Rewind – ‘Star Wars: The Force Unleashed’ Rolls Out New Mission…
December 5, 2008
In Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 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 by taking full advantage of newly developed technologies that will be seen and experienced for the first time: Digital Molecular Matter (DMM), by Pixelux Entertainment, and euphoria by NaturalMotion Ltd. Paired with the powerful Havok Physics system, these new technologies create gameplay only possible on the new generation of consoles.
DMM incorporates the physical properties of anything in the environment so that everything reacts exactly like it should – wood breaks like wood, glass shatters like glass, plants on the planet Felucia bend like plants on the planet Felucia would, and more. Meanwhile, as a revolutionary behavioral-simulation engine, euphoria enables interactive characters to move, act and even think like actual human beings, adapting their behavior on the fly and resulting in a different payoff every single time.
LucasArts has released two rounds of additional content for Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, available through Xbox Live Marketplace and the PlayStation Network.
The first piece of downloadable content features additional costumes (Utility Combat Suit Apprentice, Animated-style Apprentice, and Spirit Apprentice) and character models that can used while playing through the single-player campaign, including Republic Trooper, Tatooine Luke, Ben Kenobi, Jedi Master Plo Koon, Count Dooku, Jango Fett, and C-3PO.
The second round of downloadable content adds an entirely new single-player mission, set in the Jedi Temple on the planet Coruscant. Darth Vader’s Secret Apprentice turns to the Jedi Temple to learn more about his father, and while searching through the rubble of the destroyed building he must confront his inner demons.
Both sets of content are being created by LucasArts’ internal development team, additional themes and picture packs will also be released over time.
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.
Decisions made by players throughout the game will determine the path of the story, including multiple endings that will rock Star Wars continuity as they know it.
The Force Unleashed is LucasArts’ first internally developed title for next-generation consoles, and it represents the first in-game collaboration of talents and technology between LucasArts and Industrial Light & Magic, two companies now finally under one roof at the new Letterman Digital Arts Center in San Francisco’s Presidio district.
The Force Unleashed debuts Digital Molecular Matter from Pixelux and euphoria behavioral simulation from NaturalMotion Ltd.
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 Force Unleashed is the first next-generation game developed internally at LucasArts, and will be available on the Xbox 360 and PS3. Krome Studios are creating an equally enthralling version of The Force Unleashed on the Wii, PS2 and PSP, while n-Space, Inc., is developing a version for the NDS. All will feature the same storyline, with opportunities to unleash the Force in devastating new ways.
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed will be released on Sept. 16, 2008 in the United States, Sept. 17 in Southeast Asia and Australia, and Sept. 19 in Europe.
The Force Unleashed Makes Top September’s NDP Charts…
October 21, 2008
I guess The Force Unleashed isn’t quite as bad as some people make it out to be as it came out on top of the National Purchase Diary charts for the most sold video game for September.
“According to 1UP.com, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed was the most-purchased videogame in the United States for the month of September! Each month, the NPD (National Purchase Diary) releases the top items purchased in many different categories. This month, TFU took three of the top ten slots, totaling 1,158,000 units sold (darn, 20,000 units too many)!
September 2008 Software Sales (US only)
1. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (360) — 610,000
2. Wii Fit (Wii) — 518,00
3. Rock Band 2 (360) — 363,000
4. Mario Kart Wii (Wii) — 353,000
5. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (PS3) — 325,000
6. Mercenaries 2: World in Flames (360) — 297,000
7. Wii Play (Wii) — 243,000
8. Madden NFL 09 (360) — 224,000
9. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (Wii) — 223,000
10. Madden NFL 09 (PS2) — 158,000
This is great! TFU is an amazing game, and deserves this. Just think what the numbers would have been if the game had been released at the beginning of the month, instead of the middle!
Note: While most stores submit their sales data to NPD, some do not. NPD uses a group of experts who are able to closely estimate the sales data for missing stores. NPD only covers stores in the United States. Worldwide TFU sales are much higher.”
Source: TheForce.net
Will ‘Force Unleashed’ be the next ‘Star Wars’ film?…
September 26, 2008
I was very intrigued to read this article posted by the LA.Times. Basically they are saying that it quite possible that this maybe the next Star Wars movies. This would definitely be a killer story as well as a great movie, at least there wouldn’t be as many glitches… Just kidding…
I thought that I did read somewhere though, that after The Revenge of the Sith, that would be the last real Star Wars movie, although I could be mistaken, if someone wants to let me know.
What do you guys think, should there be a Force Unleashed movie, or would it be a complete waste of time. I’m definitely interested to hear your comments.
I would like to thank everybody on behalf of forceunleashed.org for all their support, during our long wait for the release of the game, I appreciate it very much, with that note I have launched another site covering the news on the rumored, Knights of the Old Republic 3 – MMO. You can check it out here, I could use the support!
Here is the post from the LA.Times:
Haden Blackman, the project leader on “The Force Unleashed” video game, has a daydream: He strolls into the movie theater, buys some popcorn and then sits down and watches his game’s tale of Darth Vader and his secret apprentice flicker to life as cinema.
“Oh, that would be incredible,” said Blackman. “And it’s not impossible. Never say never. George [Lucas] has looked to tell new ‘Star Wars’ stories through the games and with the entire Star Wars Expanded Universe, and then he has also shown a willingness to let the characters come into the films. Look at Aayla Secura, a creation in the [Dark Horse] comic books who became part of the theatrical films.”
More than that, “Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” released in August, began as a television animated series (and still will be, with tie-in episodes premiering Oct. 3 on Cartoon Network), but when Lucas saw the work in progress he decided to take the tale to the cineplex. That film has gotten mixed reviews, to say the least, but Lucas doesn’t seem to care a bit about the opinion of any detractors when it comes to his historic entertainment enterprise and its directions.
Dark Horse has also released a graphic novel version of “The Force Unleashed” and, to my mind, it’s more satisfying than the game — although in full disclosure, that’s not saying much, because I am far more of a reader than a gamer. Blackman not only penned the story for the graphic novel, he also has a lavish 224-page book titled “The Art and Making of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed” that celebrates the images and behind-the-scenes labor on the game as if it already were a major motion picture. An adapatation of the film in a traditional prose novel written by Australian sci-fi author Sean Williams also hit No. 1 on the New York Times list of hardcover fiction bestsellers and now, after four weeks, is at No. 14 on that tally.
Lucas is clearly pleased with this new entry to the broader “Star Wars” story and I would not be surprised for a moment to see it on a theater marquee at a CG-animated project in the next few years, especially with the intensifying Hollywood interest in video games and toys as film properties. There’s also the very real power of putting Darth Vader on a movie poster in the theater lobbies of America.
If the “The Force Unleashed” does become a movie, Blackman said it would be a testament to the priorities and sophisticated ideas of his team, who he says puts storytelling and game-play on equal footing and emphasized “the artistic nature” of the quickly changing video-game medium. “It’s an incredible time,” he said, “to be telling powerful stories in this fairly young medium.”
Perhaps, but like the most recent film addition to the Lucas universe, there was huge pre-release anticipation for “The Force Unleashed,” followed by widespread grumbling. It hit stores Sept. 16 and topped the 1-million units sales mark in its first five days, according to industry retail reports, but the reviews have been decidedly mixed.
Here’s the take, for instance, by Hero Complex contributor Pete Metzger, who reviewed the game for the Los Angeles Times and echoed many other underwhelmed gamers:
Most of the things that make up the “Star Wars” universe these days — movies, TV shows, toys and video games — are lacking the magic that made the original trilogy of films so incredible. Gone are the spectacle and awe. Instead, we get halfhearted disappointments (such as the current “Clone Wars” animated movie).
Sadly, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is no exception. It should be an amazing story bridge between Episodes 3 and 4 and one that boasts groundbreaking new artificial intelligence and gaming technology. But Unleashed fails to register the tremor in the Force we were hoping for.
Force Unleashed: Gamplay Videos – Wii, PSP, PS2
August 29, 2008
So over the last little bit, we have seen some great videos of The Force Unleashed on the XBOX 360 and the Playstation 3. So here’s some gameplay features for the Ninendo Wii, PSP and Playstation 2.
Also be sure to check out Gamespots Force Unleashed Launch center next Friday, September 5 for a special live gameplay marathon! That sounds like it will pretty sweet.
Gametrailers: The Force Unleashed – Exclusive Felucia Level Debut Gameplay
August 27, 2008
Gametrailers.com has posted an exclusive look at the Felucia level in The Force Unleashed. The Fulcia level looks absolutely stunning and the graphics are amazing. This little sneak peak, for me anyway, gives a better look into how the actual gameplay is and gives a better feel of the game.
Here’s some additional info on the planet Felucia:
Felucia had a diversity of bizarre plants, fungi, and animals which were almost rubber-like and translucent, as well as enormous Pitchers. When the sun shone, the environment glittered like multicolored glass. Most of Felucia was entirely covered by a humid, fetid landscape of huge fungal forests, and its wildlife included native gelagrubs, immigrated acklays, and a prodigious sarlacc.
During the Clone Wars, Felucia became the headquarters of the Commerce Guild which supported the Confederacy of Independent Systems. Felucia would become a valuable member world and was as a result named by Supreme Chancellor Palpatine as part of a “Triad of Evil,” alongside Mygeeto and Saleucami.
The planet was attacked during the Outer Rim Sieges. After the first attack, 19 BBY, Barriss Offee and Zonder were imprisoned on the planet. Aayla Secura took the Intrepid to Felucia to capture Shu Mai and rescue Barriss and Zonder; meanwhile, the Separatists began their attack on Coruscant.
Clone troopers on the surface of Felucia.With the help of Padawan Ekria, Aayla rescued Barriss and Zonder from the Nigkoe Detention Facility, resulting in a full-fledged ground battle. The Republic forces then assaulted Shu Mai’s personal compound, not realizing Mai had already evacuated and was on Utapau.
The Jedi infiltrated the compound, found Mai long gone, but managed to shut down the droid army remotely, letting Commander Bly’s clone troops into the compound, at the same time the Invisible Hand was crashing onto Coruscant.
Unfortunately, the compound was booby-trapped, and released toxins, killing many clones. The Jedi barely escaped before the entire compound exploded, but many clones did not. The trap also triggered a “poisoned well” policy to keep the planet from being of worth to the Republic, unleashing a highly poisonous biological agent into the water supply of Felucia’s natural planet-wide aquatic distribution system, capable of infecting the entire planet in four days.
Shu Mai had left behind forces ordered to fortify the planet’s major water treatment facilities. They knew the only way to prevent the deaths of millions was to take over the facilities and contain the toxin. The Jedi Council sent Stass Allie with clone reinforcements to Felucia.
Stass dropped off the clone reinforcements and Padawan Drake Lo’gaan on Felucia and then headed to Saleucami. The Republic forces split into three forces, each headed toward a different facility: Barriss, Lieutenant Inc, and Lieutenant Barr to Har Gau; Ekria, Zonder, Drake, and Lieutenant Galle to Jiaozi; and Aayla and Commander Bly to Niango.
AT-OT in use on Felucia.Barriss’s forces defeated a Commerce Guild patrol, at the cost of Lieutenant Inc’s life. Barriss ordered Lieutenant Barr’s troops to abandon her and go get Lieutenant Galle for help.
Meanwhile, Lieutenant Galle used a staged retreat to distract the Commerce Guild forces from the facility at Jiaozi, which the Padawans were able to infiltrate. The Padawans completed their mission at Jiaozi by shutting down the outgoing pipes before the arrival of the toxin, but were unable to access the controls of the Niango and Har Gau.
Ekria was puzzled when she detected a Confederacy-encrypted holo from Coruscant being received by Bly, not understanding that it was Darth Sidious relaying Order 66. Ekria was able to tap into the clone-cam feeds of Bly’s troops and behold Aayla, who was spooked by the complete silence of the wildlife as she and Bly headed towards Niango. As Aayla was distracted by a native bird taking to the air, she was gunned down from behind by Bly and the other clones.
Simultaneously, Barriss was fighting alone, surrounded by droids. To her relief, she saw Lieutenant Galle’s men seemingly rush to her rescue, but instead they shot her down.
The Padawans were horrified by Aayla’s murder, but able to decrypt the message and hear Order 66. They then heard a new message on Republic channels from Coruscant: “Calling all Jedi. This is Supreme Chancellor Palpatine. The war is over. I repeat, the war is over. All Jedi are ordered to return to the Jedi Temple immediately. You will receive further instructions when you arrive.”
The Padawans then checked Galle’s clone-cam, and saw that Galle’s troops were about to burst into the Jiaozi facility to kill the Padawans. The Padawans barely escaped, and would later head to Coruscant.
The Felucia landscape.After the clone wars, the damage to the eco-system combined with the pain and suffering felt on the planet caused many of the force sensitive Felucians to teeter dangerously close to the dark side. This made Felucia an even more dangerous place.
During the Great Jedi Purge, Darth Vader sent his secret apprentice Galen Marek to Felucia to deal with Force-sensitives there. Master Shaak Ti had exiled herself to this planet, where she was training Jedi and Force sensitives on Felucia for a confrontation with the Dark Lord. The Empire established a prison facility on Felucia, from which agents of Bail Organa rescued Admiral Gilder Varth.
The Empire would occupy Felucia into the time of the Galactic Civil War. Jabba Desilijic Tiure had sent a Sith holocron that he spent half his wealth on to Felucia to be protected by the Empire, where it was stolen by the Zann Consortium. It was during this time that Tyber Zann here led a contingent of his underworld mercenaries against the Imperial forces. However, Zann would get captured by Imperial forces as part of a trap set up by Jabba, although he would later escape.
Source: Wookiepedia
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