The first details of LucasArts' next-gen Star Wars offering have emerged. Entitled Star Wars: Force Unleashed the game takes players to the dark side of the PS3 and 360. You won't get to indulge in the dark side of the Wii, however.

The game takes place between Episode III and A New Hope and puts you under the sociopathic tutelage of a newly-evil Darth Vader. It's a good time to be pals with the galaxy's Number 1 super-villain. As he sets out on a rampage to destroy the Jedi your job will be to help out wherever you can.

It won't be fetching him soya lattes and granola bars, however. Oh no. You'll be on a secret mission to master the Dark Side of the force, assassinate the emperor and rule the galaxy with your new pal, Vader.

George Lucas has reportedly had a fair amount of input on the project, even designing some of the characters.

The 360 and PS3 versions of the game are being developed in-house at LucasArts. PS2, PSP and DS versions are being worked on elsewhere, however. It remains to be seen how these will differ from the LucasArts version.

Noticeably absent from that platform list is the Wii. It looks like the legions of Nintendo fans who've been rubbing their hands together with glee at the thought of light-sabre fights on the Wii will have to wait a while longer.

The game will make use of LucasArts' Euphoria physics engine, the same one currently being used for development of the new Indiana Jones game. This makes the environment react in real time, so use the force on steel and it will bend appropriately.

Other details that have crept out include the possible playability of Darth Vader, the likelihood of being able to control a pack of Rancours (the big uglies that Jabba the Hutt likes to keep around) and the scintillating promise of a battle with Shaak Ti (pictured above) in the Jedi Temple.

In case you're just thinking 'bah! We know how it ends': apparently we don't. LucasArts is promising alternate endings to the game which break from the continuity we already know.


^{Source: GameInformer}