Star Wars: The Force Unleashed

George Lucas is not unlike the Force. Like the Force, George has a Light and a Dark Side. When he was at One with the Light Side, George blessed the galaxy with Light Sabers, Force Lightning and TIE Fighters. On the days he had Given in to Hate, we got midichlorians, Anakin Skywalker and Jar Jar Binks. So, which George gave us Star Wars: the Force Unleashed: Jedi Master Lucas or George, Dark Lord of the Sith? The answer, like Qui-Gonn Jinn, lies somewhere in between.

Let’s start with the upside: central characters, digital performances and story; game play mechanics (Force Powers, etc); and visuals. For the story, the writers went straight for the more interesting component of the Star Wars universe: the villains. The game, set between Episodes 3 and 4, puts you in the shoes of Darth Vader’s secret apprentice. As you learn the ins and outs of the Dark Side, Vader sends you on secret missions to wipe out the last of the Jedi who evaded him in Episode 3. Over the course of the game, you set in motion critical events leading to Episode 4. While I won’t spoil any plot points here, I will say that the game’s story ties together nicely the prequel and the traditional (read “better”) Star Wars films. There are two endings, though the second is clearly noncanonical. Along the way, you meet a variety of characters, both new and familiar. Voice work is solid, with special props to the lead, Sam Witwer. In short, the game fits in nicely with the Star Wars universe and is arguably a better use of the license than Lucas’ own prequels.

With an entertaining story comes equally entertaining gameplay. The developers at Lucasarts set about to make a game that lets you “kick somone’s ass with the Force”. And they deliver. Whereas the fledgeling Jedi Luke could barely lift a box of tissues with the Force, you start out with prodigious powers that blow away almost anything wielded during the 6 movies.  Force Lightning, Saber Throw, Force Push are all ‘roided up thanks to an impressive physics engine. Fling enemies off ledges, impale them with a thrown saber or fry defenseless jawas with your Force Lightning. It’s all fun and easy to combine with saber attacks.

Visuals also deserve a shout.  The graphics are sharp, with expertly crafted character models, lighting and a solid style that places you squarely in the Star Wars universe.

But, these treats for the eyeballs come at a cost, for it is in the visual department when we see the corruption of the Dark Side creep in. The game sadly has major frame-rate issues, with noticeable drops regardless of what’s happening on screen. And, in spite of his stunning character model, the Apprentice’s animations are choppy, a disappointing contrast from other character action games such as Ninja Gaiden. This is especially apparent during combat, where every saber swing results in a split-second delay. Hardly a game-breaker, but a bit of a distraction.

Combat has other problems besides frame-rate. I understand that Stormtroopers are clones, and therefore stupid. And, yes, they are meant to be mowed down like the tupperwear-clad blades of grass they are. But to have them stand there, just waiting for me to send them to the Great Death Star in the Sky (err….) detracted from the immersion somewhat. For some, the novelty of juiced-up Force combat wears thin very quickly. For others, the mere fact that the saber does about as much damage as a granny’s umbrella could also be a turn-off.

As the credits rolled in the Force Unleashed, I couldn’t help but think of Darth Vader. Vader, after all, started out with good intentions, strayed along the way, but ended up more good than bad–good enough to don the Jedi Bathrobes of Honor alongside Yoda and Kenobi at the end of Return of the Jedi. The Force Unleashed started with a great premise, but took some unfortunate shortcuts. The end result, while being somewhat tainted, provided plenty of entertainment for this casual Star Wars fan. If you still can’t decide to play this game, allow me to provide one more compelling reason: Jar Jar Binks frozen in carbonite.