Star Wars 'allies' with Ubisoft

  • By Patrick Caldwell, GameSpot
  • Posted Aug 17, 2006 5:01 pm GMT

French publisher announces all-new titles, Star Wars: Lethal Alliance, for Nintendo DS and Sony PSP; deal is part of company's long-term deal with license-holder LucasArts.

With all the hoopla surrounding the flurry of new games in the Star Trek franchise, fans of another sci-fi series, Star Wars, may have felt left out. Publisher Ubisoft is attempting to allay those concerns, however, with the release of Star Wars: Lethal Alliance, a Sony PSP and Nintendo DS game set for release in December.

Although Lethal Alliance will appear on the DS and the PSP at the same time, the two versions weren't made by the same developer: Ubisoft's Montreal division handled the PSP game, while the publisher's Casablanca studio produced the DS version. Each game will be tailored to take advantage of its host system, but Ubisoft didn't say how.

Lethal Alliance weaves a tale around the Imperial-fighting escapades of Twi'lek Rianna Saren, a skilled Rebel Alliance fighter and acrobat, and her security droid, Zeeo, a defensive specialist. In relation to the franchise's saga, the game fits between the last prequel to appear in theaters--2005's Episode III: Revenge of the Sith--and the first movie of the original trilogy, 1977's Episode IV: A New Hope.

Ubisoft said Lethal Alliance players must take advantage of each character's unique strengths to progress--the ultimate goal being the theft of the Death Star's blueprints. There is no word yet, however, on how many Bothan spies must die for players to accomplish the mission. Rianna and Zeeo will travel to a variety of locations in that galaxy far, far away, including the Death Star itself, the Skywalker home base Tatooine, and Alderaan, before its Death Star destruction in A New Hope. Lethal Alliance will include a multiplayer mode, but Ubisoft declined to announce its details.

Notable Star Wars characters making an appearance in Lethal Alliance include Darth Vader, Boba Fett, Princess Leia, and Kyle Katarn--the gruff mercenary whose game roots extend back to the Dark Forces and Jedi Knight first-person shooters on the PC.

For more on Star Wars: Lethal Alliance, check out GameSpot's question-and-answer session with Ubisoft Montreal senior producer Bertrand Helias.

66 Comments

  • thesuperbean

    Posted Aug 30, 2006 9:35 am GMT

    Jedi Power Battles ROCKED! If they could make a new version for modern consoles, and an updated version of the old one for handhelds.

    It could be Tekken for Star Wars!

  • faridmon

    Posted Aug 19, 2006 5:23 am GMT

    never liked star wars, the last starwars game i played was the one on Gamecube, and that was awsome, others were meh, i really never liked Kotor either, sorry....
    but Ubi is awsome, and to those who said Ubi has no good games on hanheldt, Lost Magic for the DS was awsome.

  • _Sam_

    Posted Aug 18, 2006 12:58 pm GMT

    I don't have a ds or a psp

  • gonzalezj1

    Posted Aug 18, 2006 11:37 am GMT

    "There is no word yet, however, on how many Bothan spies must die for players to accomplish the mission."

    Very clever, Mr. Caldwell. A reference well-appreciated.

  • rokkuman09

    Posted Aug 18, 2006 7:06 am GMT

    Hurray for the geeks!!!!!


    IM A GEEKK!!!!!!

  • synapticflow

    Posted Aug 18, 2006 2:15 am GMT

    This sounds like it could be pretty cool. Count me in for a purchase!
    The plot actually sounds pretty decent to. Now... which to buy? DS or PSP version?

  • mikekare79

    Posted Aug 18, 2006 2:08 am GMT

    I knew I bought a PSP for a reason!

  • Spectre-123

    Posted Aug 18, 2006 12:26 am GMT

    Finally a SW gome for PSP!! I was dissapointed after the cancellation of Ep3 for it, but now this looks better!

  • JivexDragon

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 10:27 pm GMT

    I still lov Jedi Power Battles from back in the day! :-D

  • DS_fan_atic

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 7:53 pm GMT

    wow, awesome star wars and star trek games on my DS, now we're in business!

  • JLCrogue

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 7:38 pm GMT

    I thought only Lucasarts could publish Star Wars games...?

  • iliyun

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 7:38 pm GMT

    Ubisoft+Starwars = one hella of a awesome ride for us StarWars Fans !!!!!!

  • King_Dodongo

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 7:02 pm GMT

    the DS has the force

  • gautam3

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 6:16 pm GMT

    very, very exciting. can't wait to preorder this one

  • Jypson44

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 4:43 pm GMT

    Please don't mess it up...Please don't mess it up...Please don't mess it up...Please don't mess it up...Please don't mess it up...Please don't mess it up...Please don't mess it up...Please don't mess it up...Please don't mess it up...Please don't mess it up...Please don't mess it up...Please don't mess it up...

  • axia_777

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 4:00 pm GMT

    I see many great Star Wars games coming for all systems. Imagine a great Star Wars game by Ubi on 360 and PS3. Imagine one for Wii. I see a Jedi fighting game all light Sabers and force powers for Wii. That will ROCK!!! If they did it right it just might be the best Star Wars game of all time.

  • ivan_the_one

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 2:38 pm GMT

    ubisoft and star wars? = awsomeness......

  • darkmario123

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 2:29 pm GMT

    Where is my Wii lightsaber game? please make it Lucasarts.

  • Lord_Regnier

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 2:21 pm GMT

    YAY! more Star Wars games and this one looks amazing!

  • digitalheadbutt

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 1:23 pm GMT

    I would do a freakin dance if they would make the Super Star Wars Series from SNES available again, either as a DS or WII game. Super Empire Strikes Back is still among the best *&^%ing side scrolling action games ever made. Perfect for a hand held compelation in my opinon.

    There aren't enough good games for the PSP. so hopefully this will be good and add something worth playing to the PSP library besides Lumines and a whole bunch or PS2 ports/rehashes.

  • Heathcliff

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 12:38 pm GMT

    Nice. Hopefully the DS version will be 3D. I don't want another sidescroller like the episode III game.

  • Formula_50

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 12:13 pm GMT

    That great news. I hope that they revive the Republic Commando franchise. Tactical shooters are Ubisoft's fort'e.

  • juanfraino

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 12:10 pm GMT

    neat guess ill have to track it.

  • i_love_my_ds

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 12:07 pm GMT

    if the montreal studio would be making the ds version, I'd almost definitely buy it

  • BiscoNaut

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 11:32 am GMT

    Light Saber Duel game for the Wii, please.

    k, thanks.

  • TintedChimes

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 11:22 am GMT

    KOTOR 3 PLEASE!

  • spthomas

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 11:03 am GMT

    Who else is tired of the PUN'ish news titles?

  • DarkJedi8_basic

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 11:01 am GMT

    Kyle Katarn did not steal the plans for the death star. He stole the plans for the Dark Trooper Project. Nor did the Twi'lek's. Bothan Spies stole the palns for the Second Death Star. So who did it? Princess Leia's network of spies for the rebel alliance.

  • Vistaer

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 10:55 am GMT

    Damnit Lucasarts just give me KotOR III

  • frankeyser

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 10:52 am GMT

    i am pretty sure dark forces is after the original trilogy.
    (WTF? Unlike Star Trek, Star Wars games are considered part of Star Wars canon. It was clearly shown in Dark Forces that Kyle Katarn was the one to swipe the Death Star plans from that Imp installation. What's goin' on?)

  • honk_sm

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 10:48 am GMT

    Jimbo9981,

    You're right, however they don't say that Kyle Katarn doesn't steal them, only that the ultimate goal is the theft of the blueprints. These characters may be only a part of the plan, while Kyle is still the one to steal them.

  • Jimbo9981

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 10:41 am GMT

    WTF? Unlike Star Trek, Star Wars games are considered part of Star Wars canon. It was clearly shown in Dark Forces that Kyle Katarn was the one to swipe the Death Star plans from that Imp installation. What's goin' on?

  • gameloverx

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 10:41 am GMT

    oh yeah another star wars game for the DS. Oh yeah!!!!

  • EnigmaNemesis

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 10:34 am GMT

    This is really cool. Ubisoft has been on a great track record with games.

  • Konfusion

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 10:28 am GMT

    Now, you KNOW Star Wars Wii will be good.

  • sushi_111

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 10:28 am GMT

    [This message was deleted at the request of the original poster]

  • sk8er11115

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 10:26 am GMT

    i hope they come out with new jedi knight games. cause well acedemy just sucked =[

  • sniperwolf199

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 10:25 am GMT

    While as far as I know Ubisoft hasn't made any big games for Ds/Psp Its a rather well built company who I trust to make quality games, hopefully they will continue to do so starting with this game.

  • LoneStranger

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 10:23 am GMT

    Will probably be worth at least a rent.

  • jaredgood1

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 10:23 am GMT

    The only SW game I would even consider at the moment would be a game based on the multiplayer mode of DS Episode 3. That was a serious kick in the pants.

  • REVENGEotSITH

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 10:19 am GMT

    It was I who allowed the Rebels to learn the location of the shield generator.

  • mnienkerk

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 10:12 am GMT

    TATOOINE?

    why does every star wars game have to go there... i thought it was supposed to be a remote planet that was outside the empire that not many knew about...

    yet ever game manages to go there.

  • shockwave04

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 10:08 am GMT

    Meh...

  • patjuan

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 10:03 am GMT

    Ubi has not been very successful in the portable games market. Their games have mostly been misses. I kind of skeptical about these games. Hopefully Ubi can prove me wrong.

  • comthitnuong

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 9:58 am GMT

    star wars games on the portable arnt always that great

  • Pablo620

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 9:57 am GMT

    Ill take my Star Wars on next gen PS3, remember that physics demonstration released a few weeks ago. That game is gonna rock

  • ftjx

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 9:45 am GMT

    disappointed... thought this would be about a Wii starwars title with all the Wii titles on the way from Ubisoft. Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii......

  • kevb84

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 9:45 am GMT

    sounds cool

  • pantweasel

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 9:44 am GMT

    Did they forget that Kyle Katarn was the one who stole the Death Star blueprints in Dark Forces? Cuz that's what happened.

  • akodikosako

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 9:42 am GMT

    I hope it has first person shooter parts like Metroid, vehicle levels like Mario Kart and platforming parts like Super Mario 64 for the DS, that would be great.

    As for the PSP version, maybe the same without any implication for touch screen uses and better graphics.

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