Star Wars: The Force Unleashed

"Good game, good Star Wars"

Hyped to Hell and back, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is finally here for

Graphics - Good (7/10)
There really isn't much to say about the graphics. They get the job done, they look decent, and they don't get in the way of themselves.

Sound - Good (7/10)
The best thing about SW:TFU's sound is that you've heard it all before. This is also the worst thing about SW:TFU's sound. If you like the series' music (and honestly, the series' music is one of its strong points), then you'll like this.

Challenge: Poor (4/10)
The game's challenge is hampered considerably by BioShock Syndrome: death isn't much of a meaningful setback. You lose a few Force Points (essentially this game's equivalent to XP), but any normal enemies you've killed remain dead, everything you've collected stays collected, and even bosses don't normally heal back to full. This allows you to brute-force (no pun intended) your way through basically everything in the game.

Worse, however, is the fact that the last level (and only that level) depends on this, and throws huge waves of enemies at you while expecting you to die multiple times. This crosses the line between challenge and tedium, and while it may have been necessary to keep the game as-is from being a complete cakewalk, a better solution would have been to design real challenge into it.

Plot: Outstanding (9/10)
Much of the plot is fairly standard Star Wars. The twist, however, paints some very important aspects of the original trilogy in a completely new light. In fact, what am I doing writing this now? I need to go re-watch the original trilogy having seen this.

Gameplay: Outstanding (9/10)
This is a game that shows just how much expressive motion control can make a game. Lightsaber control is smooth and responsive, and the Force powers are a joy to control. The only real flaw is that cutscene skip isn't exactly made obvious; many people seem to not even realize it's there. For reference, it's the - button on the Wii Remote.

BONUS POINTS: The Wii version has an exclusive boss battle where you kill a Gungan, complete with annoying accent. This is probably as close to killing Jar-Jar as George Lucas will ever allow, and it is glorious. This is worth bonus points all on its own if you hate Jar-Jar, and I know you do.

Overall - Great (8/10)
It's a shame that you can't lose. It stands out as this game's one significant flaw. Aside from that, this game is a worthy addition to pretty much any collection.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 09/25/08

Game Release: Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (US, 09/16/08)