Game Informer Magazine

Some “Star Wars” fans were less than pleased (or outraged, depending on the depth of their obsession) to hear about Darth Vader’s upcoming appearance in “Soulcalibur IV.” But don’t get too upset. Hacking through Voldo won’t be your only chance to take control of the legendary fallen Jedi; Darth Vader also will be a playable character for the opening level of “The Force Unleashed,” the next chapter of the “Star Wars” saga.

“Darth Vader is sent by the Emperor to the planet of Kashyyyk to hunt down a Jedi in hiding,” project lead Haden Blackman said. We witnessed the Dark Lord of the Sith in action as he tore through legions of Wookiees with a full complement of Force powers, and the resulting carnage is just as amazing as you would imagine.

When he throws his lightsaber, it cuts through the trees in its path. As a group of Wookiees runs across a rope bridge to attack him, he can use the Force on the bridge to slingshot them into the air. He doesn’t run up to his foes and start slashing; they come to him, voluntarily or not.

“Vader moves and plays quite a bit differently than the secret apprentice,” Blackman said. “We wanted to capture the sense that Vader is a hulking figure who moves deliberately and with a sense of purpose and determination, while the apprentice is much faster, more acrobatic and more agile.”

Vader doesn’t even have a run animation; even with the analog stick full forward, he moves with a steady step. This makes perfect sense for his character; despite Vader’s combat prowess, his true strength is his mastery of the Force.

As a way to acclimate players to the game mechanics, Vader will have most of the powers that the apprentice will learn and utilize, like Force choke and Force push. Of course, when Vader uses these abilities, they are more powerful than the versions the apprentice begins with. “

“Vader is also meant to give the player a glimpse of what the apprentice can ultimately become,” Blackman said, “but both characters have combos and powers that are unique.”

Vader becomes a mentor after Kashyyyk, as character control transitions over to the apprentice, but his role is far from over. In fact, we’re willing to bet that some of the coolest story moments revolve around the man once known as Anakin Skywalker. For instance, if you’ve seen the “Force Unleashed” toy line, you may have noticed a new Darth Vader, clearly damaged and falling apart after some kind of battle.

We can’t wait to learn the story behind that, though we’ll have to spend a few more months in the dark. “Some things are going to have to remain a mystery until the game comes out,” Blackman said. “We have a lot of great surprises in store.”

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