Wasson began by showing the very start of the game. Accompanied by John Williams' classic theme, the Star Wars logo began scrolling from the bottom of the screen. After providing viewers with a short rundown of the situation (similar to what happens in the Star Wars films), the game displayed a Star Destroyer above the Wookie homeworld of Kashyyyk. As an Imperial Shuttle descended from the mammoth spacecraft, we felt as if we were watching the opening scene of a Star Wars movie. To give players an introduction to the game, Wasson explained that you initially play as Darth Vader (yes, the Dark Lord of the Sith himself) to get a feel for Force powers and lightsaber combat.
The game's HUD features two energy bars – the green bar represents health, while blue shows Force energy. Using the Force depletes the blue bar, but it recharges over time. Wasson demonstrated how players can use the Force to throw objects, grapple enemies and move obstacles. A blue hue is displayed around objects that lifted with the Force. One of the triggers on the controller is used to initiate control of the Force, and the right thumbstick moves objects and enemies in the desired direction. Force powers are somewhat average at the start of the game, but they can be levelled up as you progress in the game. The Force Unleashed really looks like it will give players the greatest Jedi experience yet. Indeed, the amount of objects that can be controlled with the Force and the utter devastation that it causes is quite remarkable.
Stormtroopers will be the fodder of your Force powers.
Wasson also showed how The Force Unleashed's new game technologies operate. The first, Euphoria, causes artificial intelligence to act more realistically and sporadically. For example, Wasson demonstrated how an AI character will grab for its counterparts on the ground if it is levitated in the air. The other mechanic, Digital Molecular Matter (or DMM) gives the game's environments a more natural feel. For instance, if you use the Force to shatter wood, it will never splinter in the exact the same way.
Though the Force is a large element of The Force Unleashed, lightsaber combat is an equally important feature. Players will be able to unleash powerful combos on enemies like stormtroopers, exiled Jedi and Rancors (the mammoth creatures from Return of the Jedi). The character's lightsaber can be upgraded and the colour of the blade changed in the Wii and PlayStation 2 versions, but we were not informed if the same can be done on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 formats.
Once you beat one of the game's many bosses, a quick-time event plays out, whereby players have to press buttons in a predetermined sequence in order to finish the fight. Wasson informed us that these events are not an additional test but rather a reward, as if you get the sequence right you see the apprentice perform special manoeuvres. Indeed, if you fail to press any of the buttons in time, you will be able to repeat the process until you get it right.
Just as the Force is an integral part of combat, so is lightsaber prowess.
As the level Wasson was playing came to an end, Darth Vader closed in on his objective – a Jedi that had survived Order 66. Once the target was eradicated, Vader made a startling discovery – the Jedi had a son. Rather then kill the infant, the Sith Lord made the decision to train him as a Dark Jedi. A number of years pass, and it is only then that players get control of the game's central character – Darth Vader's secret apprentice. Though the secret apprentice is loyal to the Dark Lord of the Sith, 'the theme of the story is redemption' says Wasson. Indeed, The Force Unleashed contains many surprises, but we dare not divulge any more here.
The Force Unleashed takes place in familiar Star Wars locations, and each stage is split into a number of primary and bonus objectives. In the words of Wasson, levels have an 'epic feel'. For example, in one of the levels we were shown, the apprentice was walking down a hallway when it suddenly opened into a gigantic chamber with TIE Fighters zooming overhead. Another feature of The Force Unleashed that impressed us was the visuals. Even though the game is a few months away from completion, it ran at 30 frames per second for the majority of the demonstration. Models, textures and animations looked great, and the cutscenes were equally polished.
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed will be relished by fans of the film and anyone who has ever dreamed of dropping a stormtrooper over the edge of a cliff with the Force. From the sections of the game we saw, the Xbox 360 version seems quite polished and using the power of the Force to overpower enemies looks wickedly entertaining. With a classic story and high production values, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is shaping up as the next big thing for LucasArts when it is released on September 17th.
Stay tuned to PALGN later this week when we deliver our hands-on impressions of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed on the Nintendo Wii.
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