Force Unleashed was atop many people’s lists at E3 this year. Force Unleashed is the next chapter in the continuing Star Wars saga, taking place in the largely unknown period between episodes III and IV. With the new technology being unveiled in this game, it promises to be one of the most exciting Star Wars experiences to date. In the game, players will fulfill the role of Darth Vader’s “Secret Apprentice” who’s mission it is to hunt down and destroy the remaining Jedi in the Galaxy.

We first saw Force Unleashed as a pre-viz video that showed off the impressive force usage in the game. At E3 this year, the official game trailer was revealed, showing us an even greater display of the apprentice’s power. We see him take down a Star Destroyer and fling stormtroopers left and right with a variety of Force Powers. The powers that you will be able to control in the game are Force grip, Force repulse, Force lightning, and Force push, and we see all of these in great display in the two videos.

To make these over-the-top force powers seem real, two unique technologies will be shown off in the game: Digital Molecular Matter by Pixelux Entertainment and euphoria by NaturalMotion. Digital Molecular Matter, or DMM, brings a new level of realism to the gaming world by making interactive environments react as they would in the real world. So wood breaks like wood and glass shatters like glass. You’ll never see the same animation twice. Euphoria simulates real life by giving game npcs realistic qualities that are adapted on the fly to the current situation.

These new technologies are shown off in the first trailer. We first see the apprentice demonstrating his incredible force power by crashing a Star Destroyer flying in the atmosphere and then managing to stop it from hitting him. He then gives us a demonstration of what he can do with a lightsaber and the power of the force, taking on masses of stormtroopers with ease. The video shows us examples of the different force powers he will be using in the game and the different combinations they can be used in.

So far several key NPCs have been revealed. Juno Eclipse is an ace starfighter pilot for the empire and the love interest of the apprentice. Another companion of the apprentice is PROXY, his prototype protocol droid who has the ability to take the form of nearly anyone. Maris Brood is a troubled Jedi Padawan who seeks refuge on Felucia with the help of Shaak Ti, who rallies Brood and other Felucian force-sensitives to help fight the apprentice. General Rahm Kota is a Jedi warrior who narrowly survived Order 66. These characters are introduced over a wide range of planets. Confirmed worlds include Felucia, Kashyyyl, and Raxus Prime, as well as a TIE-fighter construction facility. In the trailer the apprentice also appears in an area that appears to be Cloud City.

The Force Unleashed marks the first internally developed next-gen game for LucasArts. The game will feature HD graphics for both the Xbox 360 and the PS3. There are numerous questions that have been left unanswered, but from what has been revealed so far, Force Unleashed should bring new life to the Star Wars gaming industry and be an impressive next chapter in the Star Wars saga.

Look for The Force Unleashed on a console near you next Spring!