Five Reasons Lapsed Star Wars Fans Will Love 1313

Star Wars 1313 is one of the major highlights of E3 2012. The spectacular demo not only gave showgoers a glimpse of what the next generation of games will look like, but more importantly, it went a long way toward revealing a concerted effort by the entirety of Lucasfilm, including Industrial Light and Magic, to craft a Star Wars experience that hooks fans, both current and lapsed. We've got five reasons the latter should take notice.

The Original Trilogy

If you've seen the only piece of art released for the game, then you might already know that 1313 takes place in the beloved, original trilogy era as revealed by the Tie Fighters and the Imperial shuttle. But even without the art, the 1313 demo gives a pretty clear indication of the time frame--the clothing and the ship design are all very reminiscent of what we've seen in the movies and other media set against the same period.

No Jedi

Let's face it--Jedi are kind of everywhere at this point. The spiritual figures of the Star Wars universe have long been some of its most popular characters, but so many games focus on their struggles, pitting you as one of the iconic Force-wielding characters. Frankly, we're feeling a little lightsaber fatigue, and most lapsed Star Wars fans probably are too.

1313

What better way to bring Star Wars fans back into the fold than focusing the story around a lesser-known part of the political hub of the Star Wars universe: Coruscant, which also happens to be a planet-wide city with thousands of levels that plunge deep beneath the surface. In fact, 1313 represents a level deep beneath the surface--a place where the Force doesn't exist; the Jedi don't inhabit; and only the most dubious characters reside.

Bounty Hunters

Flamethrowers. Jetpacks. Grappling hooks. Bounty hunters have access to some pretty cool gadgets within the Star Wars universe. Since the focus of 1313 is on the morally questionable figures, LucasArts wants you to experience every facet of their lives, including the cool gadgets and the trouble that comes along with them.

Next-Generation Visuals

1313 runs on a heavily modified version of the Unreal 3 engine, the same version that powered the impressive Samaritan demo. The game already looks fantastic and showcases the immense talents of Lucasfilm's Industrial Light and Magic special effects studio. The lighting and character models and their animation are all incredibly impressive and serve as a great example of what games could look like when the next generation of consoles arrive.