The Force Unleashed: What You Need to Know

We've got the exclusive debut on the very first trailer for Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. Little has been revealed about this new action game from LucasArts -- we've been teased with some tantalizing special effects, but what's the game about? Here are five things to know:

This is THE true next chapter in the Star Wars saga.

The story and script were overseen and approved by George Lucas, and the setting is in between Episodes III and IV, an extremely fertile era in the Star Wars timeline that has rarely been explored. In this game, you'll discover what Darth Vader was up to in those years, watch the Death Star being built, and learn how the great Jedi purge occurred.

You can kick everyone's $%^! with the Force.

This game is taking the Force to levels never before seen. Don't believe it? Just watch the trailer.

WATCH EXCLUSIVE FORCE UNLEASHED TRAILER DOWNLOAD HD VERSION

You are Darth Vader's secret apprentice.

You didn't even know he had one, right? He did, and you get to be Vader's wrecking ball in his hunt for the last remaining Jedi. But of course you're his secret apprentice, so you'll also be tasked with whipping out all opposition on your missions, be they rebels or the Empire.

You'll see new faces and locales.

This all-new story revisits characters and locations that fans are familiar with, but also introduces new ones that add more rich depth to the Star Wars canon. You'll meet Maris Brood, an apprentice of fan favorite Shaak Ti, and come face-to-face with General Kota, a grizzled veteran who has much to teach. You'll set foot on Raxus Prime, a never-before-explored planet of junk, and see Felucia, a planet only touched upon in Episode III (and in Star Wars Battlefront II), up close and personal.

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The Force Unleashed uses groundbreaking new tech.

This is the first game from LucasArts to use the stunning new technologies they've been talking about since spring 2006 -- Euphoria by Natural Motion and Digital Molecular Matter by Pixelux. These two technologies promise to take gameplay to the next level by giving gamers a "simulation-based experience that changes every time the game is played." What does this mean? You'll never see the same tired animation over and over again. Damaged surfaces splinter, chip, break, and shatter differently every time. The environment feels more alive than ever. Now imagine playing in that as an uber Sith apprentice. Sweet.