Star Wars: The Force Unleashed [X360]

>>Read Battlefront: Renegade Squadron Interview

WATCH EXCLUSIVE CLIPS AND CONNECT WITH FANS NOW

>>Read Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga Interview

>>Read Star Wars: Top 5 Video Games

Bundling together impressive technology, a deep plot, and the enticing chance to "kick ass with the Force," Star Wars: Force Unleashed casts the player as Darth Vader's apprentice during the years separating Episodes III and IV.

As the Star Wars world revs up to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the release of the original movie, we spoke to Force Unleashed's project lead, Haden Blackman, about wielding the Force, traveling the galaxy, and breaking things.

WATCH FORCE UNLEASHED VIDEO DOWNLOAD FORCE UNLEASHED VIDEO

Haden Blackman's name is on almost every Star Wars game released over the last ten years. In that time he's worn an impressive collection of hats: writer, voice director, creative director, producer, and executive producer. Players of the massively-multiplayer online RPG Star Wars Galaxies know him as Shug_Nix, from his time as lead producer of the game. Now he's project lead -- "kind of a hybrid between an executive producer and a creative director" -- on Force Unleashed.

Blackman's keen to emphasize the role of Force Unleashed's character-driven plot. You play a Force-wielder who starts the game working as Darth Vader's secret apprentice during the period between the prequel and classic trilogies. As Blackman puts it, "There's an importance behind that word 'secret' - Darth Vader's the only one who knows you exist."

You'd better keep it that way. "Some of your mission objectives are related to making sure nobody else finds out about you," Blackman explains. "You're being trained by Darth Vader in the use of the Dark Side and the Force, how to use it to defeat Vader's enemies and defeat the Jedi you'll be confronting as you go through the game."