I have a confession to make: I am not a Star Wars fan. Not on any level. This is not to say that I did not enjoy the original trilogy when I was growing up. To deny the power of Star Wars is like saying that The Beatles were just a band and that Bob Dylan was a stoner with a guitar. To deny Star Wars influence is missing out on all of the ways it has influenced recovering addicts’ perception of God, spirituality, television, movies, novels and even video games (if you missed the Star Wars vibe in Final Fantasy XII, then you are truly missing out). So imagine my surprise when I was sent a copy of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed for my PlayStation 2. Is it any good, or is it as bad as most critics say? It is a little bit of both but mostly the former. Read on to learn more.
As many people know, the Star Wars movies always revolve around the proverbial underdogs fighting for freedom. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is a little different, but the overall plot premise is the same. You control Darth Vader’s secret apprentice — so secret in fact that the Emperor himself is not even aware of his existence. The first few missions have good old Vader sending you out to assassinate rogue Jedi. From there, the plot slowly starts to become more complex. And to reveal any more information would ruin it (and would probably have Star Wars geeks hunting me down for spoiling it).
Gameplay is, on the whole, rather solid — for a hack ’n’ slash game. It never stops being entertaining slashing your opponents to death with a light saber. Or choking them to death. Or flinging debris of various sizes at opponents. Or sending them flying. Or electrocution! And that is really the big pull of the game: using the Force to destroy everything and everyone in your path. Every level you get access to something new to fiddle with, such as a new attack combination or power or a new power crystal for the light saber. Experience is gained from defeating your opponents and is used to power-up his Force attacks. With each increasing level, the damage increases and the attack becomes increasingly more dramatic. At its first level, a Force Push is just minor. But at higher levels, the attack becomes larger and sends the enemy back farther. Another example is the lightning attack. At first, it just electrocutes one enemy. At its highest level, it can take down a small group. Furthermore, death is never a big scare as it steals a certain amount of experience and only sets you back two minutes. Thus, the game is easy as health potions are usually easy to find.
It also is important to note that the game borrows an element from Resident Evil 4: cinematic button pushing. At various times during the game, you will be required to hit buttons that appear on screen. While it is not as well-implemented as the previously mentioned game, it helps give the game a cinematic feel. I do wish that there were more times that I could influence cutscenes. Some are just too cool not to wish some sort of interaction, whether it is bringing a massive ship to the ground or crushing people’s windpipes or general destruction.
Unfortunately, not all is great about this game. It has elements of a platformer because it has you seeking out holograms for concept art and easy experience and also has health and Force energy power-ups. Also, Force powers can be accidentally initiated because the different powers are mapped to similar combinations. It is not game-breaking, but it is annoying when you are trying to send out an explosion attack and you get the double lightning attack. But by far the most annoying part is the battle with the camera. It is constantly moving around as you fight the opponents. (The camera is so bad that it gives me a headache.) Thankfully, the camera can be manipulated through the right analog stick.
Graphically, the game is well-detailed. On the Flora planet, plants rise as you approach, and certain plants explode poison when hit. Sparks fly when a light saber brushes against an object. Airwaves are seen when the Force is used to push enemies and debris aside. Explosions are caused when bomb-like items are hit. The rancors look just as ferocious as their Knights of the Old Republic cousins. Obviously, when compared to the Xbox 360 and PS3 counterparts, the game looks average. However, the game looks solid for a PS2 game. There are no jagged edges except when the camera is in an odd place.
Sound wise, the game is rather pleasant. You’ll hear the traditional blasters and light saber sounds. Sadly, the same few tunes tend to be played over and over. The Star Wars theme tends to be played a lot — this is not to say it is not well-orchestrated. It is great to hear it, but it quickly falls to the background as the action becomes intense. A great plus for the game is the awesome voice acting. It really helps absorb you into its world. The person who does Vader’s voice is virtually dead on. The woman who channels Princess Leia does a good job but does not sound like Carrie Fisher. And the woman who voices Juno, a pilot of the Apprentice’s starship, reminds me of Lara Croft — in a good way.
Perhaps it is against my better judgment, but I really enjoyed playing the game. Those who have followed all of the hype created from last year’s E3 will consider it to be a disappointment. However, those who ignore all the hype and judge it on its own merits will have a fun time. The entire purpose of the game is to have you glued to your seat for the next eight hours, just like sitting on the edge of your seat while watching one of the trilogies. And that is sort of the downfall of the game: There is not one big thing to draw you in and keep you wanting more. And yet, like any short story, there is a lot of information to be properly digested. If you can find this game for $20 or less, you’re golden. Do not let all of the reviews out there scare you from checking this game out; it truly is not as bad as they make it out to be. As frustrating as it was at times, it was not enough to stop me from playing start to finish. I can easily imagine the engine being used in a sequel some time after the two trilogies, having you control a recent graduate of the Jedi Academy exploring the universe. Unholy shivering tomato omelets! Did I just write that? I think I am becoming a Star Wars geek.
