Level Design
Unfortunately, how enjoyable The Force Unleashed truly is increases or decreases depending on what level you are on. Some levels just ooze that great “Star Wars” feel and are just plain fun to experience. Other levels, specifically the outdoor levels on alien worlds, just aren’t as fun. Killing Stormtroopers is 100000% more fun than killing goofy aliens you have never seen before. Period. Also, you revisit the same planets a couple of times in the game, which is just really disappointing. The levels are different, of course, but I would have much rather been able to see more of the galaxy than visiting the junkyard planet or crazy giant plant planet a second time. It is unfortunate, really, that the best level in the game is the TIE Fighter factory, which we had already seen part of, in the demo. The last level is pretty good too, but that is spoiler-riffic.One other complaint I have is that some of the set pieces in the game just aren’t all that good. One of the coolest things we saw in the trailers for the game was the apprentice pulling a massive Star Destroyer down from the sky. In practice, however, this segment is marred by completely stupid controls and is frustratingly difficult. Instead of the best part of the game, it is honestly one of the worst, which is very disappointing. I’m also not a fan of the “simon says” Quick-Time-Events that pop up during boss fights. They are optional against AT-STs or other big enemies, but are required to finish of Jedi. Flashy action sequences are nice, but forcing QTEs on the player sucks.
Graphics and Sound
The sound is also particularly good. The voice acting is solid all around, and while Vader or the Emperor don’t sound exactly like the movies, they are close enough that you get used to it. The music, as should be expected, is solid and uses themes from the movies to great effect here.
Bottom Line
Overall, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is a decent game that with a few tweaks could have been great. When everything is working and the Star Wars vibe is in full swing, the game is very good and surprisingly memorable. But those moments are few and far between, and what we are left with is a game with so-so levels, shallow gameplay, and long load times. It is a game that you want to love, but there are just too many issues with it to really classify The Force Unleashed anything but a little above average. That isn’t to say you can’t have a lot of fun with it, but it is the type of fun that screams “rental” rather than purchase.
