wars title. You will experience gameplay and the Force like you never had before.
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed Wii Review
By Mike Nelson -- 17/9/2008
To say that I was looking forward to Star Wars: The Force Unleashed would be an understatement. One look around my cubicle and you'll see just how strong the Force of my fandom really is. So when the assignments came out, I snatched it up and popped it in. But some six hours later, I was left with a "meh" feeling that has forever permeated my Star Wars shrine. At least my cubicle became a popular place to visit. Many editors would pop in the cube and ask, "Is it any good?" Well, Krome Studios isn't known for their ability to make outstanding games from pre-existing properties (Viva Pi ñata: Party Animals, Hellboy: The Science of Evil), and The Force Unleashed doesn't do much to change that reputation.
Swinging the Wii Remote to attack enemies with a lightsaber and thrusting the Nunchuk forward to execute Force pushes is reasonably satisfying, but after the first few linear levels of dispatching hordes of mindless enemies, the game begins to feel tedious. Context-sensitive events are thrown in to add some variety, but they only serve to pull you out of the experience -- maraca-like controller shaking does not a great Jedi game make.
The story is the only element of the game that's truly compelling, but even that creates more canonical questions than answers. Like, for example, when did stormtroopers get shields and become immune to your Force powers, negating the point of upgrading said powers? Throw in Dual Mode, an offline-only subpar fighting game, and no option to increase the main game's difficulty and you further curb any desire to continue playing for more than a day or two.
The days of Jedi Knight, Rogue Squadron, and TIE Fighter are quickly becoming distant memories of what it was like to sit down and feel like we really were in a galaxy far, far away -- The Force Unleashed on the Wii can't hold a candle to those classics.