Star Wars: The Force Unleashed Reviews

  • RenovatioCogitoRenovatioCogito325,553
    26 Jan 2009 27 Jan 2009
    38 11 9
    Overall, this game is amazing. The gameplay is fun and really gives you a wide range of playing styles to choose from. You can jump right into the middle of a group of enemies and use Force Repulse to send them all flying, or you could take a more strategic approach and pick enemies off at a distance using your Force Lightning or Sabre Throw.

    The graphics and physics are absolutely amazing. Much of the environment is destructible, and when you break anything it never breaks twice. When using the force to lift enemies in the air, they will try to grab objects around them to keep you from doing so. This leads to a greater overall feeling of realism that really makes the game shine in my opinion.

    And finally, the storytelling is solid. The cinematics are excellently rendered, the voice acting is spot-on, and everything just draws you in to the story. It's a decent blend of storytelling and gameplay with cinematics not popping up during gameplay too much, but the fighting doesn't feel disconnected from the story.

    As with anything, there are a few minor complaints. Let me put an emphasis on how minor these complaints are. They aren't game-breaking and should by no means deter you from trying it out, but it is good to be aware going into it.

    First off, while the level design is pretty linear and doesn't leave much room for exploration, there are times when I found myself stuck not knowing what to do. I would have to wander around the room I was in trying to find whatever I was supposed to use the Force on to proceed in the level. Maybe this was the intent, but it led to some minor frustration. I would recommend playing the game on an easier difficulty first to become familiar with the levels before trying a hard difficulty.

    Second, the targeting system was a bit lacking. I could be looking right at an object but not have it targeted. This led to either using the Force on the wrong object, or taking a second to jiggle around my thumbsticks until the object I wanted was targeted. This wasn't limited to times when there are multiple targetable objects within a close vicinity either, even just having one object right in front of me sometimes led to this hit-or-miss targeting.

    Finally, there are several levels where, close to the ending boss fight, you will be walking forward and the game will cut to a loading screen. After the loading screen you will find yourself in control again and will walk forward a few more steps before the pre-boss-fight cinematic plays. This seems very unnecessary as the loading screen should lead right to the cinematic instead of waiting for you to walk forward.

    Overall a solid game that is definitely worth playing. The Sith Master difficulty might have you frustrated at times, but a strategic approach should have you finishing the entire game rather quickly. The DLC mission is extremely short, almost disappointingly so. However, as you'll have to play it four times to get all the achievements, it still gives you some good additional play time.
    5.0
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    Chaotic FiascoYou mentioned several things wrong with the game, and yet gave it 5 stars? Do you really think it compares to actual 5 star games like Red Dead Redemption, Arkham City, Bioshock, Skyrim, Mass Effect series, Portal 2, etc.? If you do, you're kidding yourself. Those games are all epic and polished experiences, whereas this game is only slightly better than a typical Star Wars game cash-in. Anything more than 3, maybe 3.5 stars is giving this game way too much credit.

    You and others mentioned several flaws which are anything but minor. The Star Destroyer QTE battle was stupid and frustrating. The game crashes more than can be overlooked. There is no real depth to the combat or any other part of the game (with the story being a slight exception). Levels are linear and boring. There is often little to no direction on where you're supposed to go or what you're supposed to do. I rarely consult guides when I play games, but I had to several times while playing through this one. The targeting system is flat-out broken, yet you say it's only a minor complaint. I can forgive the occasional mistargeting in a battle against many enemies, but when (as you even mentioned) the targeting system fails to lock on to the single enemy on the screen, that is totally unacceptable. In addition to all those more than minor issues, I want to add a few things.

    First, anything above the medium difficulty is frustratingly hard, and not the good, Dark Souls kind of hard; rather, it's stupid difficult a la Halo 2 Legendary. I finished the hardest difficulty, but I hated literally every second of it. I beat most bosses by griefing them with exploits, as that seemed to be the only reliable way to avoid dying.

    You mentioned that the physics of this game were incredible. I'll admit they were mostly acceptable and I didn't have too many problems with it (though there was the occasional WTF moment), but if you want to see incredible physics, go check out any Valve game on the Source engine. I can't think of other incredible physics games ATM, but I know I've played several that were significantly better that Force Unleashed.

    Now, please don't misunderstand. I will give this game credit where credit is due. The story was a great connector between the two movie trilogies, and I enjoyed playing the part of Starkiller. The multiple endings were fun and satisfying. Voice acting and cutscene animations weren't great, though, if I remember correctly. Also, playing on regular difficulty, I did mostly enjoy this game, and I was able to forgive many of the problems since I only spent $15 on it. Let it be known, however, that this game is definitely not worth any more than that. Also, for achievement hunters (especially completionists) this game will do nothing but frustrate you. Any enjoyment you have on your easier playthrough(s) will quickly be forgotten as you increase the difficulty.

    In short, I'm of the firm opinion that if this game didn't have Star Wars in the title, it would have been completely overlooked by the gaming community, and rightly so.
    Posted by Chaotic Fiasco On 17 Oct 13 at 03:27
    TheGreatKoalaI agree it would have been overlooked if it wasn't a star wars game. It was fun not but great.

    As for how it compares to Mass Effect? Far better, Mass Effect was incredibly boring
    Posted by TheGreatKoala On 23 Feb 17 at 10:45
    PangoBaraNO, NO, NO
    Posted by PangoBara On 01 Mar 17 at 12:31
  • SpectreSubZeroSpectreSubZero380,215
    29 Dec 2009 29 Dec 2009
    25 6 7
    What is there to say about this game except WOW! I am not a Star Wars fan, in fact the last Star Wars games I played were for the N64. So this isn't a biased review. I have yet to complete this game, but I am thoroughly enjoying it. I purchased the game for $13 new from FYE. It isn't that old of a game, so I assumed it would probably be garbage due the price. Very, very wrong...and I really recommend this game to anyone, not just Star Wars fans.

    Graphics: 9/10
    The graphics are great and no glitches graphics wise that I have found. Lots of Lights and things happening in the background! Sometimes you just stop playing and start looking around. Lots of things like ships flying by and all sorts of stuff going on for as far as the eye can see....all completely seperate from the actual story of the game. Your environment is destructible which really adds to the fun of this game! Running around wielding the force, lighting, and your saber are pretty pimp!

    Sound: 10/10
    All the classic sounds of Star Wars you would expect! And then some! Quite a bit of ambient noise. For example ships that fly by or battles in the distance. All you enemy have different dialogue. As you are fighting they will say different things or make different noises.

    Story: 10/10
    Your a pretty pimp Light Saber wielding Jedi/Sith dude. Your mission is to kill a bunch of other Jedi under the order of Darth Vader / the Emperor. Story line is very fluid and very fun. You will not want to put the controller down for one second. You'll be on ships, space stations, and different planets. Completely different scenery with loads of fun. This game is sort of a 3rd person shooter(light saber)/RPG. You can level up your power, which there are a ton of, throughout the game. Once you finish a game, you can continue to play on further walkthroughs. A lot of Replay ability to the game!

    Multiplayer: 0/10
    There is none!

    Controls: 9/10
    Controls are very fluid and easy to use on basic fighting skills. But using your advance skills can be as hard as a Mortal Combat game. Luckily the game gives your a training simulator to try out all your new found skills! I love being able to pick up enemy and crates and chucking them everywhere! You can throw crates at guys or pick them up and throw them 1000 yards, or you can just levitate them and choke um!

    Overall: 9/10
    Not the best game I have ever played but probably in my top five Xbox360 games. This game has still earned itself a 5 star rating.

    New
    The game new from Gamestop is $19.99, and worth every penny! Like I said in the beginning, I'm pretty surprised that the game is so cheap, considering that it was released September 16, 2008 in North America. So the game really isn't that old.

    http://www.gamestop.com/Catalog/ProductDetails.aspx?product_...

    Force Unleashed 2
    The sequel to this game is due to be released in North America 12/31/10.

    http://www.gamestop.com/Catalog/ProductDetails.aspx?product_...
    5.0
    There are 7 comments
  • Katosepe321Katosepe321102,137
    07 Jul 2010
    14 10 11
    While Star Wars: The Force Unleashed has a lot of potential, terrible controls and wonky targeting make this just another Star Wars game with a pretty good storyline.

    The game centers around Darth Vader's secret apprentice that he finds hunting down rogue Jedi after the Clone Wars have ended. As Starkiller, you must finish Darth Vader's missions by hunting down the few Jedi left after Order 66. It's a pretty good storyline that has actually been put into official Star Wars canon. Great characters, great voice acting and some strong emotional scenes really tie everything together and make the game almost worth playing.

    Unfortunately, the actual gameplay leaves much to be desired. The concept of The Force Unleashed is to put the lightsabers in the background a bit and show you just how awesome the Force can be. Unfortunately, through most of the beginning of the game, the only Force power you can do is to wave things through the air and maybe throw people off cliffs. This may be mildly entertaining except for the terrible targeting which will have you throwing random items all over the place without ever hitting what you are really aiming for. Over time, you get some other powers like Saber Throw, Force Lightning, and Force Repel but even maxed out, they never gave me the true sense of power I was looking for. The biggest problem with the controls lies in the feeling of weakness that comes from Starkiller himself. When he gets knocked down it takes quite a while before he gets back up again and you can actually move him, creating several situations where enemies pummel you until you die with no hope of escape, much less counterattacks. Also, the only dodge option you have is a short dash which usually is completely worthless especially against the bigger bosses who catch up with you after only one step. Finally, while your powers seem cool, it's a bit underwhelming when certain generic enemies use weapons to achieve the same goals. For example, in the second stage, your only powers are Force Grip and Force Push but enemies use some kind of grapple beam to pick items up and throw them at you, just like Force Grip.

    If you can somehow manage to fight through the extreme frustrations and annoyances that The Force Unleashed throws at you, you will find a great storyline there. It's too bad it's buried under such an unplayable mess.
    2.0
    There are 11 comments
  • Anbu Blackops10Anbu Blackops10451,422
    02 Nov 2019
    2 2 0
    I know its been out for a while...long time but I figured I'd go ahead and review it. This game is DEFINITELY AN AMAZING game!!! The level design is great as well as the character design. The graphics for what its worth are really great. The story is was really well done as well. Even if you don't follow Star Wars you are set to go. It would be great if it was canon. The controls are smooth and not difficult.

    The achievements are relatively easy. The only ones I have had difficulty with are the completing the game on higher difficulties.
    5.0
  • enosjr123enosjr123112,882
    19 Jul 2011
    4 7 0
    The Force Unleashed, Star Wars lives up to the name. Does it add anything to the movies, no but it adds a ton of new information about the forming of the Rebel Alliance and the fall of the evil Emprie.

    The story here for the first game is amazing, keeps you at the edge of your gaming seat and always looking to progress in the levels and finish the game. The characters are believe able to be a great series.

    Game play is easy and also challenging. So it has both balance and chaos all rolled into one beautiful game. Action scenes and cut scenes are great and never take away anything from the story or action.

    If you are an achievement hunter and enjoy playing your games to the fullest, then this is a must game series to add to any collection. And yes buy the DLC packs, total of 3 in all and worth every penny. Also a tip, if you ever get stuck or want to get all the way to Jedi Master game level, the guides and the cheat codes are a fun way to beat the game and make it challenging.

    So hope you enjoyed the game as much as I did and Happy Hunting for Jedi scum. hahaha

    May the Force be with You!
    5.0
  • MazraelMazrael299,682
    03 Jul 2009 30 Nov 2009
    4 10 3
    Your Supposedly a badass apprentice (called Starkiller) with unmatched power, since the idea was your moved were augmented beyond what we saw in the films, So said Lucas Arts

    The Story is between the 2 trilogies, where Vader get's himself an apprentice, and inturn triggers certain events before the second set of films..

    Graphics.. they're fair enough, not great, pretty average, but do show the SW universe off.. although, there's alot of screen tear throughout the game (and that is with an install)

    Sound.. Typical Star Wars stuff.. nothing wrong here..

    Gameplay.. You don'treally feel all that of a badass unless you play on Apprentice. OBy the hardest setting, even maxed out you will find yourself dying quite alot. Although on Master, I found dashing past entire area's the best way of getting through. The game has it's fair share of 'issues', some of this may be intentional -
    - Collision dectection - mainly an issue on bosses, but a lot of the time they don't even need to hit you to cause a hit, even if your out of the blast radius..
    - the lightsaber - this is obviously your weopon, even beefed up, a lot of the enemies are very resistant to it's damage, although this could be 'invincible frames' on the enemies, or just plain ignoring your attacks, even force lightning is shrugged off.
    - The enemies - I have no idea where this was all pulled from or dissapeared too, but some stormtroopers are immune to certain attacks, or even most. There are some Wookie sized 'troopers you can't lift, yet you can lift a 50ft door with reletive ease.. Snipers/shooting enemies shoot at you reguardless of whether friendlies are in the way (this is actually in a lot of games, and I hate it, because it's just not done in the real world!)
    -The bosses - What on Earth were they thinking, every single boss is way more powerful than Starkiller, and take an absolute age to kill, often, they ignore damage from your attacks, having to find one trick that usually works to use for the next half hour
    - Other stuff - From being knocked down, it has taken a minute to get back up, because I was sliding across the floor. I have fallen through a wall. No regenerating health bar, enemies give back only about a 6th of your health bar, a third on one of the bosses 'troll like slaves'.. The Star Destroyer sequence (as noted on another review) was a total pain, with the tie's attacking you constantly, completely ruined the moment, especially as it can take a while to do, as the stick display lies to you after the second pull..

    This game can't match Ninja Gaiden 2, which was a frustrating game too, but I still came out on the other end loving the game..

    Edit: the newest DLC 'Tatooine' is about average, starts off ok,, but less than half way through, there's a long corridor that has you going in to a cell, blowing out the wall in to the next cell, out the door across into the opposite cell, then doing it again probably 5 times. For near a GB it felt like it should have been longer.
    I revised my 'Stars' based around the Apprentice/Warrior difficulties
    2.5
    There are 3 comments
  • Removed Gamer
    Gamer has been removed
    0 7 0
    Main story

    A person named Darth vader comes and takes over your planet and kills your father but doesnt kill you and from nw on you work for Vaders demands these demands are such as killing innocent jedis, taking over other planets but all at the end what happens, well you dont like being on the dark side so you decide to join the lighter side. Epicely at the end you get to either kill Darth Vader Or Master Palpitine (darth sideous) and you get an achievment for killing either one.

    Top 3 Easy Achievment

    Worst Day-Shift Manager Ever (10)
    All you do is in the prolouge Kill 12 stormtroopers

    Invasion (10)
    Just complete Prologue

    Frenzy(5)
    Get a 4x Freny bonus
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