A Worried Fan...
Similar Titles: Prince of Persia, God of War
Rating: Really Really Wanted to be Sloshed!!
There are times when a Star Wars game is great (KOTOR, X-Wing vs. Tie Fighter) and when it is horrible (Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and Masters of Teras Kasi). Upon hearing about Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (TFU), I was instantly excited about the game on account that I’m an old school Star Wars fan boy. I do, however, approach these games with great caution due to the many disappointments in the past. The demos and movies of gameplay showed what looked to be a good game with innovative technology, and a good story line. What more do you need?
You’ve heard it all before, the story is the best part of the game. That being said, I will not spoil that in anyway. Alright onto the next subject.
TFU is a visually stunning game with rich detailed levels and characters that pay tribute to the universe that the story takes place. There are junkyards with destroyed star destroyers, and trade federation ships, a factory with conveyor belts and unfinished ships, and of course a world enslaved to the Empire which is covered with strongholds and detainee ships. The Apprentice fits very well in the universe and is one of the most rememberable Star Wars protagonists to ever grace the gaming stage.
With a great story and awesome visuals, where can the game falter? Thecontrols. Oh wow the controls. They seemed clunky and responsively slow in the beginning and, after the learning curve, were over all mediocre. There were times when the jumping mechanic moved to quickly to correctly judge where the platforms were, which lead to many frustrated curse words. Also, being a combo-based gamer, I found the input for the combos sloppy at best, and would find three or four staple moves which I would repeat. Although the controls leave something to be desired, the use of the Force raises the “coolness” factor greatly. There were many times, where I felt like a complete bad-ass walking around electrocuting and tossing stormtroopers. Also the gladiator type battles where upwards of ten enemies (grunts and vehicles alike) brought a smile to my face as I rushed to meet my load screen.
Lastly, the game did have a pretty extensive upgrade system. The player could go around hunting holocrons, complete objectives, or just level up to gain spheres. These spheres will give the player points to use to upgrade force powers, combos, and attributes. You could also collect different lightsaber crystals which change its color and strength.
The story really is the best part which I cannot reiterate enough. The controls are spotty, but the combined graphics and immersive combat allow for a great play through. And maybe even a second one.
