Star Wars: The Force Unleashed

"Power Overwhelming, Design Uninspiring"

Star Wars games have had a long and tumultuous history. For every Knights of the Old Republic, there are several half-baked abominations such as Bounty Hunter or those ridiculous vehicular combat games of the PSOne era. So it probably goes without saying that each time an new Star Wars game is announced, it is treated with reserved interest. After all, there are only so many times a person can get burned without becoming wary. With the Force Unleashed, I (somewhat foolishly) fully set aside my apprehensions and anticipated the moment when I would be able to fling Stormtroopers into walls with the merest wave of my hand. Unfortunately, the end experience is nowhere near that fun or rewarding. But perhaps it would be best to start at the beginning…

The Force Unleashed takes place in the intervening period between Episodes III and IV, although the game is closer to IV in its chronology. During an assault on the Wookie homeworld of Kashyyyk, Darth Vader runs across a child strong in the Force. Seeing an opportunity, Vader secrets the boy away and raises him as his Sith apprentice, codenamed Starkiller. Upon reaching adulthood, Vader sets the monumental task of finishing off the Jedi order by hunting down those remaining after Order 66. There are plenty of oversights in terms of the plot that may leave hardcore Star Wars fans scratching their heads, but overall it provides a good insight into Vader's campaign against the Jedi.

During the course of the game, Starkiller ventures to numerous planets in search of Jedi. These range from the forests of Kashyyyk to Imperial space stations to the junk world Raxus prime. To say that this is the best looking Star Wars game ever would be an understatement. In fact, this is a great looking game by any measure. The world of Raxus Prime is probably the best example of what the graphics engine is capable of. Mountainous heaps of scrap metal are rendered with meticulous care, with each individual piece easy to pick out. Yellowish acid flows in rivers and junk flies through the sky like an insect swarm. Character animations are just as good, with Starkiller's movements being very fluid and natural even as he jumps and twists through the air while dodging between enemies, lightsaber in hand.

The first level, one of the most awesome displays of bad-assery in video game history, sets a high bar for the rest of the game. Players will take control of Darth Vader himself as he carves a path through the Wookie homeworld. This mission does a great job of showing off what kind of chaos a powered up Sith Lord is capable of (and it's Darth freakin' Vader!). Regrettably, the rest of the game ends up falling far short (light years short, one might say) of the high bar it sets for itself. But, for the sake of cutting the game a little bit of slack I'll forego the executioners blade for the moment and focus on what this title does right.

As the title indicates, Force Unleashed depicts the Force in all its overpowered glory. Among the powers Starkiller will eventually be able to harness are Force Push, Grip and Lightning. The uses of each are fairly self-explanatory – Push throws back enemies and can blow through parts of the environment (such as a door). Grip picks up, manipulates and throws objects and enemies. Lightning is the classic “lightning from fingertips” move of Emperor Palpatine. There are also a few powered up moves, Lightsaber throw which causes Starkillers lightsaber to boomerang around in an arc of neon-hued death. Force Repulse is an overpowered, 360 degree Force Push. Lightning Shield reduces the damage Starkiller takes and increases lightsaber damage.

Limited though they may be, they're all fantastically fun to use. Picking up a Stormtrooper and throwing him against walls, then chucking the lifeless body at his companions is a blast, as is blowing through solid doors with Force Push. Lightsaber combat is just as fun, with Starkiller being capable of some pretty awesome moves. It's almost always necessary to make full use of Starkiller's powers because the enemies he'll face on his journey are ruthless and more than capable of taking down a Sith apprentice. Experimentation is also necessitated by the fact that clever use of Force powers rewards extra experience.

By leveling up, Starkiller can in turn level up his powers and abilities. It is possible to learn new melee combos for lightsaber combat, learn talents (things like increased health and energy) or power up Force abilities to make them more effective and dangerous.

Unfortunately, that's about the extent of what Force Unleashed gets right. Fun though it may be to sling Jawas into explosive barrels, there are some frustrating obstacles with the combat. Most problematic of these is that the targeting system just isn't up to the pace of the game. Given that Starkiller can pick up most anything with Force Grip, pretty much everything in the environment – explosive barrels, debris, TIE fighters from an assembly line – becomes a target. While that fact is integral to the game, it often becomes a hassle. The system loosely targets items based on where Starkiller is facing but it will often have him swinging at or trying to pick up some random object instead of the enemy who is shooting him in the face. There were even times when the targeting completely bugged out when using Force Grip, and I was left trying to pick up an object that wasn't even on-screen. The problem predictably worsens as the amount of things on-screen increases.

Then there's the camera. It's not as consistent a problem as the targeting, but when it starts it is a teeth-grinding experience. While it behaves fine in large open areas, it starts moving wildly when in small enclosed spaces (of which there are plenty). In other cases, it doesn't move enough, staying firmly planted in one direction while enemies assault Starkiller from behind. Although it is possible to work the camera by using the right analog stick, it still doesn't completely overcome these problems.

Level design, while typically linear, often becomes downright awful due to varying factors. In one level that has Starkiller navigating the belly of a Saarlac, there are gaping holes that can suck him in for massive damage. Later on, players will have to traverse the lungs, which blow Starkiller all the way back to the beginning of the area if he is caught in the open when the Saarlac breathes. Another example of the games faulty design is with the Star Destroyer level, which has players bringing down the behemoth with the Force. After fending off a wave of TIE fighters by Force Gripping and throwing them, it is then necessary to start pulling on the Destroyer by pressing the analog sticks as directed. Shortly after beginning (and presumably making a certain amount of progress) another round of TIE fighters swoops in, as the Star Destroyer slowly reverts to its original position. While design gaffes of this proportion are few, there are plenty of smaller instances of developer idiocy. In fact, this game has more ways of dishing out a cheap death than any other I've seen in recent memory.

The Force Unleashed also has problems with its boss fights. Due to how the story is set up, each level is structured so that after fighting through the area, players battle a Jedi in a traditional boss fight. What could have easily been the highlight of the game turns out to be a methodical disappointment. More often than not, these fights come down to dumb luck rather than skill or strategy. This is typically due to the fact that the Jedi are mysteriously impervious to half the attacks Starkiller can dish out, or are simply capable of shrugging off any Force powers thrown at them.

If it's any consolation (and it probably won't be) the audio work for the game is mostly good. The music is as high-quality as any fan could hope for, with many of the old Star Wars themes being here in full force. A few are a bit overplayed, but at least they're good songs to begin with. As far as the voice acting goes, it's a bit hard to say. It varies from character to character, but Starkiller himself is about as memorable as Hayden Christenson.

THE VERDICT
Throughout the entirety of the game, the inherent awesomeness of wielding the Force is juxtaposed by a slew of hare-brained design choices. Even though the Force has never been depicted in such a wholly amazing manner, it's safe to say most players will find themselves grinding their teeth in aggravation instead of enjoying the Force powered carnage.

HIGHS
- Force powers are awesome
- Great graphics and attention to detail

LOWS
- Crap level design
- Boss fights come down to luck over skill
- Load times are everywhere

Reviewer's Score: 6/10, Originally Posted: 01/26/09

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