Star Wars: Lethal Alliance is a video game in the third-person action-adventure genre. It saw release on the PlayStation Portable and Nintendo DS gaming systems on December 5 and December 12, 2006, respectively. The narrative centers on the exploits of Rianna Saren, a Twi'lek mercenary, and Zeeo, her security droid, as they endeavor to pilfer the blueprints for the Death Star and confront Kheev, an Imperial slaver. The events of the game unfold mere months before the events of Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope.
Rianna Saren, a Twi'lek, began her independent life as a mercenary in the months leading up to the Battle of Yavin. Her arrogance stemmed from the trauma of her past enslavement. Zarien Kheev, a Zabrak slaver who once owned Rianna, severed one of her lekku in a fit of anger after she attempted an escape. She later acquired a prosthetic replacement for the missing lekku. Rianna's mercenary career started on Coruscant, but she frequently had to evade Imperial scout troops.
Eventually, Kyle Katarn contacted Saren, tasking her with the theft of an Imperial shipment of Mirkanite from a Black Sun storage facility, an offer she accepted for compensation. She breached the warehouse's inner sanctum, eliminating numerous Black Sun guards, but was ultimately captured. During her captivity, she inadvertently activated Zeeo. Zeeo liberated Rianna from her confinement, and together they secured the Imperial shipment, delivering it to the Rebellion. Leia Organa expressed her gratitude and requested Rianna's presence on Alderaan. Rianna complied, successfully dismantling an Imperial drug operation. While on Alderaan, she confronted and eliminated Slak Sagar, seizing his heavy blaster. Princess Leia informed her that shipments of the drug originated on Mustafar, where it was being utilized to boost Mirkanite slave production. Rianna then embarked on a mission to halt production at the factory.
After infiltrating the factory, she encountered Wookiee slaves. The group's leader revealed the location of the drill within the factory. Rianna deactivated the drill shaft and detonated explosives to obliterate the entire facility. Subsequently, she encountered Kheev and pursued him to Tatooine, where Boba Fett shot down her ship in the Slave I. While on Tatooine, she located and killed the Twi'lek slaver Sedriss after discovering Kheev's whereabouts, then took his blaster rifle. Finding Kheev in an arena in another part of town, he unleashed a rancor. Rianna Saren and Zeeo defeated the rancor. Kheev then captured her and transported her to Despayre, where she learned about the Death Star.
Rianna escaped from the prison on Despayre and boarded the Death Star before Despayre's destruction. Upon reaching the Death Star, she went to the Communication center and informed the Rebels about the battlestation. She then commandeered an Imperial vessel and traveled to Danuta, where Kheev was holding the Death Star plans. Rianna fought her way to Kheev and killed him in his personal battle armor, but not before Kheev managed to shoot Rianna. Zeeo selflessly intercepted the shot, sustaining severe damage. Rianna retrieved the Death Star plans from Kheev's corpse.
Rianna, carrying Zeeo, proceeded to her transport, ready to continue her mercenary work.
Throughout the entirety of the game, players face adversaries, requiring them to engage in cooperative combat, controlling both Rianna and her droid Zeeo in order to complete their objectives. The game allows players to deploy holographic disguises to deceive Imperial Royal Guards and command gun turrets. As Rianna is not a Jedi, the game lacks Force powers or lightsabers. A multiplayer mode enables players to battle each other using droids of the same class as Zeeo.
The Nintendo DS and PlayStation Portable (PSP) versions have notable differences: the DS version provides a unique "Dual Cannon" attack by holding the X button while at "Maximum Alliance" (boosted by using Zeeo in Combat), while the PSP version includes holographic disguises.
This game is at odds with the 1995 PC game Star Wars: Dark Forces, in which Kyle Katarn steals the Death Star plans on Danuta. However, the game clarifies that the plans featured in Lethal Alliance are updated versions requested by the architects on Danuta. Another inconsistency lies in Katarn's appearance: in Dark Forces, he is depicted as a clean-shaven young man, whereas in Lethal Alliance, he sports a beard and appears older, aligning with his portrayal in New Republic era publications (Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II and later).