Just keeping the population down…
When the itinerary for my trip to LucasFilm said that I’d be getting an advanced preview of The Force Unleashed video game, I was hesitant (to say the least). When I think of games, I think of the first-person shooter types, and I actually get motion sickness from it. (You know the roller-coaster ride thing at the start of movies? Yeah, I can’t watch it. It makes me queasy.) Oh boy, better pack Dramamine. As we sat down with The Force Unleashed’s producer, mastermind, and overlord/guru Adam Kahn and really got into the game, I realized that whatever new technology and backbone they’re using, this is my kind of video game. Granted, we were in the optimal place to play the game, and had the optimal technology to try see it. I mean, if you’re going to heave from a game, it should be in George Lucas‘ private theatre experiencing all the gameplay on a state-of-the-art machine with THX-certified sound, but very little had stopped me from getting motion sickness before. I doubt that sitting in Lucas’ favorite seat would make it that much better.
As I experienced the newly minted Dark Lord of the Sith, Darth Vader, tearing through Wookies, trees, doors, and anything else in his way, I was in awe. (In the back of my head I was also trying to figure out how much an amped up next-gen console costs.) I was startled by the things this game can do; or maybe it’s the scorched earth way that Darth Vader and his Secret Apprentice just tear it all up?
So why am I writing about this, since I stick most strictly to toys? Well, I’ve heard that a few toys are in limbo, and this is such an amazing landmark in gaming that every character Hasbro can roll out should be out there. (Yes, even little boy Secret Apprentice since we already have his Daddy Jedi [from the Evolutions set].) Once you play the game, you’ll be ready for a fiery Shaak-Ti, the youngling Secret Apprentice, and anything else they throw at us. Can I recreate these conditions at home on a regular HDTV with maybe a slightly amped-up next-gen console? I don’t know, but I think this is the game worth trying for!
September 2nd, 2008 at 7:36 pm
I agree. I just read the comic adaptation and now I want to buy myself a Wii even though I am currently unemployed and job hunting! So it would be bad for sooooo many reasons, what with the game coming out in about 2 weeks.The story actually impressed the heck out of me and though it relies on the OT, the PT and even developmental material pre the 1977 release, I think it beats the pants off most of what’s in the PT while still making use of it. It definitely should be the hot property of the SW franchise this year and keeping anything from it in limbo seems silly. I mean, those sought after Stomtrooper Commanders are awesome and should be more readily available than they are now…even though I managed to get 2 of them and hope one day to sell one on ebay so I can buy myself an organ transplant on the black market). The Clone Wars can see a quick and merciful death as far as I’m concerned. I bought some merch before seeing the movie and for the most part regret it because it would seem to indicate I somehow support the work. I don’t. I like the General Kenobi and see promise in the toys as toys but do not want to put my money towards it. Unless the TV show redeems itself I will now only buy Ziro the Hutt stuff if they ever make it because it was so ridiculously NOT Star Wars as to be something on a whole new level of babsurd. But bring on the Force Unleashed product! The comic didn’t make clear who the evolutions "guy with the mask" is. Maybe in the game you can go super-bad? And some of the already released figures, Kota, Brood and even Juno Eclipse are now 100 times more interesting than the cardbacks would have lead us to believe. I want to buy them all again in the wake of my enthusiasm!
September 3rd, 2008 at 11:27 am
Yes! I must say that now that I’ve seen the demo and the comic art, I want ALL of these figures and I want them now. It’s not just that TFu is a good game, or a visually striking game, it’s also that it’s a damn cool story, and that’s the big selling point for me. Star Wars hasn’t seen a multimedia this cool since the release of Shadows of the Empire, and we all know what the general concensus was. Fans balked at the idea of Xizor before the Emperor was made in the basic line and the story, while solid, fell somewhat flat. As did that vaunted computer game which in the end really wasn’t a lot of fun. SOTE could surf along with the rising tidal wave of interest in Star Wars, but it left almost everyone underwhelmed when looking back, despite the nifty soundtrack and cool characters that still need figures *Guri, Leebo, Jix*
TFU seems to do what SOTE didn’t: pack a punch, and a damn good one too. The only thing that’s a real bummer is the game delay which left us wondering who those figures were for months. Now that we know, we want them all. This is another source for action figures that can and definitely SHOULD be mined for all that it’s worth. Bring them on!!
(but please, don’t forget that we love KOTOR too, Hasbro. And Kiro. Especially Kiro!)
September 3rd, 2008 at 5:46 pm
And Legacy the comic book…keep those coming too…and ditch the animated CW…I can’t say that enough even though I’m sure I’m in a minority. Or at least understand that it’s ultimately really a kid’s-only line.