Republic Commando details

LucasArts has released news details and screenshots concerning squad-based tactical shooter Star Wars: Republic Commando, the teaser trailer for which brought the crowds at last year's E3 to a standstill as they traipsed past a giant Lucas wall-screen on the way from entrance to exhibition hall.

Republic Commando puts you in charge of a small unit of specialist Clonetroopers who undertake the Republic's surgical incursions - rescues, infiltration, reconnaissance, assault and even assassination missions - giving you a T-shaped view of the action from beneath each trooper's iconic headwear, and it's due out on PC and Xbox later this year.

Cynical Star Wars veterans might argue that it's just extrapolating on a quirk of the second film to try and shoehorn the money-spinning license into yet another popular genre, but the shots, footage and facts so far suggest otherwise. Republic Commando is set to be a "dark first-person shooter" in the words of LucasArts, and will settle plot points that crop up between Episodes II and III on the big-screen, even introducing us to new characters like General Grievous from the final instalment of Lucas' second trilogy.

The game's 15 missions will reportedly take you to locations both old and new - from the jungles of Wookiee homeworld Kashyyk to the dusty battlefields of Geonosis, and plenty of locations in-between - like a disabled Republic Assault Ship, the ideal setting for some claustrophobic firefights utilising the Clonetrooper's varied arsenal of blasters, sniper rifles, Trandoshan slaver shotguns and Geonosian elite beam weapons - although it's probably not the ideal place to dig out a thermal detonator.

We're also told to anticipate workable controls for both PC and Xbox, which we'd speculate might emphasise simple tactics and action over Rainbow Six style planning and execution.

LucasArts has also confirmed that Republic Commando will be optimised for Xbox Live content, and we're hoping that means we'll be able to take the various multiplayer modes (deathmatch, team DM, CTF) for a spin with fellow Clones from across the globe. We should know more for certain following E3 in May.