Introduction/General Comments:
Star Wars: Force Unleashed is a game that seems to have high production values. It has cool cinematics. It has a storyline that is different than the Star Wars movies yet manages to tie in. Every effort has seemed to be made for you to recognize the protagonist that gets introduced. The protagonist becomes an interesting star of the game.
Storyline:
The game contains a storyline of twists and turns. It is a traditional storyline of good and evil, except the protagonist, named Starkiller, pretty much jumps between both. The timeline of the game is set between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope. The plot makes many ties into the films. Eventually the game leaves the player with the question of a moral choice.
Characters:
Starkiller - The star of the game, and the person who you control.
Darth Vader - Of course, you all know him.
Emperor Palpatine - The villain you love to hate.
Leia Origana - Yes, she is in the game as well.
Bail Origana - the Senator.
Gameplay:
This action-packed game takes place across beautiful worlds. You play as the feisty Starkiller and roam around showing enemies who's boss. You of course get to use a lightsaber, but there are also Force powers such as Force Throw, and a leveling-up system. The game is pretty linear compared to something like Knights of the Old Republic and worlds happen in "missions". Seeing as that this game is a bit linear, you'd expect it to be long, but that's not the case either... it's unfortunately rather short, like a niche action game.
Controls:
The controls can range from good to horrible. Moving objects around with your Force powers can at times be too slow and inexact. The character's movements are not pencil-precise. The controls are in no way quality, they simply get you by. Unfortunately, the controls in no way improve during tough points in the game.
Graphics:
The graphics scream "HD quality" and are quite good. The outdoors worlds tend to have beautiful lighting and nice-looking terrain. Later points of the game occasionally look unpolished, but not severely so. A lot of action can happen on-screen, and luckily the graphics tend to pull through. However, at some points the camera works against you, which isn't good.
Sound:
The voice-acting is pretty good. I can't think of anything to complain about there. The nice music score keeps you on your feet. The sound overall seems to be top-notch. The sound effects, voice-acting and music are one of the better points of this game, in my opinion.
Unique/Extra Features:
There are several extras and unique features to this game. One unique feature is that you can change the difficulty level in mid-game, any time. You also get one multiple-choice scenario with two possible outcomes. As for extras, you get a bunch of artwork to look at. You will also be able to re-watch the cut-scenes. I don't think I'm spoiling anything for you by revealing this.
Replay Value:
This game is very short, but you will probably want to replay some of the levels. The game is pretty good about replay value. Unfortunately, there is only so much you can do before you get bored. You can only stretch an 8-10 hour game like this so far. I've heard there is more content and/or levels you can get to expand on this game, but I haven't tried them - neither have I really felt a hankering to play more of the same.
Overall Rating:
The game has some short-comings, it wasn't perfect. Some of the cut-scenes could have looked better. At times, it felt like the level design worked against you in a bothersome way that shouldn't have been there. And some of the missions and gameplay situations can be mundane. I rate the game:
8/10
Star Wars: Force Unleashed is a game that seems to have high production values. It has cool cinematics. It has a storyline that is different than the Star Wars movies yet manages to tie in. Every effort has seemed to be made for you to recognize the protagonist that gets introduced. The protagonist becomes an interesting star of the game.
Storyline:
The game contains a storyline of twists and turns. It is a traditional storyline of good and evil, except the protagonist, named Starkiller, pretty much jumps between both. The timeline of the game is set between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope. The plot makes many ties into the films. Eventually the game leaves the player with the question of a moral choice.
Characters:
Starkiller - The star of the game, and the person who you control.
Darth Vader - Of course, you all know him.
Emperor Palpatine - The villain you love to hate.
Leia Origana - Yes, she is in the game as well.
Bail Origana - the Senator.
Gameplay:
This action-packed game takes place across beautiful worlds. You play as the feisty Starkiller and roam around showing enemies who's boss. You of course get to use a lightsaber, but there are also Force powers such as Force Throw, and a leveling-up system. The game is pretty linear compared to something like Knights of the Old Republic and worlds happen in "missions". Seeing as that this game is a bit linear, you'd expect it to be long, but that's not the case either... it's unfortunately rather short, like a niche action game.
Controls:
The controls can range from good to horrible. Moving objects around with your Force powers can at times be too slow and inexact. The character's movements are not pencil-precise. The controls are in no way quality, they simply get you by. Unfortunately, the controls in no way improve during tough points in the game.
Graphics:
The graphics scream "HD quality" and are quite good. The outdoors worlds tend to have beautiful lighting and nice-looking terrain. Later points of the game occasionally look unpolished, but not severely so. A lot of action can happen on-screen, and luckily the graphics tend to pull through. However, at some points the camera works against you, which isn't good.
Sound:
The voice-acting is pretty good. I can't think of anything to complain about there. The nice music score keeps you on your feet. The sound overall seems to be top-notch. The sound effects, voice-acting and music are one of the better points of this game, in my opinion.
Unique/Extra Features:
There are several extras and unique features to this game. One unique feature is that you can change the difficulty level in mid-game, any time. You also get one multiple-choice scenario with two possible outcomes. As for extras, you get a bunch of artwork to look at. You will also be able to re-watch the cut-scenes. I don't think I'm spoiling anything for you by revealing this.
Replay Value:
This game is very short, but you will probably want to replay some of the levels. The game is pretty good about replay value. Unfortunately, there is only so much you can do before you get bored. You can only stretch an 8-10 hour game like this so far. I've heard there is more content and/or levels you can get to expand on this game, but I haven't tried them - neither have I really felt a hankering to play more of the same.
Overall Rating:
The game has some short-comings, it wasn't perfect. Some of the cut-scenes could have looked better. At times, it felt like the level design worked against you in a bothersome way that shouldn't have been there. And some of the missions and gameplay situations can be mundane. I rate the game:
8/10