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This is when you realise that the game will never recover from that first glimpse of greatness. After the cut scene, which sees the boy become a man, you begin to play as this new apprentice to the Dark Sith Lord. Starting with far less of an impressive force arsenal, it’s hard to not be a little disappointed.
Still, there are plenty of Jedi, Stormtroopers and alien races to dispatch in interesting ways (either via The Force or just by using your Lightsaber) so it’s not all bad. A few key or platform finding puzzles and some more killing make up the vast bulk of the rest of the game. The boss characters and vehicles are nice, with some quicktime events thrown in (press square, circle etc at the right time) and these actually break up the levels nicely.
Graphically, Force Unleashed isn’t a stunner. The scenery looks like a cardboard cutout and objects don’t really seem to have different weights when you force lift them or throw them. The damage engine ensures that every time you splinter a door, wall or tree it looks different, but this is all taken away when you watch the debris disappear in front of your eyes. It’s a bit of a waste when you consider how great the Star Wars universe can look.
The annoying features aren’t enough to completely ruin the game, though. With some good cut scenes, multiple story branching (with different endings) and some nice cameos, Force Unleashed is actually still pretty playable for any Star Wars fan. It could do with a multiplayer or even a co-op mode, though, and if you’re playing through the levels without finding all the hidden trophies, the whole thing will be over far too soon. Despite the issues, it’s still up there with some of the better Star Wars games, but you can’t help the feeling that this game should have been stronger in the force.
7/10
This is when you realise that the game will never recover from that first glimpse of greatness. After the cut scene, which sees the boy become a man, you begin to play as this new apprentice to the Dark Sith Lord. Starting with far less of an impressive force arsenal, it’s hard to not be a little disappointed.
Still, there are plenty of Jedi, Stormtroopers and alien races to dispatch in interesting ways (either via The Force or just by using your Lightsaber) so it’s not all bad. A few key or platform finding puzzles and some more killing make up the vast bulk of the rest of the game. The boss characters and vehicles are nice, with some quicktime events thrown in (press square, circle etc at the right time) and these actually break up the levels nicely.
Graphically, Force Unleashed isn’t a stunner. The scenery looks like a cardboard cutout and objects don’t really seem to have different weights when you force lift them or throw them. The damage engine ensures that every time you splinter a door, wall or tree it looks different, but this is all taken away when you watch the debris disappear in front of your eyes. It’s a bit of a waste when you consider how great the Star Wars universe can look.
The annoying features aren’t enough to completely ruin the game, though. With some good cut scenes, multiple story branching (with different endings) and some nice cameos, Force Unleashed is actually still pretty playable for any Star Wars fan. It could do with a multiplayer or even a co-op mode, though, and if you’re playing through the levels without finding all the hidden trophies, the whole thing will be over far too soon. Despite the issues, it’s still up there with some of the better Star Wars games, but you can’t help the feeling that this game should have been stronger in the force.
7/10