The Force Unleashed ... unleashed on September 16

59 Comments by Ludwig Kietzmann Apr 3rd 2008 11:15AM
Filed under: Nintendo DS, Sony PlayStation 2, Sony PlayStation 3, Sony PSP, Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Xbox 360

After the strain induced by writing such a complex and infinitely witty headline, we think it would be best to stay on target for the rest of the post and merely deliver the facts. LucasArts has announced that its physics-based jedi sim, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, will arrive on September 16th in the United States, September 17th in Southeast Asia and Australia, and September 19th in Europe. That's the plan and, given our anticipation for the title, we can only pray the publisher doesn't alter it any further.

Developed internally for the Xbox 360 and PS3, The Force Unleashed has players becoming Darth Vader's "Secret Apprentice" and, as the title vaguely alludes to, unleashing the force. Other "equally enthralling" versions of the game releasing on the same date include the Krome Studios-developed Wii, PS2 and PSP titles, as well as a DS game from n-Space. You'll be able to spot exclusive footage on SpikeTV this month, but rather than subjecting you to watching it for hours on end, we've posted a schedule of the game's appearances after the break.

Gallery: Star Wars: The Force Unleashed

April 6 at 7:58 p.m. ET/PT – between the premiere of Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones and Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith
April 11 at 10:52 p.m. ET/PT – At the end of Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope
April 12 at 12:00 a.m. ET/PT – throughout an episode of GameTrailers TV with Geoff Keighley filmed at LucasArts' headquarters in San Francisco
April 12 at 5:06 p.m. ET/PT – before Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope
April 13 at 5:06 p.m. ET/PT – before Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back

Tags: BreakingNews, Krome, LucasArts, n-Space, Star-Wars, Star-Wars-The-Force-Unleashed, StarWars, The-Force-Unleashed

(Page 1) Reader Comments

Lonecow: Apr 3rd 2008; 11:20AM

With all the hype for this the last few weeks I was getting excited for it and expecting it sooner then Sept. Hope I don't forget about it by then.

Bloo: Apr 3rd 2008; 12:23PM

I don't think you'll forget. This game looks hotter than that planet that Anakin got his arms and legs chopped off on...

Nigeria: Cody ChesnuTT Defense Force: Apr 3rd 2008; 11:21AM

Is that a screenshot of the Wii version?

Looks real good.

WiiSports Machine...Fernandos in disguise PSN: Killjebus: Apr 3rd 2008; 11:42AM

No, that's the Atari 2600 version.

WiiSports Machine...Fernandos in disguise PSN: Killjebus: Apr 3rd 2008; 11:45AM

I'm sorry, I was wrong. That is NOT the Atari 2600 version, it's the TRS-80 or more affectionately known as the Trash 80 version.

To answer your question asshat (if you were NOT being sarcastic)
that is the PS3 or 360 version.

Nigeria: Cody ChesnuTT Defense Force: Apr 3rd 2008; 11:45AM

I was mistaken, it's the DS version.

xFenixKnightx: Apr 3rd 2008; 11:48AM

Krazy Ken,

I think that was a joke, but he forgot the =P emoticon. Well actually, I think that HE thinks hes too cool to use those. =P

Nigeria: Cody ChesnuTT Defense Force: Apr 3rd 2008; 11:50AM

xFenixKnightx: Apr 3rd 2008; 11:52AM

o_O

Dude, you just blew my mind! lulz

ComicShaman: Apr 3rd 2008; 6:32PM

Another amusing obstacle to 1:1 control in swordplay, albeit not as severe as the one you mention, is the game would have to account for what happens when you stab yourself. Which you will do accidentally if you're flailing around with the Wiimote. Sure, your weapon could just pass through your body, but that would be kind of lame.

I also notice that the Apprentice uses a reverse grip. Does that mean you'd hold your Wiimote upside-down? That would be inconvenient.

Phranctoast: Apr 3rd 2008; 11:22AM

Ill def be getting the game for PS3, but this may be the game that makes me go out and purchase a wii, for the saber dueling.

Really wish it was coming out before Sept, since there seems to be a Summer drought in July-Aug (when does Mercenaries2 come out again?)

SugarDaddy: Apr 3rd 2008; 11:33AM

Um, don't get your hopes up for saber dueling on the Wii. It's not going to have exact control over the lightsaber. It's going to be basic movements like Zelda. Hack with the wiimote and you swing the saber. In other words, it's going to be lame. Definitely get it on the 360 or PS3 because the technology will be so much better.

Kye - NDF Sniper: Apr 3rd 2008; 12:03PM

We need a SW thats built ground-up for the Wii.

Kye needs him some 1:1 lightsaber control.

Phranctoast: Apr 3rd 2008; 12:04PM

You sure about that? I recall an interview with LucasArts saying they were happy the way the outsourced wii development for this game was going. They made it sound like it would be controlled well with the wiimote.

Shmil (Brawl Code 2621-2310-1994): Apr 3rd 2008; 12:29PM

@sugar daddy
well they posted the wii controls yesterday. You'll be able to hack left, right, up, down, and stab all with the wiimote, sure it won't be 1:1 but at least its not a simple as Zelda's "shake attack"

I'm guessing the controls won't be perfect, more along the lines of wiisport controls. Sure you can just sit there twitching your wrist, but its more fun if you stand up and swing the remote like a real tennis racket

Mike D: Apr 3rd 2008; 12:53PM

This has been covered before that 1:1 cannot work and here's why. If you swing the wiimote all the way down but in the game you hit another lightsaber what should happen is the wiimote should stop you from going all the way to the floor, but it cant do that so then youre left with a situation where the game character lightsaber wouldnt reflect the position the wiimote has, therefore not 1:1.

Personally I dont need it and the controls they supplied (including upcut attacks, holding sideways to block and many more) seem as good as we can get to 1:1.

Kye - NDF Sniper: Apr 4th 2008; 5:31AM

@ MikeD

Then we need to train the young Jedis even better.

PojoMofo: Apr 3rd 2008; 11:23AM

Still not sold, I will monitor though

Jason: Apr 3rd 2008; 11:23AM

Amazon has it dated for July 29.

Zertoss: Apr 3rd 2008; 11:27AM

September is shaping up to be an awesome month.

xFenixKnightx: Apr 3rd 2008; 11:27AM

The game looks phenomenal so far and Im a sucker for any starwars soundtracks so Ill probably be picking it up. Cant wait to see more of the physics.

Intentless: Apr 3rd 2008; 11:30AM

After I saw the interview explaining the Emotion/Physics/Material engines I went from... Yay another star wars game i'm not careing about to... OOOOooo... Looky looky....

Crono (NDF - Knight of the Old School): Apr 3rd 2008; 11:32AM

Don't fall over patting yourself on the back there, Ludwig.

:)

Kye - NDF Sniper: Apr 3rd 2008; 11:45AM

Yea...

...wait...

hold on.

Fucking Southeast Asia gets the game before Europe?!

You really mean that England, France and Germany are in the queue behind Cambodia, Laos and Viet-fucking-nam!?

I'm going to the gym now. When I get back someone had better fix this.

ThornedVenom (Harley Quinn Defense Force): Apr 3rd 2008; 4:04PM

Yaaar, welcome to the land of the pirates!

Where normal videogames cost way too much compared to our average income!

If you don't serve us first, we shall service ourselves via Bittorrent or something. Console standards shall stop us not!

/eyepatch

VTFootball: Apr 3rd 2008; 11:58AM

That game looks off the hook

Worst Review Ever: Apr 3rd 2008; 12:02PM

I just have one question. Who "leashed" the Force in the first place?

That being asked, I'm torn between getting this for the 360 or getting it for the Wii.

Kye - NDF Sniper: Apr 3rd 2008; 12:11PM

The force, when you are born is inactive, or passive if you will.

However with much training the force can be controlled and used and therefore "unleashed".

Shmil (Brawl Code 2621-2310-1994): Apr 3rd 2008; 12:34PM

i'm having the same debate, wii or 360. I'm guessing i'll rent both versions before i make my mind up. They physics sound like a lot of fun to play with (hopefully the hugging stormtroopers will be toned down a bit) but i've wanted a good star wars game on the wii since the wiimote was first shown

Mr.ESC: Apr 3rd 2008; 12:39PM

The force is like diarrhea, at first you try to hold it but at the end it will be unleashed.

Wait, that analogy is awful but you get the point.

xFenixKnightx: Apr 3rd 2008; 12:44PM

Mr Esc

I laughed my ass off on that, no lie! +1

dvnt: Apr 3rd 2008; 12:04PM

September?! I thought this was dropping in June. Ugh.

JLobes: Apr 3rd 2008; 12:22PM

This has probably been asked, and might have been answered before...

Why is Darth Vader's apprentice killing storm troopers and blowing up TIE Fighters?

Shmil (Brawl Code 2621-2310-1994): Apr 3rd 2008; 12:36PM

vader wanted to keep his little padawan a secret so i'm guessing no witnesses

Kerber: Apr 3rd 2008; 12:22PM

Dude's wrist looks...wrong.

Mack Swift: Apr 3rd 2008; 12:33PM

Again, where is the PC version????????????

deaftly: Apr 3rd 2008; 1:16PM

Pc? hahaha

Shmil (Brawl Code 2621-2310-1994): Apr 3rd 2008; 12:33PM

Shmil (Brawl Code 2621-2310-1994): Apr 3rd 2008; 12:34PM

damn you reply system!
damn you library computer that only has explorer on it!

Mr.ESC: Apr 3rd 2008; 12:41PM

This game only confirms what we all knew.

Luke was the worst Jedi ever.Seriously all the Jedis we have seen can do cool stuff and crazy sh*t but Luke can barelly do anything with the force.

Worst Review Ever: Apr 3rd 2008; 12:51PM

I heard that Luke uses the Jedi mind trick to make other boys kiss him.

Matt B: Apr 3rd 2008; 1:07PM

Not boys, but his sister. :P

Mr.ESC: Apr 3rd 2008; 1:08PM

Actually I think he used that power to erase her sister's memory so she doesn't remember he kissed her and stuff o-0.

Well what can we expect from a farm boy.

baby sea tuna: Apr 3rd 2008; 1:22PM

I wish that the Jedi would use their mind powers to erase my memories of Episodes I-III.

LiqwidZero: Apr 3rd 2008; 1:36PM

It's all a part of the Sith's (George Lucas) evil plans to make you hate the entire Saga.

Crono (NDF - Knight of the Old School): Apr 3rd 2008; 1:37PM

Seriously. The wire-fu ninja jedi need to go. The best lightsaber fight in all the movies was the one between Luke and Vader in Jedi.

Mr.ESC: Apr 3rd 2008; 1:40PM

Episode I-The Ben Hur Rip off introducing Jar jar binks as the annoying Muppets reject.

Episode II- WTF? Jedi suicide attack! and Holy sh*t Yoda fights but not in the way you imagine.

Episode III- The cartoon network series follow up. Actually good if you ignore the plot.

lukeR: Apr 3rd 2008; 5:08PM

"Well what can we expect from a farm boy."
Yeah,really just look at "Smallville".

Iridium: Apr 3rd 2008; 12:49PM

Maybe Luke could have had extreme Jedi powers but lost the ability to use them when vader chopped off his hand.

It's all about the hands. You might think what you want to happen but it doesn't work until you make a hand gesture. Can't force choke without pinching, no lightning.

Mr.ESC: Apr 3rd 2008; 1:12PM

But Anakin loosed his forearm and that didn't stop him from being badass.

Wait a minute am I discussing about star wars in the internet.Oh boy I never thought this day would come, I’m such a geek.

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