If you were hoping for more details on the newly announced Star Wars 1313, prepare to be disappointed. Everything that was shown was stuff we’ve seen already. That video sneak peek? The demo was just that, only slightly longer.
So while no one in attendance was actually allowed to play the demo, I gotta give props to LucasArts for the incredible ambiance. A bunch of us were shuffled into a very, very cold room that looked like the interior of a shuttle or elevator descending deep into the center of the planet. It reminded me of the Star Tours ride at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, minus the hydraulic seats.
Also, there was a red button on the floor whose mysterious purpose I spent way too much time pondering.
Star Wars 1313, if you’ve forgotten, is a mature-rated Star Wars PC title that puts you in the role of a bounty hunter as you explore Level 1313, deep below the surface of Coruscant. The game represents a massive union among LucasArts, Industrial Light & Magic, Lucasfilm Animation, and Skywalker Sound — just two seconds looking at the motion capture work will convince you of how far the teams are pushing the tech.
The video starts and a pair of bounty hunters are en route to Level 1313 to deliver a particularly nasty captive. During the descent, they are ambushed by another party who wishes to take the captured alien for themselves. You then take control of the younger hunter in a seamless transition from video to gameplay.
There are a lot of cinematic events — again, think Uncharted — to keep you on your toes, like scaling the side of a damaged ship while pieces of the hull blow off. I can’t tell you how it plays, obviously, but it certainly looks intense. Suddenly, the demo ends and we are shuffled out the door.
The last bounty hunter-specific Star Wars game I remember playing was Shadows of the Empire for N64. It’s fun to play as the bad boys who straddle that ethical line without being pure good or pure evil, so I’m sure people will be psyched for 1313 when it eventually drops.
Now, about that red button…
