Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader (Star Wars) is a 2005 science fiction space opera novel written by James Luceno, published by Del Rey Books. The story is set in the immediate aftermath of Revenge of the Sith and focuses on Darth Vader and his rise to prominence in the newly formed Galactic Empire.

When a contingent of clone troopers on the planet Murkhana refuses to open fire on Jedi Masters Roan Shryne and Bol Chatak, along with Padawan Olee Starstone, the Jedi with whom it has fought alongside during the war, Emperor Palpatine orders Vader to investigate the matter. Vader’s query soon becomes a hunt for the fugitive Jedi. Great, compelling story that has many twists and turns that concludes to a very satisfying ending. One of the main plots follows Vader’s transition from Anakin to Vader. The decisions he makes, his views of the universe, his “loyalty” to Palpatine is told in a very realistic, complex light that lead to a strong developing arc. He isn’t the only person with a developing arc. Also, there is the hunt for the Jedi that remains relentless. There are also, the various subplots that keep the things going outside of the main story, such as the effects of the Empire’s hold of the galaxy. A great, fantastic read. (4 out of 5)

The main protagonists are Jedi Masters Roan Shryne, Bol Chatak, and Jedi padawan Olee Starstone. Would’ve like to have seen more from Chalak but unfortunately she gets beheaded by Vader early on. Now, the one character who shows major development is Shryne. After Order 66 and the Jedi are hunted down, Shryne does lose his faith in the Force and the Jedi way, but does come around by the end of the book. Olee is a pretty good character. She’s ready to take the fight to the Empire and avenge the death of Chatak. Like how Shryne and Olee’s differing ideals conflict, especially when Shryne throws his hands up.

But make no mistake, the highlight of the story is Vader. He’s the ultimate badass and even though he’s doing a lot of terrible things he believes he’s doing the right thing. There’s the focus of Palpatine and Vader’s master/disciple relationship. We get a good look at this in Rule of Two, but for standout characters Palpatine and Vader, it feels more significant. Even though Palpatine is eager to train Vader it’s pretty evident that Vader is just as eager to kill him and take his place. There are other interesting characters that provide depth to the story. Hell, Grand Moff Tarkin and Obi-Wan Kenobi make an appearance. A great cast of well-written characters. (5 out of 5)

Gotta give a thumbs up to James Luceno for just taking the writing into an effective and entertaining direction. Reading this I was proud at the exposition of Vader’s character, both mentally and physically. Despite the events of Revenge of the Sith, he’s still developing into the badass we all know and love (and fear). Love how Luceno handles Vader’s transition pretty well. By the end of the book, nearly all traces of Anakin have dissipated. One thing I loved about Revenge of the Sith is how Palpatine manipulates Anakin throughout the story (done much better in the book than the movie) and despite wanting to train Vader it’s clear that he’s still manipulating him. And that Vader isn’t under Palpatine’s wing out of loyalty, merely a means to become more powerful so that he can later kill him. The action sequences are handled pretty well, especially the Jedi/Sith fights which can be really intense. All-in-all, a great complex writing. (4 out of 5)

The Verdict: In the end, Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader (Star Wars) is great read for fans of Darth Vader and a great addition to the Star Wars mythos. Yeah, at times it can get a little slow, but the great characters, awesome writing, great action, complex writing, great story, strong developing arcs, and a badass Darth Vader. Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader (Star Wars) gets 4 out of 5.

If games can be art, here’s the best possible example.

In our earlier preview of Okami, we boldly stated that the game would affect your life. After saving this hand-painted world from certain doom, we can safely say that claim holds up throughout the game’s lengthy quest. Absolutely everything about this adventure is top of the line, blending the very best puzzle aspects of Zelda with a visual style that no other title can match.

Graphics aren’t everything, but in Okami ‘s case, they help define a universe. Whether you’re searching for lost warrior dogs or scouring a labyrinth for an eyeball-shaped key, you’ll never once discover some glaring flaw that yanks you out of the mood.

The dungeons, people and environment are pieced together in such a beautiful, artistic way that they don’t even look like graphics – they look like another, existing realm that we’ve been lucky enough to witness. Even your character, the revived wolf-goddess Amaterasu, radiates with divine energy.

Even smaller details, like babbling water and chirping insects, breathe constant life into every area you visit. Even though most new locales are covered in a murky, cursed fog, your godly powers slowly cleanse the countryside and bring blue skies back to the delight of cuddly forest animals everywhere. People start moving back into their homes, rivers flow once more… there’s always a reward for pressing on.

And just like Zelda, you’re given more abilities as the adventure opens up. Seeing as the game looks like a moving painting, it’s fitting that Amaterasu’s main power comes from the landscape-changing Celestial Brush, a weapon that lets you draw, slash and ink away the world’s problems.

The Celestial Brush is used in everything from solving puzzles to tackling the enormous bosses that lurk inside various temples across the land. Sometimes you’ll literally have to draw a new bridge or slash away a rock that’s blocking your path – you’ll be able to control water, wind and fire too, as Amaterasu’s godlike divinity is slowly restored. It all drives home the idea that not only is this world a painting, but you’re the creator and can mess with it as you see fit.

Not all fights can be solved with magic ink, though. Demons wander the same grounds you’re trying to take back, and they require a more in-your-face style of attack. The close combat weapons range from beads to oversized swords, but their button-mashing combo attacks are basically the same from beginning to end.

Not that combat is the focus here, but after the first 10 hours or so, you’ll start avoiding enemies just to keep running through the lush open fields. Boss battles, on the other hand, are long and involve all your Brush skills – too bad there are only a handful of these fights. And from time to time, it’s not quite clear where you need to head next, leading to a lot of meandering around. Exploration is part of the genre, but a few more clues wouldn’t hurt.

Other than those minor annoyances, there’s barely anything about Okami we can complain about. It’s one of the few non-Nintendo games that manages to capture the awe and magic of playing a new Zelda, a feat that instantly rockets Okami into the upper tier of PS2 games (plus, unlike Zelda, you can actually jump). You’re getting a long quest packed with life-giving missions and a presentation that’s unlike anything you’ve ever played. If you consider yourself a gamer in any way, buy this right now. You will not be disappointed.