Comments on: Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (Xbox 360, PS3)

By: Ian

Ian — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 07:49:44 +0000

That is the best name ever.

By: SithHappens

SithHappens — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 05:56:30 +0000

Excellent review, truly. I’ve played near every SW game, and read all the books. Truthfully, when SW’s done best, I’m a huge Bioware fan, and I don’t know what’s up w/ Blackman’s defecture to the game, w/o bringing the exceptional crew along . . .

By: Ab Paris

Ab Paris — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 20:57:29 +0000

Have they ever done a create a player game before?

By: Brian

Brian — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 18:45:42 +0000

Storyline makes this game, weak light saber found me using force push/toss more to kill than anything. AI should be better at defense so one or two strikes with the saber kill. Found it very annoying how weak the saber is. Not really interested in playing this again except for the ending. So two times through the game about does it for me. Not really the type of game I usually buy. I want something I can play over and over.

By: Stefan from South Africa

Stefan from South Africa — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 10:19:21 +0000

This game offers alot of technology which will be used in better games later on. They didnt release it for the PC so i settled to play it on the PSP. It sucked. But i guess because the PSP didnt use any of it technology… (Multi collision physics) Whcih pretty much makes the games… The AI was random scripts and the graphics…. well I played it on the PSP (nough said)

By: Seth

Seth — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 19:44:14 +0000

QTE’s now seem to be something of a cop-out for developers. When they can’t find a way to make gameplay entertaining they can just stick in a QTE and make anything happen with a few abitrary button presses…

By: Faroon

Faroon — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 19:27:53 +0000

“Especially the over-reliance on QTE’s and cut-scenes.”

How true is that? I thoroughly enjoyed the game, but WHY SO MANY QTEs? Very frustrating.

By: Seth

Seth — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 19:04:48 +0000

I’m glad that you clearly enjoyed your experience with this game, and I do agree that it was necessary to weaken the lightsaber for the sake of gameplay. I couldn’t really find any replay value as it’s a pretty linear experience.
I did mention how you really need to increase the difficulty level to properly enjoy the game. I wasn’t referring to the tie-fighters when I said the Star Destroyer moment was tedious and unimpressive, and I’m certainly not the only person to share that opinion if you look at other reviews. It was a good game, just disappointing…
Especially the over-reliance on QTE’s and cut-scenes.

By: Irish

Irish — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 18:19:38 +0000

First, absolutely I can argue that the star destroyer part was fun. Throwing ties into each other is absolutely gratifying in that pseudo Jedi badarse sort of way. and once you get that down, the entire sequence should take no longer than most boss battles in the game.

As for trying to discern what the designers wanted you to do, well there ARE on-screen instructions, and you’ve been grabbing tie fighters out of the air on earlier stages. I fail to see how the solutions to this level could have been in any way ambiguous or unclear.

And the fact that you have to hit people numerous times with your lightsaber is something of a trite complaint. If it only took one hit people would complain that the game was far too easy. The revered Jedi Knight titles (which include the “one-hit kill” element of using the lightsaber) are challenging more for the level design than for combat and bosses. To make video game combat with a lightsaber involved challenging and fun, It would require a certain, depowering or more of a focus on platforming or elemental hazards.

Although, once you get one of the upgrades that enhances saber skill, none but the most powerful enemies scarcely survive more than three strikes. And most enemies only take two at the most. So the lightsaber isn’t exactly a “glowstick” either.

Really, the only flaws I can see is that the force grab is pretty unintuitive for some of the more faster paced battles. Trying to get clever with it while fighting a rancor will just get you killed quickly. Bosses spamming attacks that stun you and hitting you with them while you are down is pretty frustrating, but If I can deal with that sort of cheapness in online deathmatches… I got no right to complain here. Those purge troopers can be real bastards, especially when they got snipers backing them up. But they are never unbeatable, just tough.

Basically… the worst complaints I hear about this game is… it kills you if you take it lightly. which, in this age of save points strung together like some obscenely intricate connect-the-dots puzzle is a great sin. I grew up on the 8-bit and 16-bit era and appreciate that sort of challenge returning to a game, and think it enhances the game, not detracts from it.

The game has enough options for combat that you should never be bored, and keeps things challenging so your gaming talents are tested. Even the length didn’t bother me since the core game is enjoyable enough to keep going back to again and again.

By: Seth

Seth — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 08:05:37 +0000

A game shouldn’t be challenging because you’re trying to discern what the game designers wanted you to do. The gameplay should just be legitimately challenging. Even if you found the Star Destroyer part easy, you surely can’t argue that it wasn’t tedious and unimpressive.
I did mention the large number of possible lightsaber combos, but there’s still a slight button-bashing feel to the lightsaber combat. Also, the fact that you have to hit an enemy numerous times with the lightsaber makes it feel more like a giant glowstick than a sword made of deadly plasma energy that can slice through metal.
There are several other faults and disappointments that I could have mentioned, but it’s still a nice bit of throwaway fun. Rest assured though, if this game didnt have the Star Wars license then it wouldn’t get a second look.

By: Irish

Irish — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 06:26:13 +0000

honestly, I hear a lot of people complain about the star destroyer level. The on-screen instructions work fine, and the tie fighters are quickly dealt with once you figure out that you can force-grab and shove them into each other. And there really are numerous combo’s and options for the apprentice (lighting bomb is way fun, as is the grapple options followed by a lightning/shove combo).

I’d give the game an 8.5/10 at the very least due to minor issues and have to say that it seems like most modern gamers these days are unappreciative of a game that legitimately challenges you at times.

By: Seth

Seth — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 07:38:18 +0000

Well, the gameplay itself would have got a 5/10, but the quality of the story redeemed it to a 7/10.

By: Ed

Ed — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 03:42:07 +0000

But nonetheless, the review was good, keep up the good work!

By: Ed

Ed — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 03:41:30 +0000

“Mediocre review score”????
Seriously, if you want to give a medriocre score, don’t give a 7 out of 10!!!