All right, folks. Uh, welcome to the stream or if you're watching this on YouTube, which is most likely. Yeah, we got the big announcement finally, right? Uh, Star Wars uh Fall of the Empire is here, right? And u it's been a Yeah, it's been a week, right? because there there's the the release has been delayed and media day kind of got drizzled with embargos and and stuff like that, right? And uh and we didn't get like the teaser. Well, we got a teaser. We got the logo kind of thing, but we didn't get anything else at all to kind of look at, you know, over the weekend or whatnot. And and yeah, we got a delay, delay, delay. And uh here we are Friday, September 12th to uh to look at the release, right? And uh there's been an absolute bombardment all of content from everyone who was there. There were there were like 20 odd people for the media day thing, right? So there's full gameplay videos, whatnot. And and Stern had a gameplay video that they uploaded as a live premiere of the game, right? and I don't know it was like five minutes long or something like that. Uh so so there's not really much to go on yet, right? So but at the end of the day, let's uh uh let's look at the different things uh that there are available to us on Stern's website, right? So So there's a gameplay trailer, right? So let's just walk through that first. Um let me see if I can pull that up here. Okay. So, this the one with the lights on here on the speakers and that depicts the Hoth back glass. It's it's it's the LE, right? And from what I can kind of gather is that the the premium kind of have um uh the A New Hope artwork. Uh the Ellie has Empire Strikes Back and the Pro has Return of the Jedi, right? So, [Music]
we need your help to defeat the Empire.
So, the thing is like how enthusiastic can you make Yoda with this and there's apparently a magnet here that kind of grabs the ball. So, that's a little bit of a force thing, right? And it's pretty cool. And there's some other iconic kind of artwork here from the uh from the shaft there uh in the first movie. So this thing is interesting here. So the the at it moves on the premium and I've gathered that much. And the wire form that kind of goes around it is supposed to kind of be that kind of scene when they're kind of flying the snow speeders around his legs and kind of falls down. Yeah, there we go. The super jackpot. Uh, yeah. And that toy is just static on the uh on the on the pro, right? So, it doesn't do any movement or anything like that. Just crank this up a little bit. [Music] So, these these pop heads here, right? I mean, I'm I'm just a little bit like uh and these are apparently custom made for the game, right? And and I'm I I just can't stop laughing. And this is this is for the premium NLE, right? You get these uh pop heads kind of uh or bobbleheads kind of dotted out on the on the on the playfield, right? So, you have Darth Vader on on the traditional kind of Borg scoop there, right? And then you have the the Stormtrooper there. And then you have this like Jaba sculpt. There's also a Millennium Falcon in there. And there's there's a apparent lock in the in the Death Star there, right? And like when they were kind of flaunting these toys like the Millennium Falcon which looks like the one from the previous Star Wars game and a Death Star that looked like the previous Death Star from any other Star Wars game, right? And it's just like how many death stars are we going to destroy, right? and and and and the Java when they were kind of showing those on on stream, you know, like when they were streaming the the other games, I was just like, oh, and I just thought they full of [ __ ] They're absolutely full of [ __ ] They're just trying to fool us and thinking that it's kind of uh what it's not, right? And it's been like really it's been really confusing for me especially when the name name of the game is fall of the empire which is an era in Star Wars which is basically after return of the Jedi right so I always was on the fence that all this [ __ ] here that we've that they revealed prior that is just [ __ ] and we were actually going to see an original story kind of set in the same time as Mandalorian basically right but that uh that obviously didn't happen and everybody like, "Yeah, this is going to be original trilogy." And to me, it doesn't just it doesn't make any sense because there's already like 50 games out there on the original trilogy. But yeah, here we are at the end of the day. It's just like it is what it is. Um, epic and iconic, right? So, from the shot layout here was a pretty good uh shot here. Here we go. Right. So, we have um like this this is the funniest of fan layouts, right? I've I've seen for quite a while, right? And I was sort of like just thinking to myself here, can can you run the Venom code on this game? You think? Can you just load in Venom and and the game just and you you play with Venom call outs and I mean the shots are the same and they're the only thing that they kind of move the pop bumpers down to the above the slings and and and added some spinners, right? And at the end of the day it's just very very very similar kind of super funny layout, right? And and at the end of the day, like when when they can we we know like what those folks can do there at that factory, right? This this could be to me this kind of is like a Costco plus kind of version of the game, right? and and it's just so hysterical that they released the the the the Costco version the of of the Star Wars game and and then this one and it like as a consumer it's just like what am I picking and choosing here and and then there's the the old Star Wars game that they I think they vaulted at now but I I guess they just have to have a Star Wars game on the on the line uh and and and I guess this is the the answer to that, right? And uh yeah, super brutal. You can see super brutal kind of standups here in post and like any missed shot is a drain shot. It kind of looks like and from from what I gathered somewhere was that the the these standups basically build progress towards starting a mode, right? So there's going to be a lot of brick shots here, right? And you also have the traditional kind of Borg left out lane with a plink plunk Borg, right? So that's not going to be very pleasant. And another thing here like we can this is this is going to confuse the hell out of our operators, right? Um I got my big [ __ ] fat face in the way here. Let me just So Jaba is basically holding a ball is cradling it that there there, right? And it's just like it just looked like why why do they have like a a um a stuck ball on the playfield in a promo shoot, right? But apparently it's supposed to be there. It's just weird weird choices and it's just a decoration. I don't know if that is sort of like a joke to, you know, Jaba eats the ball kind of thing, you know, [Music] and and like the Death Star kind of lockmeck here. Like, isn't that isn't this the exact same one that that is on on uh on the home version, right? You It's the same kind of kind of steep ramp that kind of goes into a Death Star or or am I missing it missing something? because it looks exactly the same.
We're saved.
So, there's the magnet save where you kind of grab the ball and it's kind of and I saw other videos of the magnet, right? And the ball can kind of go up in between the flippers and you can kind of yank it out in the in the shooter lane there. And and and I it just also makes me wonder if you can nudge the ball back into play there because it doesn't look like there's anything that kind of opens or closes there. It's just a hole, you know, like like an old EM or something. [Music] All right, that's what we got from the trailer. Yeah, another thing that we can kind of comment on as well is like the the very uninspiring UI on this game, right? And I I don't know if this is like alpha 00001 or something on the whole interface design, right? Because here here we are with a bigger display, uh more oomph on the on the the hardware platform allegedly with Spike 3, right? and they put out the most bland and mildly uh exciting kind of uh UI, right? So, so I'm just going to I'm not going to do any judgment call on this, right? Because that is just that is just work in progress because it just looks so simple and I've seen some of the other footage as well. It's just like so simple, right? Yeah. And uh I don't really have like the artwork is sort of Yeah, I know. It's kind of like it's Star Wars art, right? And it just looks very uninspiring um in in in general. Uh and there was another thing I saw as well. I don't know if it was this one, if if it was the pro. We can look at the pictures later. And apparently the eyes on Yoda lights up. It's super creepy. We didn't see it on in this video, but I saw it on the gameplay video. [Music]
We're saved.
Yeah, you can throw it up there as well. Yeah, there's eyes flashing. It's just so obscene. Yeah. So, that was the video. So, let's uh let's look at the different editions here. [Music] Yeah. So, what it looks like, I mean, I I can't really tell on the pro here. If you look at the um the artwork on the back glass. Yeah. So, if you Yeah. Let's see if we can just hold that thought for a minute. Uh where did it go? Uh, zoom in here a little bit. Yeah. So, this artwork here looks the same as on the back glass, right? So, let's see if we can get a picture. There's no clear backlash picture, just the full game. Are they trying to hide it? Is that why? Let's see if I can just This This should be Oh, here it is. Yeah. Yeah. These are two low rests, right? But it looks like No, it's not the same pose. It's not the same pose. All right. Yeah. It just kind of, you know, gives out the same vibe. Uh but yeah, I mean, at the end of the day, the artwork kind of looks good on the cabinet. Uh I I really like it. like the Return of the Jedi sort of that is my kind of like favorite OG trilogy kind of uh movie, right? And and the art artwork and art style and and all that. So that that that that sit it sits really well uh with me from that perspective. But I mean the thing the the the game itself, right? I mean you you cannot if you threw like Borgs all designs into chat GPT and told chat GPT to design a playfield, right? And and and this is how it would come out, right? You have kind of like the the rush thing in the center and you have the traditional kind of orbit and and and ramp shots, right? There's there's a bash toy, the the the AT-AT, right? And it's it's just very very cookie cutter. And you kind of have a scoop on the side there. The only original thing from a Borg perspective, I think, is the is the pop bumpers uh on the um on the sides here, right? And um and you would probably get very familiar with with the pop plink plunk drain uh from the this the side inlanes here. So, uh, what are the I mean, I kind of like I kind of like the the insert stacks here. They kind of look very straightforward. Um, some probably some Yeah. mode, objectives, whatnot. And, uh, the locks kind of looks like a one of those that you shoot in the back and there's a ball popper that throws it on the, uh, around that wire form there. There's also a jump shot in the back here. So, you kind of launch the ball through that hole in in the backboard or the the billboard or depending on who you're speaking to, it has a different name, right? So, you go back there and they go you get a ramp return. And I do I do like that like on the pro they they kept the wire forms, right? And that is a general direction I like about Stern period, right? that they have sort of like sunseted the whole kind of idea of putting these like plastic ramp returns uh the the molded ones, right? They just look really bad and it's uh yeah, I mean they're a necessary evil sometimes, right? But uh ramp returns should be wire forms, right? Metal entrances or plastic entrances doesn't really matter. I do like the the the metal ramp entrances for the kinetic satisfaction, but like like how they done it here with the plastic uh plastic ramp up the bowl here, right? Uh where you have inserts in the underneath the ramp there that can show you progress towards something. I mean that that's a kind of a neat mix of having both plastic and metals, I think. So yeah. So this is the pro play field. Let's see. Let's see if we can pull up the premium here and see what uh what we're what we're missing out on. Right. So, obviously on the pro you don't uh oops on the pro you don't get the bob heads. Uh right. And I think that's that's a that's a good thing. Right. Uh because they don't really add much, right? You don't get the Java either. And the thing is at the end of the day, like if you like the bobheads and you you want to buy a pro, just like get some other kind of figurine that fits that size, right? I saw somebody posted like shampoo bottles, right? And and and that that would work, right? Uh so, oh, we don't even get the Millennium Falcon. Yeah, we get the Falcon. Yeah. All right. So, that is there. And and it looks like the um uh So, what is else is missing here? So yeah, the lock is there it looks like. But I did hear that the jump ramp is static on the pro. Uh yeah, it kind of looks like it's bolted to the playfield there. Yeah, I am seeing chat. Uh I'm I'm I'm not I'm not reading chat. So yeah. So I mean at the end of the day. Yeah. So there's the ramp and the magnets. Yeah. So you don't get the magnet on pro either. That's uh that's a bummer. But yeah, you can see here on the premium, it doesn't look like there's any like there's no like mechanical kind of thing that opens up or something like when the magnet is available. Uh so it looks like you you you should be able to kind of nudge the the ball back into play like during like any at any given time. So that seems like one strat. But yeah, somehow I there's something that rubs me the the wrong way about the color palette on the game in general. It's just it just looks really off. Like I mean the um the artwork like I mean the individual kind of like characters and and ships and whatnot, right? It looks fine. And it but it's just Yeah, it's just composed in a really odd way, I think. And what's what's going on here? Why Why is the ramp cut in half there? Is there a Is is that a jump ramp as well or what? Oh, so on the pro there is no hole there. So is that Oh, so is so that's a diverter on on the premium then I guess. Yeah, the Yeah, I agree that the cabinet artwork is is phenomenal, right? It's just the playfield looks odd. But I mean, yeah, I guess you get used to it. But Yoda just looks so creepy. It's just so weird. Let's see if we can find some uh better picture of it. So, does that light the magnet then? Is that what it does? Yeah, these are some really weird close-ups. Okay, so we got a blurry ball. Look at that. It's just serious. Yeah, look at the inserts here. They look great, right? I mean, these are fantastic. Yeah. And that I mean, they got good humor. I give them that. Oh, and we got a Obi-Wan as well. That's uh I was looking for him on the playfield before, but yeah, these are great, right? These are perfect. Oh, we got some Jedi training here as well. It's It's cute. So, that's Jaba's palace. Then, I guess the The spinny pit. Oh, the thing on the ramp is a tie fighter. Is that what it is? Oh, now I see it. Damn, that was like a It's almost like an optical illusion. I see it now. It was just a little bit blurry. All right, that makes a So that that's basically like Deadpool on a spring. A TIE fighter on a spring like like on the like on the other Star Wars, right? I mean, Yeah. I mean, yeah. Yeah. I kind of like the idea with the jumping jump ramps and stuff like that. That's that's fun. That's fun. Pinball. All right. So, there's the TIE fighter. We can see it now. Yeah, the artwork on the premium is not horrible. Uh because this is Yeah, this is premium. Yeah, it looks good. Let's see if we can I don't know why they didn't like have better shots on the translite. And for some reason, like the the photos are like super low rest. Usually the these are pretty like these used to be pretty high. If you go to an older game, they're they used to be fine. But I guess they don't want people like me ripping the artwork off like I always do. but and a limited edition. Yeah, I don't know if this kind of a frosty trim is uh the way to go, but it kind of I guess it goes well with the with the expression lights and and the bigger screen and and the thing like with with the bigger screen, I was kind of thinking that the screen would be bigger than it actually is. It doesn't look as much. And they had like plenty of material to kind of cut into here and kind of move the lock to the side and make some weird like like a like a hinge like like you have on classic games, right? But uh this is what we got. Yeah. Well, somebody said somewhere that there was a the new screen has higher fidelity and and better kind of color uh recreation. So that will be exciting to see. Yeah, they keeping the scores on the screen is sort of would probably be ideal. Uh let me see if I can just see watch the game play premere here. Right, the the thing is like the video is not full screen, right? So they've sort of just like they like they did on Bond basically where they sort of they have all the video in a much smaller form factor, right? And on Bond I think the aspect ratio is like 43 even and they have room for all the having like scores and stuff on the screen almost most of the time, right? So there's barely I don't know if I saw any full screen clips at all. They were just like they're all in this little square here, right? Yeah. So, that's the skill shot. Now, he's popped up.
But, I mean, isn't this a very uninspiring UI? Seriously, it it looks very kind of beta, you know, like this is this is we we everything kind of looks like placeholders. You do have the scores down there. You can't see that now because
So, I got to hit him a little bit before I can get in there and start a Java event.
So, the uh
there you can see the scores, right? and very clear numbers.
But it's open.
That looks good. But I mean,
yeah, it just looks like a placeholder to me.
Perfect timing.
And something other kind of weird I noticed with with this kind of live play premiere. It was in 720p 60 and it was not live. It was uploaded. So why don't you record it in 4K when you when you for the for the for the premiere? It's just so odd, right? So everything kind of looks completely potato. you can't really like distinguish anything, right?
When um the droids are unknowingly gifted
and some of the footage that the uh the media day folks put out or basically in higher resolution, right? So, I don't know what the uh what the story is there. That was my dream.
Another thing here I noticed here, if you look at how the text is kind of animating and kind of glowing and stuff like that. I think that's a new thing that they've implemented, right? So that probably enables by the spike three platform to have kind of more dynamic text which makes a lot of sense, right? Uh like how the different effects kind of coming in. You have distortion
but still no full screen. Yeah, there was some full screen. Here we have the the bonus switches here.
You can see they're lit.
That's because
look at the Yoda eyes. It's just so creepy.
Yeah, I mean uh that's what we got uh today. There is also a interview uh or like a presentation by George Gomez, but I'm not going to load that up. It's not much to uh there's not much to see, so to speak. Yeah, that's Yeah, it's it's very mellow, unexciting uh release. Uh I would say uh given given what the other manufacturers are sort of putting out there uh in terms of innovative gameplay and toys, mechs, short paths, like you name it. And the thing is that Stern can as well because they have like obviously King Kong is a it's a it's a goddamn masterpiece, right? if you're and and like you can't like it's just like two different divisions alto together in terms of like game design like it it's just this is just like that cookie cookie cutter chap GPT kind of pinball playfield where you mash every fan layout together and put a game out, right? And yeah, it's uh it's uninspiring. But anyhow, uh yeah, I I I I'm I'm I'm ordering a pro uh going to play it for a while and uh probably get a bunch of DMCA strikes and whatnot for listening to that the same John Williams soundtrack uh for uh forever and ever. And and the thing is that you couldn't really ask any questions on the on any any forum, right? You basically have to go there to ask them in person, right? Because I I you know you know on Mando you can kind of turn off the licensed music and they have a different soundtrack. That would be great if they had on this game as well because u that music from Star Wars always get flagged, right? And if you do YouTube uploads with uh with the video or or with the music playing or whatever uh it gets restricted and and limited and whatnot and I don't know what Twitch will do with it, right? So, but if you get if I get a strike on Twitch, the game is going like immediately. And I don't know what this supposed to like. Why are they sticking balls in the playfield? Nobody really cares. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I was just so fooled by this Millennium Falcon. I totally thought that when they were flaunting these toys on their streams, it's just like, ah, we we got we we're getting full deer, right? They're full of [ __ ] and they're going to show us something completely different on a day off, but here we are. Star Wars: Fall of the Empire in the 4 to6 trilogy. Yeah. Uh it would have been cool if it was based on an original story kind of in the in the aftermath uh of uh Return of the Jedi, but we didn't get that. But yeah, anyhow, uh that's all I had. Uh I have no like super latives to say about this game other than yeah, here here it is. Here we are. And uh just another Star Wars game. at all. I'll guess I'll uh see you folks uh soon. Cheers.