The history of games based upon George Lucas' Star Wars empire have always been of an up-and-down fashion. For every game that's been undesirable or bland (Masters of Teras Kasi for the PlayStation- bleah), there's been a game that ended up as an equally brilliant piece of work (Star Wars Battlefront II for the PS2, Xbox, and Sony PSP). But there's no denying that the license still has legs to spare, especially with the success of the Knights of the Old Republic role-playing games. So here we take a look at the future of Star Wars games to come, and how they could very well help shape the face of the franchise as we know it. Enjoy it, you will.

Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy

Now here's a game that's going to have appeal with every kind of player out there. It doesn't matter of you're a hard-core strategist or one of those people who can't wait to invest hours in a session of Bejeweled. Lego Star Wars seems to have the kind of likeability that almost everybody can find instantly. The sequel looks even more promising, as it deals with the events from the original movie trilogy that many of us grew up with, instead of the new effects-laden trilogy that the previous game followed.

In the game, events from A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi unfold, with several classic characters at your control. From Luke Skywalker to Chewbacca to Princess Leia, you'll find each character providing specific skills that will help you complete the game and gain access to unlockable goodies. Watch for the magic date of September 12th, when this game drops for every console on the market, including the PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, Nintendo DS, Sony PSP, PC, and Xbox 360. (On that day, you can snag the "unaltered" trilogy for DVD as well. Yes, Han shoots first.)

Star Wars: Lethal Alliance

Recently, Ubisoft struck a deal with the folks at LucasArts to publish a brand new Star Wars adventure, focusing on characters being introduced to the saga for the first time. However, they look to fit pretty well with it, and their unique play styles look to be something that'll push Star Wars: Deadly Alliance ahead when it arrives later this year for the Sony PSP and Nintendo DS.

In the game, players take control of warrior Twi'lek Rianna Saren and her security droid Zeeo as they carry out a mission given to them by the Rebel Alliance. They must fight off Imperial forces as they try to find out more about a battle station known as the Death Star. The events of the game unfold between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope, tying the two trilogies closer together, and should have plenty of new details to intrigue Star Wars fans aplenty. Look for more coverage on this title very soon in a full-blown preview.

Star Wars 2007 (yet untitled)

Lethal Alliance isn't the only original Star Wars property that's currently in development. Last month at Comic-Con, LucasArts was showing off an impressive new tech demo for a forthcoming Star Wars game for the Xbox 360. This yet-untitled game looks to utilize the powers of the Jedi, putting you in control of rogue Jedi agents as they fight off Imperial forces and other alien beings as they whip around their lightsabers and the ways of the Force.

The demo looks impressive thus far, with outstanding detail being given to the animation and level designs. It looks like a living, breathing Star Wars universe brought to life on its own, instead of a previously explored area we've already seen. But the real fun we saw with the demo was when the Jedi powers came into play. Not only do you become a total bad-ass by swinging around your lightsaber, but your Force powers can become devastating. At the end of the demo, we saw the yet unnamed Jedi warrior pick up some debris and toss it at a TIE Fighter, blasting it to pieces. Very cool. We'll be keeping up to date on this title as more information surfaces.

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