Star Wars Battlefront screenshot explosion

LucasArts have released a handful of new shots of Battlefront - the Star Wars online first-person shooter based around Battlefield 1942 - which has already become one the most eagerly awaited Star Wars games in years.

Set across 10 planets including Tatooine, Naboo and Hoth, the game features over 20 different soldier types from four factions - Rebel Alliance, Imperial Army, Clone Army and Droid Army. In addition, players will be able to make use of ground-based turrets and 15 ground and air vehicles.

Console owners can expect battles that feature 16 players over the net or 32 players connected via LAN, while PC gamers can expect double those figures. We'll have more on Battlefront in the coming weeks but, in the meantime, have an eyeful of these latest screenshots.

Star Wars Battlefront will be released for PS2, Xbox and PC towards the end of the year