Middleware Unleased.
The Force Unleashed was heralded as the next coming in not only Star Wars games but also action games in general. 3 Complex middleware engines tied together for the first time would bring on an experience like none other. The game doesnt live up to its own vision but it's one hell of a first step.
The Euphoria engine is what runs the animation and AI in the game and for the most part it works quite well. Your enemies will react with the environment in ways we havent really seen in games before. They will attempt to save themselves in non scripted events, they will run in fear or attack with futile determination and as well have all seen then will grab onto each other and everything else.
The problem is while they are displaying these new behaviors that are meant to wow us and usher in a new era of AI they also end up doing the same old crap. I have seen them kill themselves and others on their own side of the battle. They also stand in a single position and do nothing but fire from time to time, aside from that I have caught them doing nothing at all which just rips you right out of any immersion the game creates. Overall its a great step forward but more work needs to be done here. Perhaps they were designed the way they are to be nothing more than fodder for your Force powers but that still wouldnt make up for it.
The DMM engine is what drives environmental interactions. Things like breaking glass or wood and swaying tree's are all handled by this new technology and it works quite well. The problem with it in this game is there just isnt enough cool things to smash in interesting ways. Most things are solid to the point where they dont break at all and if they do break they just explode. We were lead to believe everything in the game would break, or bend just like in real life but thats just not the case. Its more than likely not a failure of the technology so much as a lack of overall power when you tie these 3 complex engines together. Perhaps in future games that do the same more optimizations will be made so there can be more things to break but it might be another console generation when we see the real potential of the engine.
Using The Force is alot of fun and its meant to be the main draw of the game but as you progress you find enemies that you sometimes cannot attack with most Force powers and some that also cannot be attacked with Lightsaber combos. Its quite strange and in some instances it could be a glitch but it becomes truly tiresome when you cant Force Push, Lightning or Slice an enemy. The concept of the game is excellent and the execution works quite well too but for some reason they felt the need to unbalance the game with these enemy types.
The graphics and sound are also a mixed bag. Cinemas always look great but the audio sometimes cuts out or doesnt work at all. The levels themselves are highly detailed 90% of the time and the design while linear is fairly attractive. Again while in game the audio will sometimes cut out for a brief moment. There are some ugly textures here and there but the game is so fast paced you will be hard pressed to notice unless you go looking for them.
Overall if you are a Star Wars fan you have no excuse not owning this game. It has a good story that Lucas has stated is cannon and the gameplay is entertaining if not flawed. If you are just looking for a good action game it might not be a bad idea to check out the demo or wait for a price cut somewhere down the line. Its worth playing but its main attraction is the Universe it's set in.
There is however a catch here. If you were a big fan of PSI-OPS you will want to check this game out whether you hate Star Wars or not.
May the Force be with you.
