Joystiq hands-on: Star Wars: The Force Unleashed duel mode (Wii)
by Zack Stern 
{ Apr 15th 2008 at 6:30AM }
Each player picks one of 27 characters -- including about 11 costume-variations on the single-player apprentice -- and the fights take place in nine Star Wars locations. The characters include a young Luke, Darth Maul, General Grievous, and others that don't related to The Force story. And their moves are all about the same as in the single-player game, so Luke uses the lightning strike alongside the "dark" characters.
The match locations impact the the fights, with players instantly losing a life if they fall into the sarlacc pit, Smash Bros.-style. Otherwise, Hoth, the Jedi temple, and other locations include objects to toss around at each other, giving each location subtle differences.
These setting, and deep attacks, counter-attacks, and blocks should add a lot of ways to play these match-ups. This variety makes me anticipate its September 16 release. Plus there's a whole other single-player story to beat.
Gallery: Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (Wii)
Each character has a handful of the same basic moves that build together. Flicks of the Wii Remote swing the lightsaber. (And yes, uber-nerds, the game sticks with a single lightsaber even though some of the characters normally have two, or a long, double-ended weapon.) But hold the trigger and rotate your wrist to block with the blade. Force-grab an enemy with a Nunchuk button. But add to that by throwing them with the analog stick. An even more complicated combo would be to grab, strike with lightning, then throw an opponent. With other twists such as a way to plunge the lightsaber straight down after a jump, LucasArts says the game has about 30 different combinations of attacks.
All of these moves come from the single-player campaign, although your character will unlock them over the story in that mode. With me trying to tame so many at once, I repeated a handful I initially figured out. But I got a sense that after hours of play, I'd move beyond button mashing into a cohesive string of flicks and flourishes.
Motion controls generally felt good, adding more variety to the game. When I struck lightsabers with an opponent at the same time, we launched into a brief mini-game, racing us to follow on-screen commands to twist the controllers. The speedier player wins those contests, striking the loser. And other motion controls -- like a force slam by swinging the controllers down -- felt like natural additions to the other moves.
The duel mode should be a rich addition to Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. For casual fighting-game and Star Wars fans, these matches could almost be published as their own game.
Gallery: Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
star @ Apr 15th 2008 6:41AM
it almost looks like the god awful psx game that no one can spell or say! ive got a very bad feeling about this game im afraid
baby sea tuna @ Apr 15th 2008 8:33AM
Masters of Terras Kesai?
Yeah, you're right...I probably *did* spell that wrong.
Pinqvin @ Apr 15th 2008 8:49AM
Do you mean Master of Teräskäsi? I always thought it was a bit funny that a game developed by an American company had a Finnish word in the title :>
Devilmachine @ Apr 15th 2008 6:59AM
Damn it, now I'm going to have to buy a Wii.
Roofie @ Apr 15th 2008 7:01AM
I'm too drunk to read reight niwo.
Alexander @ Apr 15th 2008 7:03AM
How about impressions of the PS3 and 360 version the force of the sixaxis dualshock and jet engine of mine xbox
Purple Haze @ Apr 15th 2008 7:57AM
Did you read the "At the Nintendo Media Summit" part?
Trismegistos @ Apr 15th 2008 8:30AM
No duel sabers or double saber = Really Cheap
No AI = Really Cheap
Stand alone game my arse, this doesn't sound that good. You'll get multiple versions of Luke, Obi & Anakin and sith load of this new apprentice.
How about them actually making a genuinely good Starwars action game.
I'd rather go the Soul Caliber route and see how that fares!
Matt B @ Apr 15th 2008 8:51AM
At least you don't have to do the jerk off motion to recharge your saber in this game.
baby sea tuna @ Apr 15th 2008 9:15AM
God that game sucked.
RexDart @ Apr 15th 2008 7:14PM
Dude, it's NOTHING but "duel sabers." You're just a little....illiterate.
Jesse @ Apr 15th 2008 9:00AM
This write up made me realize how desperately I want there to be a Bushido Blade game for the Wii. I don't currently own a Wii but a Bushido Blade game done right would make me go out and buy one.
J @ Apr 15th 2008 11:15AM
Exactly, I've been saying the same thing! The one move kills, I think, are what made/would make it so addicting.
I was even thinking of somehow bringing in the wii fit board, but it's not likely that there would be two available at the same time, I guess.
Alfred @ Apr 15th 2008 10:28AM
Man, it's too bad the Wii version won't have the crazy physics of the 360/PS3 versions. What to do, Exar Kun? What to do?
Iridium @ Apr 15th 2008 10:32AM
SO far the best Star Wars duel game was Jedi Knight II before they patched the game to make blocking easier and took away all the strategy.
If the saber controls are really good then this version of the game could really have something. However I am afraid that the controls will just be aproximations and could be replicated with an analog stick just fine.
I'm still getting the PS3 version because of the graphics.
DangerMouse @ Apr 15th 2008 11:56AM
I know graphics don't always make the game, but that looks awful. It's not necessarily the hardware limitations, but just the art design. Seems like they could do much more with it.
ThornedVenom (Harley Quinn Defense Force) @ Apr 15th 2008 12:21PM
If this duel mode turns out to be a really good fighting game, then it will make people consider the Wii version amongst the gorgeous physics.
Lord Foortwenti @ Apr 15th 2008 1:40PM
The dueling looks pretty neat. Actually, the best Star Wars game that had dueling was Revenge of the Sith. It had a separate fighting/dueling game in it that you could use the characters from the single-player portion in. It was actually pretty deep, with each character having unique moves and combos, ratings and all that.
I know I'm starting to sound like a broken record, or broken holocron (sorry, couldn't resist), but I'm still hoping that they decide to release a PC version of The Force Unleashed.
And to ensure that it sells they could include ALL of the features that they split up for each console. Now that, would kick some serious ass. Of course, I'd buy it even if it had none of the special features, but it'd still be nice.
WiiFTW @ Apr 15th 2008 2:33PM
As much as I'd like that to happen, devs and studios are not permitted to release PC versions of console games unless they are much worse than the console versions. I'm gonna get it for the Wii. FYI I play both Wii and PC games.
Roman @ Apr 15th 2008 2:56PM
Any word if this will have online play?
guttertalk @ Apr 15th 2008 3:11PM
Zack, can you clarify whether the different characters had different attacks or attributes? Is there a different between dueling as Obi Wan or Anakin, for example?
Zack Stern @ Apr 17th 2008 5:10PM
Attributes are slightly different--you can seen an example in the main screenshot above. Attack types are generally--if not literally--the same.
RobLink (MKWii code : 0989 1866 6646) @ Apr 15th 2008 3:25PM
Unfortunately, I'm going to have to buy the Wii and 360 versions of this game. Wii for the motion cotrols and duelling mode, 360 for the pretty and the physics.
theFourTwo @ Apr 16th 2008 2:39AM
It looks like the controls aren't taking full advantage of the motion capabilities on the wiimote (that's how I read it...I hope I'm wrong). I'm sure the game will still be fun to play and all, but there's no real sense buying the Wii version if everything can be done with any controller.
drun @ Apr 16th 2008 5:11AM
ahhh! their lightsabers are both purple! that's not right!
Deuxhero @ Apr 16th 2008 4:06PM
No Kyle Katarn?
Fail/10
iofthestorm @ Apr 20th 2008 4:40PM
Dude, Kyle Katarn is badass. I'll probably still get this, but only because I don't have a 360/PS3. It should be a lot of fun but that screenshot makes me gag... stuff like this makes me hope Nintendo comes up with a Wii 2.0 sort of thing sometime soon for those of us who want motion controls and good graphics. But then, that's what my gaming PC is for.
iofthestorm @ Apr 20th 2008 4:42PM
Actually, on second thought these graphics look at least as good as Jedi Knight II and Jedi Academy, so I guess it's not too bad. Times have changed though. Also, games on an SDTV don't look nearly as bad as the screenshots do on a PC monitor.
hvnlysoldr @ Apr 22nd 2008 3:14PM
I might get this. eventually