Topic: PREVIEWS: Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Jedi Alliance

[Crimm]

Pick your Jedi partner and hunt the Nightsisters, in the upcoming Star Wars The Clone Wars title for the DS.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/previewArt.cfm?artid=16227

 The upcoming CG film, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, chronicles the fighting that takes place in the twilight hours of the Galactic Republic.  Falling between Star Wars: Episode II and Star Wars: Episode III, the new film aims to highlight the contentious period before the rise of the Galactic Empire.    

Star Wars The Clone Wars: Jedi Alliance, for the Nintendo DS, is an all new side-story written to compliment the main plot of the film.  In an interview with IGN, project lead Feargus Carroll detailed the plot of Jedi Alliance.  Already at war with the Confederacy of Independent Systems, the Jedi Order and the Galactic Republic find themselves facing the Nightsisters, a group of darkside using witches.  The player is charged with hunting down the Nightsisters and foiling their scheme.    

The titular "Jedi Alliance" refers to the fact that, before every mission, the player picks two Jedi to use for the level.  The player controls one Jedi and the computer (or a friend via drop in/drop out wireless play) controls the other.  In the IGN interview, Carroll revealed that the game features six Jedi: Obi-Wan Kenobi and Mace Windu (both Jedi Masters), Anakin Skywalker (now a full Jedi Knight), Ahsoka Tano (a new character in the Clone Wars film, Anakin's padawan), and Plo Koon and Kit Fisto (Jedi Knights who are featured prominently in the upcoming TV show).  Different combinations of Jedi will result in unique skill sets and a different experience.  For example, each pairing will result in a unique set of dialog.  After completing a mission, the player can then choose new pairings when trying to beat their previous score.  Using the same combination of Jedi throughout the game will cause them to develop a good relationship and boost their powers.    

The gameplay takes a page from The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, as nearly everything is controlled via the stylus.  Movement, puzzles, lightsaber duels, and force powers all come down to using the touch screen.  Lightsaber duels are initiated by tapping the target and then using the stylus to directly control the attacks.  Force powers are launched by pressing the corresponding button and tapping the target.    

A lot of effort has been spent on the game's visual production, and the game world is in full 3D.  Carroll stated that creating a 3D world was his personal goal for the game at the very beginning.  He also stated that the game is being produced by LucasArts Singapore at the Lucasfilm Animation Studio there, which is the same building where the upcoming Clone Wars film and TV series are being produced.  Carroll noted that Jedi Alliance has benefited from being developed in the same building as the artists who are making the source material.    

Star Wars Clone Wars: Jedi Alliance is set for release in Q4 2008.

[Crimm]

Play like Phantom Hourglass and I buy.

[Kairon]

...The Nightsisters got off of Dathomir???

..GOOD GOD WHY DO I WANT THIS GAME NOW?

[Crimm]

You know what else you probably want?  To write some previews!  I mean, it's not like the news editor is busy 

[Enner]

Hmm, darkside witches. We don't usually see much of force-use-only characters in live-action or animated settings. The closest was probably in Return of the Jedi where all Palpatine used was the ever handy Force Lightning.

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

Palpy had the most energy-efficient light bulbs in the galaxy, but he doesn't get many chances to use them.

[Crimm]

I should point out that the Witches are in the service of Dooku, and that they are trained in lightsaber combat.

[Enner]

Ah, should've figured. That makes sense since no Jedi or Sith would be without their lightsaber, even if they primarily use the force.

[Crimm]

The odd thing is that the game's producer called them "Sith Witches" but my research indicated that they are nothing of the sort.  They are witches who use the darkside.  I went with that in the preview because it is technically correct regardless (if they are Sith, they're still darksiders), and I think what he said was a misstatement.

[Kairon]

Everyone please read the Coutrship of Princess Leia, by Barbara Hambly.

[ATimson]

Everyone please read the Coutrship of Princess Leia, by Barbara Hambly.

You mean Dave Wolverton. Barbara Hambly brought us such "gems" as Children of the Jedi and Planet of Twilight.

[Kairon]

Everyone please read the Coutrship of Princess Leia, by Barbara Hambly.

You mean Dave Wolverton. Barbara Hambly brought us such "gems" as Children of the Jedi and Planet of Twilight.

Really? Darn. Must be revisionist memory that made me say that. I like Barbabra Hambly, if only for her Dragon Slayer series.

[UltimatePartyBear]

Everyone please read the Coutrship of Princess Leia....

Don't listen to him!  It's one of the worst Star Wars books.  It reads like it was written by some fanboy who cherry picked which parts of the Star Wars mythos appealed to his adolescent fantasies, giving us Force-using amazonian "witches" riding around on rancors.  As for the courtship itself, well, the only conceivable reason to read this book is to make the romantic bits in Attack of the Clones look better.

[Kairon]

Everyone please read the Coutrship of Princess Leia....

Don't listen to him!  It's one of the worst Star Wars books.  It reads like it was written by some fanboy who cherry picked which parts of the Star Wars mythos appealed to his adolescent fantasies, giving us Force-using amazonian "witches" riding around on rancors.  As for the courtship itself, well, the only conceivable reason to read this book is to make the romantic bits in Attack of the Clones look better.

...T_T

But you're probably right.