Developer: LucasArts

Publisher: LucasArts

Release Date: Sept. 16, 2008

Systems: Xbox 360 (reviewed), PS3, Wii, PS2, a bunch of handhelds no one cares about

ESRB Rating: T

Official Web site

0:00 I've been looking forward to this one ever since I saw a demo of the physics/materials engine back at GDC '07. Let's see if the gameplay stands up to the impressive base.

0:01 The LucasArts logo just threw a lightsaber like a boomerang, cutting a hole in the black background. I can't decide if this was cheesy or inspired.

0:02 We jump directly to the title screen with standard Star Wars-style orchestra music and a silhouette standing in front of the "O" in "Force." After a while, a video demo begins. "THE SAGA CONTINUES" blares the title card as we pan over some impressively diverse alien environments. Man, this guy sure likes killing things with his lightsaber. "CHANGE THE FATE OF THE GALAXY." A few scenes feature what looks like Imperial Senate debates -- not as exciting. "MAY THE FORCE BLOW YOUR MIND." Is that supposed to be a pun on "May the force be with you"? Because if so, it's awful. The video ends with Mr. Lightsaber-man (didn't catch his name yet) standing next to Darth Vader. Ominous!

0:04 On to the Force Grip tutorial, which is something every young Jedi has to go through, I'm sure. "Welcome aboard the Rogue Shadow, master," says an off-screen robot. He goes on to tell me a bit about the training room. "All modules are designed to kill you... just like me." Wait, what? The narrator is designed to kill me?

0:05 The right trigger grabs an object with the Force, then the two sticks move it up, down, left, right, in and out pretty simply. It's fun, but I'm a bit peeved that I can't move while doing it. That would require too many fingers on the controller, I guess.

0:06 I smash three glass panels with some big black boxes that happen to be lying around. They shatter into realistic shards and the box spins on its axis in midair. Amazing how a nice physics engine increases a world's believability more than polished graphics.

0:08 Holy hell, is it fun to throw things at stormtroopers with the Force. It's even more fun because they dive out of the way right before I do it. My aim could use a little work, but I'm sure that will come with experience. Whee!

0:09 The difficulties for the main game are "Apprentice," "Sith Warrior," "Sith Lord" and "Locked." Shoudn't that be "Sith Locked"? I'll start with apprentice, because I don't want dying to distract from the box-throwing mayhem.

0:10 A controller flashes on screen showing even more Force powers: Force lightning and Force push. Reminds me of Batman, where everything has the "bat" prefix. The Force-arang! The Force-mobile!

0:11 The intro cut scene starts off confusingly: "WHERE IS YOUR MASTER?" "YOU KILLED MY MASTER YEARS AGO." "A son?" "Run!" What just happened? Oh, wait, now Darth Vader is talking. "At last, the dark side is your ally." My character rises in front of Vader. "What is your will, my master?" Vader's spies found a Jedi Master named Rahm Kota who he wants dead. "The emperor cannot discover you... kill everyone aboard." I look a little apprehensive about that part, but I finally agree.

0:12 Cut to a star destroyer, where I'm shuttled in and I'm immediately ready for action. There are a few droids meandering around -- perfect for practicing my Force throws. I like how the lightsaber cuts them into two clean halves. Whee!

0:14 Oh man, my guy has a double-jump! Yessssss! This is about the only thing that could make a Jedi cooler! This game just got 10 times more awesome.

0:15 Normal guys open doors with keys. Dark Jedi apprentices use the "Force push" to crumple them.

0:16 The stormtroopers actually stop firing and run away when I get close. Who can blame them? I'm a total bad-ass!

0:17 Using the Force push to scatter a big pile of blocks into the troopers is a lot simpler than picking up and aiming them. A lot more cathartic, too. Scatter, peons!

0:19 I just threw a stormtrooper into a freaking TIE fighter that just happens to be sitting in the hangar. I can almost feel the explosion.

0:21 I know I set the difficulty to easy, but this just seems unfair (for my side). They send 10 stormtroopers at me, but one Force push and one exploding barrel throw and it's down to two left standing. Not that I'm complaining -- bowling them all over is fun! Still...

0:24 The rebels have deployed TIE fighters to fly through the massive open skies of my area. How do I take them out? Why, I bend a girder in their path, of course. Kaboom!

0:25 I love the way my character kind of nonchalantly brushes aside some of the blaster fire with his lightsaber. I don't even have to do anything. It's like an afterthought to this dude.

0:28 My first tough opponent: an AT-ST walker (yes I'm a nerd for knowing the name). He stomps me down whenever I get close, so using the lightsaber is out. The Force push knocks him off balance, but it seems Force throwing the limited exploding barrels and detritus around is what really does damage.

0:30 After I drain the walker's health bar, a series of buttons appear on screen. Pressing them activates some spectacular flips and such, culminating in a lightsaber slash right down the center of the thing. Kind of cool to watch, but I feel a bit disconnected from the whole thing.

0:31 Just like that the free demo is over. The video from earlier plays again. Perfect timing. I have just enough of the hour left to go through on a harder difficulty!

0:32 The highest difficulty, "Sith Lord," features "difficult combat against enemies that can only be defeated through great skill, strong determination, and a thorough understanding of the Force and all its applications." Hoo boy.

0:33 Looking at the on-screen controller again, I realize I totally neglected the block button and the Force dash button! Whoops!

0:38 So "Sith Lord" mode is harder, but mainly because the stormtroopers fire at me more and there's more of them. Still, they all give me floating health orbs after they die, so I'm managing to hang on somehow. The Force dash is a big help for getting across the big rooms. The blocking is less useful, as it requires me to stand still. Boo.

0:40 My first death comes shortly after a hangar that was absolutely crawling with troopers. Maybe I should have blocked more. No matter. I restart practically right where I was.

0:42 The increased difficulty has forced me to mix up attacks. Where before I'd just stand there and line up a Force grab shot, now I throw it and follow up quickly with lightning a dash and a lightsaber combo. Seems to be working well.

0:46 A few of the storm troopers have now been replaced with tougher guys wielding glowing energy clubs. Weird how the lightsaber doesn't just CUT THEM IN HALF!

0:47 The AT-ST takes me out right quick this time. I was already weak, true, but that blaster it has does INSANE damage. I've gotta learn to block, or something, I guess.

0:49 This time I'm a little smarter about the battle, lining up some grabbable, throwable ammo before the walker appears and trying to stay out of range of the more powerful blasters. The walker eventually catches up to me, though, and I explode a barrel in my face accidentally for a quick death. Grumble.

0:54 This time, I try setting up some explosive barrels before the impending battle, but they explode as I try to set them down. No matter. This time I'm much more careful about staying out of range of the big guns, launching my detritus from way across the room, and using the scattered stormtroopers as health regeneration stations. I still have to get close for the final acrobatic slicing, though.

0:56 FYI, the last difficulty is still locked. Do I have to play on the middling "Sith Warrior" too? Lame.

Would I play this game for more than an hour? Yes.


Why? I'm not usually big on Star Wars games, but I'm really digging the sheer destruction on display here. The nice physics and artificial intelligence don't hurt, but it's the feeling of pure power that's really enticing.

This column is based on a demo version of the game downloaded from Xbox Live.

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