Earlier this year, Star Wars and gaming fans became excited with some CG footage developed in preparation for the next Star Wars game; or rather, the first Star Wars game for current-gen consoles. Titled The Force Unleashed, the game would explore events between Episodes III and IV - but there is one aspect of the game that has not yet gathered a lot of attention. This is more than just a game.
A Multimedia Project
Back in 1996, Lucasfilm participated in an unprecedented project that was initially nicknamed "the movie without the movie". The multimedia project turned out to be Shadows of the Empire, arguably the most successful Star Wars game released at that point in time.
The goal was to create everything that you could imagine that would be associated with a movie release; except the movie itself. In turn, Shadows of the Empire became not only a game, but a novel, a comic/graphic novel, action figures, clothing, guide books, a soundtrack, and more.
This will be the same case with Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. Although it initially began as game development for what was considered to be "the next generation in Star Wars games", the concept evolved into a new multimedia event like Shadows of the Empire and Clone Wars.
At present, the release schedule for The Force Unleashed is penciled in for the Spring of 2008. Aside from the game itself, there will be a novel, a comic book series, an action figure line, a behind-the-scenes art concepts book, as well as a role-playing game. That is, as far as we know at this point, what is definitely coming, but there is always the chance of more products and merchandising to come with this release.
The Story:
The storyline of The Force Unleashed is set at some point between Episode III: Revenge of the Sith and Episode IV: A New Hope. Current fan speculation online seems to indicate that its precise setting will be 2 years after Revenge of the Sith, but Lucasarts have also stated that the time frame of the game actually occurs over a period of several years.
After falling to the dark side, Darth Vader is continuing his efforts in the Jedi Purge. However, he is fully aware that Palpatine had manipulated him into his position, and has decided to begin plans to take action. He takes on a secret apprentice, at first as an additional weapon to assist the Jedi Purges, but ultimately Vader hopes to use this apprentice to overthrow Palpatine.
Vader's position is further indication of how far lost he is in the Dark Side of the Force. While he is aware of being manipulated by the Emperor into making his choices, his choice to take on an apprentice still leans into the teachings of the Sith. In other words, Vader is convinced by this point that there is no way back to becoming Anakin Skywalker through redemption or fighting the Emperor - therefore, his only hope, in his mind, is to overthrow Sidious and take control of the galaxy himself.
His actions in taking an apprentice secretly also mirror that of his master. Sidious, while under the teachings of Darth Plagueis, took on his own secret apprentice who would eventually become known as Darth Maul.
The secret apprentice's name as of yet is unknown. It is unlikely he will have a "Darth" title; as company reps from Lucasarts have pointed out that he may not necessarily be considered a Sith yet. Sith Lords follow the Rule of Two and it would only be possible for the apprentice to take a Darth title if Sidious or Vader fall. There is also some concept art that shows him wearing some form of electronic shackle, which may indicate he may be forcefully placed under the control of Vader.
As his apprenticeship to Darth Vader is secret, any mission he undertakes turns brutal, as all witnesses must be wiped out - including Imperial Stormtroopers. This concept also mirrors some of the Darth Maul expanded universe tales set before Episode I.
Within the story, the Secret Apprentice also has a love interest, in the form of Juno Eclipse, an Imperial pilot who controls the ship known as The Rogue Shadow.
The Force Unleashed will also show elements of an evolving Empire. There are new Stormtrooper classes, including the Heavy Stormtrooper. The design of the Stormtroopers in the game is intended to be the next step of their armor design from what they wore in Star Wars Episode III and Star Wars Episode IV. Also included in the game are an elite class of Royal Imperial Guards, known as Shadow Guards, who are equipped with a quarter-staff weapon that has a lightsaber blade.
The Secret Apprentice's main mission is to assist Vader in hunting down the remaining Jedi Knights who have gone into hiding following the tragic events of Order 66. One of these Jedi is Master Shaak Ti, who the secret apprentice battles on Felucia in a fight that will also see Shaak Ti using the Force to control rancors and bull rancors in the duel against the Jedi Hunter. The native Felucian race assist Shaak Ti during this battle.
Another character that the Secret Apprentice crosses paths with is a female Zabrak known as Maris Brood. She wields two green lightsabers with hilts designed in the style of a tonfa. It is known she is Force sensitive, but it is not known yet whether she was simply a Jedi who escaped Order 66 or another kind of Force-sensitive character, such as one of the Emperor's Hands. Another exiled Jedi the Secret Apprentice will face is Kota (an elderly human Jedi who carries a green lightsaber).
Jabba the Hutt also makes an appearance in The Force Unleashed, though at present it is unclear how large a role he will play. There has been some speculation amongst fans that Vader sends the Secret Apprentice to Tatooine to finish what he could not begin: freeing the slaves from Mos Espa (a Force premonition Anakin had in The Phantom Menace), which would certainly be an action that would anger the Hutts.
The Force Unleashed will have sequences that will occur on Tatooine, Coruscant, Naboo, Yavin 4, Felucia, Raxus Prime, and Haroon. While most of those planet names are familiar to most Star Wars fans, Haroon is a new location designed specifically for the game - it is a moon made entirely out of crystal. There are also rumors that the game may include some levels that will feature Alderaan, Dathomir, and Nar Shadda. Bounty Hunters will also be making an appearance, including a new droid mercenary that looks like a cross between General Grievous and HK-47.
Another rumor that has popped up is that there may be an appearance in the story of Prince Xizor, as he rises to control of the criminal organization known as the Black Sun.
There are also some indications from both clues given by Lucasarts, and through fan speculation online, that Yoda might be making an appearance (he is listed as one of the game characters over at Wookieepedia). It is possible that the Secret Apprentice could be the Bpfashh Dark Jedi that Yoda slew in the Expanded Universe as it fits the time frame; though it should be said that Yoda's appearance may only be a cameo for all we know.
Like with some of the more recent Star Wars games, The Force Unleashed offers more than one outcome (though only one will be considered canon and appear in the novel and graphic novel). It is entirely possible that the final levels of the game may pit the Secret Apprentice against Vader or even the Emperor himself.
Controversies and Concerns in the Lead-up to the Release:
While some fans and gamers are positively anticipating the release of The Force Unleashed, there are many who have some lowered expectations for the release of the game.
The reasoning behind this is that the head of the game development is Hayden Blackman who was also behind Star Wars Galaxies. While in theory, Star Wars Galaxies should have been an exciting game; in practice, after release, it was mired in controversial issues: from the infamous issue on the "unknown criteria" required to become a Jedi to the refund issues surrounding expansion developments.
At present though, there are also those who have cast doubts on the game because no game footage has yet been released. All fans have to go on thus far are some CG renderings, concept art (sketches and digital art) and the basic skeletal structure of the storyline.
Having said all that, one saving grace that the game has thus far has been the direct involvement of George Lucas, which will help the development of the story from straying too far from the lines of Star Wars continuity.
The TV Connection:
The Force Unleashed is probably the first known Star Wars game to have such publicly announced involvement from George Lucas. One possible reason for this is Lucas' development of the live-action Star Wars TV series, expected out in 2009.
There is the possibility that Lucas may use characters or elements from The Force Unleashed for the TV series, though it is also likely that his involvement could be nothing more than ensuring that the contents of the game and its other products not conflict with the storyline he is establishing for the new TV series.
Further Expansion:
As a multimedia project, between now and its release, there is also further possibility that more products and merchandising for The Force Unleashed may appear. Some ideas that have surfaced among fans have included t-shirts, an Unleashed action figure, a Force FX lightsaber, and a soundtrack. Until the release, however, we will just have to wait and see.
Conclusion:
While there are some valid concerns among Star Wars fans and gamers alike, it would appear that the development of The Force Unleashed is a positive move by Lucasarts. Though many doubt that lessons were learned from the Star Wars Galaxies fiasco, it would not work in Lucasarts favor by going against the common grain of fans and gamers. That being said, the current-gen console technology is a fertile ground for Star Wars games, and has provided the chance for gamers to play with Force powers on a level that has not truly been explored before.
At present, the jury's still out on this game - but the most encouraging sign for Star Wars fans is how it is being developed as a multimedia project. Shadows of the Empire and Clone Wars was a huge success for Lucas, and if history is on his side, then this project may be well liked by the fans. In other words, the jury is still out, but from what we've seen so far: so far, so good...
Earlier this year, 
This will be the same case with Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. Although it initially began as game development for what was considered to be "the next generation in Star Wars games", the concept evolved into a new multimedia event like Shadows of the Empire and Clone Wars.
After falling to the dark side, Darth Vader is continuing his efforts in the Jedi Purge. However, he is fully aware that Palpatine had manipulated him into his position, and has decided to begin plans to take action. He takes on a secret apprentice, at first as an additional weapon to assist 
The secret apprentice's name as of yet is unknown. It is unlikely he will have a "Darth" title; as company reps from 
There are also some indications from both clues given by Lucasarts, and through fan speculation online, that Yoda might be making an appearance (he is 
The reasoning behind this is that the head of the game development is 
