http://www.officialnintendomagazine.co.uk/article.php?id=4917
When the Wii Remote was first revealed almost three years ago and Nintendo started showing off all the different ways it could be used, many gamers started dreaming about the sort of games that could end up appearing on the console. Some wondered how it would work with football games and that problem's since been solved with the excellent Pro Evo 08. Others wanted to know how it could do racing games, a query skilfully answered by Excite Truck and Mario Kart Wii. Of all the different types of game discussed though, it seemed that most people were dreaming about one thing: lightsabers.
A year and a half after the Wii's release, we're still waiting for a proper Star Wars game that will let us live out all our lightsaber fantasies and no, LEGO Star Wars doesn't count. Thankfully, we don't have much longer to wait, because Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is the first 'serious' Star Wars game on the Wii and it's looking surprisingly good.
Don't Be Darth
The game takes place between Episode III and Episode IV of the Star Wars saga and promises to reveal some interesting plot details about what happened between the old and new trilogies. Naturally, being a Lucasarts game, the plot was written with the full
approval of George Lucas, so hardcore Star Wars fans needn't worry about their beloved story being messed up. Although we won't give away too many details, the story involves Vader sending his secret apprentice out to destroy the remaining Jedi that are spread throughout the galaxy. Eager to help and serve his master, the apprentice goes on the missions in an attempt to both keep on Vader's good side and further develop his Force powers.
Of course, the plot is all well and good, but the important thing will always be the gameplay, and so far it doesn't disappoint. Playing as Vader's apprentice, a lot of the game involves using your powers to get stuck into loads of enemies. The controls are pretty straightforward, and act as the apprentice's hands. The Wii Remote lets you actually swing the lightsaber with his right hand, and while it doesn't offer one-to-one motion - it only picks up vertical and horizontal strikes, and forward stabs - it works really well and is great fun. It feels a bit like Zelda would if Link had a big red energy blade instead of his Master Sword. The Nunchuk, on the other hand controls the apprentice's Force powers.
Feel The Force
Funnily enough, these Force powers are actually the most enjoyable aspect of the game, not the lightsaber. Don't get us wrong, it's a good laugh swinging a lightsaber around like a madman but the Force gives you so much more control and allows for some really over-the-top moves.
It's not just inanimate objects you can Force Grip. You can also grab nearby enemies and bounce them off walls, or - even better - chuck them into other enemies to kill two birds with one... um, bird. As you progress through the game and develop your Force Grip powers, you can eventually pick up larger and heavier objects. At one point we picked up a gun turret and made it hover above an enemy, firing lasers at them while we dished out lightsaber justice.
Master Your Powers
The second Force ability is Force Push. This makes the apprentice push his hand forward, unleashing a wave of energy that knocks enemies flat. Remember at the start of The Phantom Menace when Qui-Gon Jinn pushes his hand forward and all the Battle Droids fly back and scatter on the floor? That's the Force Push.
Finally, as your apprentice develops his skills, he learns how to use the Force to fire lightning from his hands. This is really helpful for stunning the stronger enemies that appear as the game gets harder, meaning you'll have more time to use your other Force powers to duff them up.
The Force Unleashed is also being released on the Xbox 360 and PS3. Usually when this happens alarm bells start ringing, as more often than not developers work on those then slap out a quick Wii version with rubbish graphics and broken controls. As a refreshing change though, the Wii version may actually be the best of the bunch. As well as the added enjoyment of the Wii's controls, the Wii version also has five extra levels that don't feature on the other consoles. Even better, there's also an exclusive Duel Mode, which really impressed us. This mode lets two players battle each other in a fight to the death. There are 27 different Jedi to choose from, spanning the whole Star Wars saga. So if you've always wanted to see Luke Skywalker fight Darth Maul, or fancy making Mace Windu give Darth Vader a bit of a kicking, you can finally live that dream.
The Force Unleashed looks set to be an absolute cracker. It's not often that a Wii game is the best in a multi-platform release, but the force is definitely strong with this one.
end of core gaming days prediction:
E3 2006-The beginning of the end. Wii introduced
E3 2008- Armageddon. Wii motion plus introduced. Wii Music. Reggie says Animal crossing was a core game. Massive disappointment. many Wii core gamers selling their Wii.
E3 2010- Tape runs out
http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/march2009/ICG_Tape_runs_out.jpg
