High-heeled, orange-skinned Star Wars action is coming to handhelds this December courtesy of Ubisoft, the publisher announced today. Developed exclusively for the PSP and DS, Star Wars: Lethal Alliance will center on the adventures of acrobatic Rebel spy Rianna Saren and her floating droid, Zeeo. The two will constantly work as a collaborative team, with players controlling both - although we don't yet know whether you'll switch between them on the fly or just pick one and issue orders to the other, a la Army of Two.

Taking place between Episode III and IV of the Star Wars saga, Lethal Alliance will follow Rianna and Zeeo as they work to steal the plans for the Death Star (which, if we may be permitted to geek out for a moment, was previously attributed to Dark Forces/Jedi Knight star Kyle Katarn. We're not sure if Lethal Alliance messes with that continuity, but we do know Katarn will make an appearance).

Story aside, Lethal Alliance promises plenty of shooting, stealth and brawling action, with players able to bust out holographic disguises and fly spaceships. The game will feature plenty of old standby settings, such as Mos Eisley and Coruscant, while at the same time introducing new locations like Despayre, Danuta and Alderaan. Oh, and Boba Fett will put in an appearance as well, further solidifying his position as a punching bag for second-string Star Wars heroes.

More promising is that Lethal Alliance will apparently take full advantage of the DS' and PSP's "unique capabilities," according to Ubisoft. So it wouldn't be unreasonable to expect, say, wireless co-op play. Whatever the case, we're looking forward to hearing more.

August 17, 2006