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The force endures

by scott sloan ssloan@herald-leader.com

In The Force Unleashed, Darth's secret apprentice takes on everyone, including storm troopers. Photo courtesy of Games Press

The Star Wars universe is booming.

The new Clone Wars television series begins in October and was launched with its pilot being shown in movie theaters. A live-action series is in the works. And one of the saga's most anticipated video game projects launches next week.

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed offers players the opportunity to play Darth Vader's secret apprentice who hunts down the remaining Jedi after the end of the Clone Wars. And the emperor reportedly doesn't know about the apprentice (it's a secret, after all), so you'll kill storm troopers, too.

The game boasts two major innovations: "Digital Molecular Matter" and "Euphoria."

The first makes sure that every physical item in the game reacts as it would in real life. "Wood breaks like wood, glass shatters like glass" and more, LucasArts says. Oh, and carbonite dents.

Euphoria, meanwhile, is an advanced artificial-intelligence design. It allows enemies in the game to react differently each time.

So far, the expectations for the game might have been too high. Early reviews posted on Metacritic have been less than stellar. Electronic Gaming Monthly gave it a C grade, according to Metacritic, writing that it was "an ambitious — yet ultimately dissatisfying — effort."

So will it live up to the legacy of Knights of the Old Republic or Dark Forces? We'll see soon.