With Star Wars Episode III just around the corner we should all brace ourselves for the really cool merchandise that's about to greedily consume shelf space at Toys R Us. There'll be action figures, t-shirts, cookies (yes cookies), and most importantly videogames! LucasArts has been on a huge roll as of late with KOTOR II and Republic Commando, and now it's set to unveil an expansion pack for its popular MMORPG Star Wars Galaxies entitled Rage of the Wookies.

There are really a plethora of reasons why this expansion is going to be extremely cool, beginning with the fact that it introduces an entirely new planet to the game. The Wookie home world of Kashyyyk is yours to explore. There are over 100 story-driven missions as well as the opportunity to choose which side you want to fight with: the evil Empire or the loveable, huggable, but insanely powerful Wookies, though I'm sure you'll also be able to go it alone. There are numerous points of interest here including the Trandoshan slave camps and the Wookie tree cities, and there will be new weapons and armor. In fact, the entire combat system has apparently been revamped to make it a much smoother and enjoyable experience.

By far, the most attractive stuff in this expansion is its Episode III content. While LucasArts hasn't disclosed many details, I do know that you'll be able to pilot Anakin's Jedi Starfighter. Past that, this game's secrets have been locked up pretty tight.

Another cool feature is the ability to install cybernetic limbs, which supposedly enhance your abilities, but you won't need to fall victim to Vader's wrath to get a sweet robotic arm. Although it doesn't make much sense, you can just attach and detach these parts without losing your extremities. Just make sure to keep your right arm on ice.

If you tire of Kashyyyk and need a change of scenery you're welcome to leave, and there will actually be things you can do while you're in space. You can mine asteroids and sell the valuable materials to buyers on the ground. However, doing this won't be easy. Space Pirates are going to make your life extremely difficult, as they're content with you doing all of the work and then making a play for your precious cargo.

Visually, Rage of the Wookies looks great. Kashyyyk is huge, and the developers have done a nice job filling the land with lush, green forests and tall homes that sit amongst the trees. It'll certainly be cool investigating not only the Wookie camps but also those of the Trandoshans and the Rodians. Character models sport a decent amount of detail but aren't pushing any boundaries, and it's neat seeing them walking around with artificial limbs.

Star Wars Galaxies: Episode III Rage of the Wookies certainly looks fascinating but you may want to pass it by until you've seen the movie. I think I'm battling with the same temptation some of you are, which is to read as many spoilers as possible because the curiosity is continuously gnawing at me, but if LucasArts is indeed pumping this game full of content it's probably best to download it after you've witnessed Anakin's turn to the dark side. Now if you don't care, feel free to immerse yourself in this deep expansion when it releases May 5.