Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
Alright, time to review another game I just bought. The latest game to come out of Lucasarts studio is not perfect by any means, but it doesn't really seem to deserve the bad rap it usually gets. Many issues seem to be fabricated in the reviews others have put out. (I mean, really? Some later enemies are force-resistant? Duh! How else would the difficulty increase?) It seems to be that the issue most people have is that it plays like it is supposed to. Why is that a problem?
The only real issues with the game is that the game's bosses, while fun, are difficult to really understand what strategies will work. Many times a move will work one time, and not the next. While this make logistical sense (sometimes it will be blocked, while other times it won't) it can be frustrating at times. Also, the game seems a little short. A few more levels and boss fights (as long as they didn't artificially inflate the length, which can actually be worse) could have improved the game immensely. The targeting system is by no means great, but it works pretty well in most cases. It could have been better, but it by no means ruins the game. The system would have benefitted from a targeting system more like Jedi Knight 2, but it is still pretty well put together.
On the other hand, this game is incredibly enjoyable. The story is the best Star Wars story I have seen in a video experience (some of the Star Wars books have been pretty good) since The Return of the Jedi. (although, Revenge of the Sith was excellent) There is some replay value involved, even though some people claim there isn't. Really, who doesn't want to find the black lightsaber and attempt to beat the highest difficulty? Or find every last hidden object? While there isn't any more replay value than any other linear story progressed RPG / Hack n' Slash game, there isn't any less either.
The game isn't perfect, and it may have been improved by a few more weeks in development, but overall it is an excellent game and well worth buying if you are into the genre and/or Star Wars.
