As the self-appointed Star Wars aficionado for Constantly Calibrating, I have decided to write up the first review of the preview from E3 of Star Wars 1313. Within the simple 4 minute video we get a glimpse inside the general plot as well as some cinematic and gameplay aspects of the game. It appears as though LucasArts is taking a turn towards the darkside with a game that doesn’t shy away from a “mature” rating from the ESRB. You all can watch the video if you want a synopsis of the backstory; I’m too tired and lazy to write one up.

My first thought was that both the cinematics and gameplay footage are absolutely done in a beautiful realistic art form that seamlessly transitions between one another. The two carry over and complement the critically acclaimed Unreal engine we know from games such as Arkham City, Mass Effect 3, and the Gears of War franchise. As in the style of these other AAA titles, the game is an over-the-shoulder combat oriented experience. One initial critique would be the waist-height cover system that seems to permeate the current market. I know this is a  comfortable standard, but it would be nice to see something new and different; not the “oh, lots of waist high walls… Shit’s about to get real” style of gameplay.

Needless to say, we were still shown very little of this game that could be an brilliant success for LucasArts; perhaps even surpassing The Force Unleashed. I, from the bias of one with Star Wars tattooed onto his body, am very excited to see what more LucasArts has to show us.