Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (PS3)

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Expect some spectacular arena style boss battles

LucasArts take a bow. It has taken Euphoria, DMM and Havok, three pieces of revolutionary gameplay technology, and successfully let them loose on the Star Wars universe. Euphoria, seen recently in GTA 4, simulates how humanoids in the game react to force. Storm Troopers will desperately cling to ridges and structures, as well as friendly arms, as you lift them off their feet. One hilarious challenge is getting three or more Storm Troopers to hold hands as you use the Force to swing them about in mid air. DMM, or Digital Molecular Matter, makes sure material like wood and metal reacts as it should. Wood splinters, and metal twists. Then the Havok physics engine ties it all together.

The apprentice can, for example, use the Force to pick up a Storm Trooper who will then grab onto a mate. As the two struggle against his power the apprentice can fling them both into a metal door, denting it realistically. As they smash through the door they then impact on a wall, triggering the game's impressive physics. Then, using Force Push, the apprentice can bend the door closed again, preventing other troops from following him into the room. The physics and animations at play in The Force Unleashed really are remarkable.

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Back on mission and the secret apprentice, along with his pilot, the sexy Imperial Juno Eclipse and the hologram happy android PROXY, finds Rahm Kota on a space installation orbiting a planet. A boss battle ensues. The perspective switches to an arena cam to give a more epic feel. The installation begins to crash towards the planet and the glass floor heats up as it enters the atmosphere. The apprentice needs to direct his force powers and lightsabre attacks at Kota while staying off the burning white hot glass. When sabres clash it's once again button mash time, as it is when the apprentice is caught in Kota's Force Grip. Eventually the apprentice drains his opponent's life bar to zero and a finishing move is triggered. Kota's final words are cryptic ones. He whispers: "Vader won't always be your master. I only sense... me?" The apprentice watches Kota die as he falls through the glass floor and plummets to the planet surface.

Suey believes The Force Unleashed is the greatest Star Wars game ever made, and part of that is his belief that the story is by far the best seen in any of the games. It's all about redemption. While LucasArts is keeping many of its cards close to its chest, it's already revealed one or two in its promising hand. After the apprentice deals with Kota he returns to Vader with his lightsabre as proof. Vader details his next mission - to kill another Jedi called Kazdan Paratus in a temple where all droids go to die. Reassuringly, Vader doesn't expect the apprentice to survive, but if he sorts Paratus out and brings back his lightsabre Vader will know that the apprentice is powerful enough to help him take out the biggest target of all - the Emperor himself.

We can't wait to get our hands on later in the year

We skip even further into the game and the apprentice has unlocked some powerful and spectacular attacks. The Lightning Bomb, for example, sees him strike an enemy with evil Emperor-style lightning and use the Force to chuck him about like a grenade. The Lightning Shield does what it says on the tin, and Repulse is a Storm Trooper scattering blast of power that temporarily envelopes the apprentice. With all this firepower you'd expect the game to be somewhat of an easy ride. Not so. The tougher enemies have resistances, for example to lightning, Force Push or lightsabre attacks. Players will need to constantly adjust their tactics and switch up play styles if they're going to succeed.

Oh, and a Rancor turns up too, which is always nice. The apprentice infuses his lightsabre with Force Lightning and flings it at the beast - carving a lightning arc through the air. The Rancor is dispatched with another spectacular multi-string finishing move. There will be plenty of these to enjoy when the game is finally released.

We jump forward once again to another cut scene. The apprentice has become strong enough to take his place by Vader's side and defeat the Emperor. But the Emperor turns up and, ominously, seems to know what's going on. He gives Vader a choice - kill his apprentice or face the wrath of the Emperor himself. The cut scene ends and so does our demo. We'll have to wait till September to find out what happens next. We can't wait.

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is due out for Xbox 360, PS3, PS2, PSP, Wii and Nintendo DS on September 19, 2008.

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