Editor’s note: This review was written by Joseph Roharik, a student at Full Sail University. People tend to call him JoeRoh. He dreams of becoming a great game designer. Throughout his life, JoeRoh has wanted to create these worlds and express these emotions. He wanted to become a cartoonist first, then a movie director. He finally stumbled across videogames when he was in an early college course before going to middle school. JoeRoh will never forget messing with this program called Stagecast Creator. It was the first step in showing him how games were created. Of course, it was an extremely watered down version but showed him nonetheless. He also started messing with 3DS Max 7 when he was in eighth grade, ever since I have practiced modeling characters and objects with multiple programs. JoeRoh has taken two years of C++ programming and physics at Timken High School and one semester of python programming at Shawnee State University.

I am a fan of the Star Wars series and enjoyed the story portrayed in the movies enough to have me believe in the force. Knowing there was a game that utilizes the force in ways LucasArts knew fans would love seemed like a perfect next step into the accessibility fans had to feeling like an all-powerful Jedi. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed does just that.

While out looking for the remaining Jedi to extinguish, Darth Vader senses a powerful force within a forest village crawling with wookies. When he finds this powerful force isn’t the Jedi, but the Jedi’s son, Vader decides to kill the Jedi and take his son in as his own and train him as his “secret” apprentice. This secret apprentice (known to hardcore fans as Galen Marek) holds force powers so powerful it puts meaning into the game’s title. The controls give you many powers to utilize, from saber throwing to force pushing, force gripping and even force repulse (this is a blast of energy released from the apprentice’s body in the form of a ball, much like force push but extremely powerful). With these force powers, there are many things you can do in terms of fending off enemies. These force powers are what makes Star Wars: The Force Unleashed so enjoyable — just add the story, and we have one fantastic experience.

However, is that all there is to it? Force powers and a good story? Of course not. A new system was built and used in this game to help make the world seem realistic. The AI given to the storm troopers allows them to seem real. For example, if one is picked up by your force grip, they’ll reach out for ledges or other storm troopers in an attempt to escape your clutches. Another example about the system is when glass breaks, it breaks realistically, never breaking exactly the same. There are other features like blasting glass when nothing but outer space is on the other side to generate a vacuum that sucks up storm troopers. Sounds fun, right? It’s not only the core elements that make this game what it is, but the little features added in as well.

I would have to say the reason the story in The Force Unleashed works so well is because of the connection you could feel with the secret apprentice and the end result of the story. Allow me to first explain the connection between you and the secret apprentice. Throughout the whole game, his name is never mentioned; he is only referred to as “General Starkiller.” The fact his name is never mentioned creates a sense of anonymity and allows you to think it could be anybody. Include a plethora of costumes and a saber color to choose from, you have the ability to really create a Jedi you feel fits the situation or your style.

This idea of editing Starkiller, the light saber and their features gives you the sense you are really a part of this story. You are also thrown into something not completely familiar, similar to Starkiller being taken from his life with his father by Darth Vader to learn how to be a Sith Jedi. Throughout the game, you can add points earned to upgrade Starkiller’s force powers, health or saber abilities. This keeps you actively involved and allows you to remain hooked into the experience. Now let’s talk about Starkiller’s important role in the Star Wars universe.

The information Starkiller has received by doing Darth Vader’s bidding gives him power to use against him. Betrayed by Vader multiple times, Starkiller helps create The Rebel Alliance. At the very end of the game, there are two choices: Your first choice is to kill Darth Vader and take his place (this ending wouldn’t fit the story, but it would aid more opportunity for future ideas). The other choice is to challenge the emperor himself and end up dying to save The Rebel Alliance you helped create. The Rebel Alliance, as a key element to the series, is ultimately used to overthrow the empire. Giving the secret apprentice such a big role in the Star Wars universe is genius in knowing it could help form an extension on this series and fills some gaps within episodes. Not only does it add to the story, but as a videogame, it places someone into the experience.

Some story elements make you really feel like you are “unleashing the force” as one of the story’s missions is to bring down a Star Destroyer, a huge ship in the fleet controlled by the Empire. I personally loved this part of the game and enjoyed gripping storm troopers with the force. Personally, even after the game was over I was playing it over and over trying different things with the force, like tapping the grip button to trip a storm trooper! I recommend at least trying this game for its use of the force because it’s a phenomenal experience.