One of the features in the New Xbox Experience (NXE), the brand-new redesign for the Xbox 360, is the ability to install games to the hard drive.  This optional feature allows you to speed up load times and decrease the wear on your game discs and optical drive.  The game disc is still required to be in the console for verification purposes, but once the game is installed, it plays off the hard drive instead.

How does this relate to Star Wars?  The Force Unleashed, while a great game, has very long and annoying load times.  Even supposedly simple things like opening up a menu to change your lightsaber color or costume can take a while.  But with the ability to install the game to the hard drive, loading times are decreased by at least half!  (As far as I can tell.)  It makes The Force Unleashed a much “faster” game.  Now, my one annoyance with the game, is gone!

If you have an Xbox 360 console, the New Xbox Experience (it is a free update), Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, and 6.6 GB of free hard drive space, I recommend you try installing the game to your hard drive.  Trust me, it’s worth it!

Now available on the Xbox LIVE Marketplace and the PlayStation Network is the first Character Pack for Star Wars: The Force Unleashed!  It is 400MSP on the Xbox 360, and $4.99 on the PlayStation 3.

The pack includes: Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Luke Skywalker, Imperial Commando, Darth Sion, Ki-Adi-Mundi and Kit Fisto. Also you’ll get 3 all new Secret Apprentice costumes including Hooded Combat Gear, General Starkiller and Sith Assassin.

Every three months, the NPD Group puts out a list of the top games worldwide for the previous three months.  On the July 2008 through September 2008 list, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed placed at #3.  This is impressive considering the fact that The Force Unleashed was only available for 15 days in September!

Source: Kotaku

According to 1UP.com, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed was the most-purchased videogame in the United States for the month of September!  Each month, the NPD (National Purchase Diary) releases the top items purchased in many different categories.  This month, TFU took three of the top ten slots, totaling 1,158,000 units sold (darn, 20,000 units too many)!

September 2008 Software Sales (US only)

1. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (360) — 610,000
2. Wii Fit (Wii) — 518,00
3. Rock Band 2 (360) — 363,000
4. Mario Kart Wii (Wii) — 353,000
5. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (PS3) — 325,000
6. Mercenaries 2: World in Flames (360) — 297,000
7. Wii Play (Wii) — 243,000
8. Madden NFL 09 (360) — 224,000
9. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (Wii) — 223,000
10. Madden NFL 09 (PS2) — 158,000

This is great!  TFU is an amazing game, and deserves this.  Just think what the numbers would have been if the game had been released at the beginning of the month, instead of the middle!

Note: While most stores submit their sales data to NPD, some do not.  NPD uses a group of experts who are able to closely estimate the sales data for missing stores.  NPD only covers stores in the United States.  Worldwide TFU sales are much higher.

Source: 1UP.com, NPD

MTV’s Multiplayer Blog recently spoke with Haden Blackman, producer on TFU at LucasArts, about review scores and consumer feedback.  In the interview, Mr. Blackman said that he was disappointed that most reviews did not take the game’s story into account.  It’s a very interesting article.

Later today, MTV Multiplayer will post part 2 of the interview, in which Blackman discusses one of the most controversial parts of the game: pulling a Star Destroyer from the sky.

Update: Part 2 of the interview is now available.

Source: MTV Multiplayer

Kotaku recently interviewed Haden Blackman, Executive Producer of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed.  In the interview, they discuss DLC, Force powers that didn’t make the cut, the current state of internal development at LucasArts, reviews, and more.

Hayden Blackman said that they might introduce new Force powers in future DLC!

Click here to read the very interesting interview.

Source: Kotaku

Like I predicted a few days ago, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed has risen to #5 on the Xbox LIVE Top Ten Games list for the week of September 22nd.  According to Director of Programming Larry “Major Nelson” Hryb, “[this list is] based on global unique users connected to Xbox LIVE.”

Xbox 360 Top LIVE Titles
1 Halo 3
2 Call of Duty 4
3 GTA IV
4 Gears of War
5 Star Wars: The Force Unleashed

Hit the link above for the full top ten in each category.

Source: Xbox LIVE’s Major Nelson

The achievements in the Xbox 360 version of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed are a lot of fun to earn, but collecting them all may take some time.  Here are a few useful web sites to assist you in your achievement hunting:

X360A’s Achievement List
If you want to see all the achievements in TFU, this is the place to go.  It lists all the achievements (including the secret ones) and, if you’re a member, allows you to check them off as you earn them.  The benefit of this is that you can hide achievements you’ve already unlocked.  This gives you an accurate view of what you still need to earn.

X360A’s Achievement Guide
If you’re having trouble unlocking achievements, this is the place to go.  This awesome guide tells you exactly what is required to unlock each achievement.

X360A’s Holocron Guide
Can’t find some of the holocrons hidden throughout the game?  Then head on over to the Holocron Guide.  Using this guide, you should be able to find the last few holocrons that have been eluding you.

OXM’s Achievement Review
In OXM’s achievement review, you’ll discover the best, worst, easiest, and hardest achievements in the game.

Sources: Xbox360Achievement.org, Official Xbox Magazine

LucasArts revealed to Kotaku this morning that Star Wars: The Force Unleashed will be getting its first DLC (downloadable content) soon!  It will include a brand-new level set in the Jedi Temple, and new playable characters.

In the Jedi Temple level, which is shorter then Raxus Prime but longer than Cloud City, the Secret Apprentice goes to the Jedi Temple in search of more information on his father.  I’m guessing that this level is set after the Kashyyyk level, but before the end of the game.  According to LucasArts, the new level will include a bit more of the plot.

In addition, you will be able to play as four new characters in the campaign: Luke Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ki-Adi-Mundi, and Kit Fisto.  You will be able to activate these characters through the costumes menu, just like PROXY, Bail Organa, etc.

Hayden Blackman, executive producer on TFU, also left open the possibility more more DLC in the future:

"We brainstormed a ton of locations," he said. "There’s easily another two dozen we could make into levels. This is a good way to continue the story."

"I wouldn’t rule out any future content [for] The Force Unleashed."

Does this mean that the rumors were true?  A few months ago, there were rumors that three sets of DLC were planned for TFU.  Supposedly, one of the DLC packs would contain multiplayer for the Xbox 360 (and possibly the PlayStation 3).  According to the rumor, it would be released sometime in early 2009.  Now, is this true?  I have no idea.  But it’s definitely a possibility!

There is currently no scheduled release date for the DLC.  It is also unknown how much, if at all, it will cost.  The DLC will be exclusive to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of the game.

UPDATE: StarWars.com just put up an article as well.  They say that the DLC will be split into two parts.  The new characters will be released soon, but we’ll have to wait a little while for the Jedi Temple level.

Source: Kotaku, StarWars.com

For the second week in a row, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is the best selling game in the UK!  Though sales have dropped 38% since last week, TFU still managed to beat out popular games like Wii Fit.

Top 5 Games in the UK:

01.   Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (LucasArts)
02.   Wii Fit (Nintendo)
03.   Mario Kart Wii (Nintendo)
04.   Brothers in Arms: Hell’s Highway (Ubisoft)
05.   Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 (EA)

Head on over to EDGE for the full Top 10 and all the details.

Source: EDGE