I thought the Episode III video game for Xbox was pretty cool. The multiplayer duels alone would have been an entire game all by itself not so long ago.

As the game begins, you alternate between playing as Obi-Wan and Anakin (it is mindboggling, however, that they didn't make the game playable in co-op mode... but I digress). Of course, then it dawns on you -- Anakin is the bad guy. And you are controlling him.

Yes, the game designers must have been managed by Darth Sidious himself. For, when Anakin turns to the Dark Side, you continue to control him. The game forces you to commit evil acts, including but not limited to: the murder of Mace Windu (in the game, Anakin kills him after an extended duel, not Palpatine), the slaughter of dozens of Jedi, and the cutting-down of fleeing, unarmed Separatists. These aren't optional or "bonus" missions -- these are things you must do to complete the game.

To add insult to injury, after you've played as Obi-Wan during the climactic lightsaber duel at the end, if you try to play that part of the game again, you only have the option to play as Darth Vader -- and see the game's alternate ending: where Vader kills Obi-Wan, and then slaughters the Emperor. You can't ever play that level through as Obi-Wan again, nor see the real movie-version ending again.

It's funny though -- when Grand Theft Auto games have you commiting evil illegal acts and murder, half the country is up in arms about how violent video games are becoming. But when the Episode III video game forces you to become the ultimate evil villain and slaughter innocent good guys, no one seems to care or notice. Interesting, that.

I guess that some genius in the LucasArts marketing department said to everyone, "Hey, the kids today are going to love it if they can be Darth Vader and slaughter innocent good guys. Grand Theft Auto proves that everyone has more fun being evil than being good." Yeah, whatever. I have to wonder: did George Lucas himself approve of this direction with the video game? Did George tell them, "Yeah, I think it would be cool if my children play this game, and are forced to be evil -- it'll be good for them."...?

(P.S. And who's the braniac on the design team who thought that s..l..o..w..l..y.. cutting open doors with a lightsaber would be "fun" in an action game??)