"Force" is a memorable, though imperfect Star Wars game
I have to admit up front, I've never been a huge "Star Wars" fan. But when I first saw the trailer for "Star Wars: The Force Unleashed," I was pumped. The prospect of harnessing and wielding the power of the Force first-hand as opposed to watching it in action from the theatre seat strongly drew my interest.
For the most part, "The Force Unleashed" delivers. Fry your opponents with lightning, blast them sky high with force push, or crush them with environmental objects--the choice is yours. As Darth Vader's Sith apprentice Starkiller, you are able to cause all sorts of chaos with the power of the Dark Side. As you level up, more options for Force abilities and light saber combinations open up, providing a surprisingly deep combat system that rewards creativity.
What's more, all of Starkiller's moves look positively badass, so much of the fun for me was trying out new abilities as I acquired them. Enemies are quite varied as well, and provide an increasingly tougher challenge as the game progresses. Gameplay-wise, the highlights of game are the epic clashes against Jedi bosses, who give you a little taste of what it feels like to be on the receiving end of the Force. That just makes the final sequence of each fight all the more satisfying, all of which invariably end with a QTE sequence a la "God of War."
Visually, "Force Unleashed" is a stunner, though a few backgrounds between different levels are somewhat repetitive. Overall though, the environmental designs strongly reflect the aesthetic of the films, allowing you to feel what it would be like to be inside the world of "Star Wars" for yourself. Combine that with the Havok physics engine and stellar special effects, and you have a genuinely immersive visual experience.
More impressive to me was the story of the game and the impressive cinematics. Lucas Arts takes some bold steps with the tale of "The Force Unleashed," and yet still manages to fit it snugly within the saga's broader mythos. The characters are also well-depicted in both motion-capture and voice acting. Together, the storyline and character portrayals offer some genuinely powerful moments, with cutscenes that sometimes rival their original source material in visual splendor.
Critics of the game are right that it isn't perfect. The AI can be plain dumb sometimes, and there are a few gameplay sequences that are cumbersomely designed. Also, my game froze in the middle of a boss fight once, and for brief periods on other occasions. But these gripes aside, Lucas Art's latest endeavor is a compelling "Star Wars" experience that delivers on its original promise to make the player feel like a complete and total Force-wielding badass. Combined with a strong narrative and endearing leading characters, there's a lot more to love than hate about "The Force Unleashed."
