STAR WARS: THE FORCE UNLEASHED
- jackcooper98
- Oct 4, 2015
- 3 min read
The Force is strong with this one…
Telling the story of Starkiller, Darth Vader’s secret apprentice, The Force Unleashed bridges the gap between Episodes III and IV. On a journey that starts as Vader’s personal hitman, and ending with a choice between the dark side or the light, Starkiller’s is one that suits the fast paced action of Episode III, while retaining a strong story to add substance to style.
So, how good is the story? Well, it’s really good. Orphaned by Vader himself as a young boy, Starkiller is made an apprentice by the dark lord. As you complete near suicidal missions for Vader, you move one step at a time closer to the destiny he has promised you: Destroying the Emperor. Of course, none of this goes to plan, and when Vader inevitably betrays you, you are cast aside. Joining forces with one of the few remaining Jedi, you rally the Emperor’s enemies in an attempt to bring down the Empire. Faced with a choice to save your friends and ensure the formation of the Rebellion, or strike Vader down once and for all, whichever ending you choose, they’re both pretty good.
So yeah, on the whole the story is pretty great. It’s brilliantly paced and rarely falls flat. While the inevitable betrayals might seem a bit, well, inevitable, they’re still a surprise when thy happen, and more importantly how they happen.
On to the graphics then. And again, they’re pretty good too. Whilst they’re not much compared to standards nowadays, they hold up well, really well. The cinematics are great, and clearly make out the expressions on every character’s face. Environments, for the most part, are beautiful. Whether it’s the orange glow of a Bespin sky, or the blue-y green of the Felucian forest, each planet and each mission have their own unique feel. The attention to detail on each of Starkiller’s many outfits is astonishing. The only place the graphics fall down is on the missions set on various space ships and stations. They’re all pretty much the same shade of grey. While there are differenes to be found, you wouldn’t be mistaken for thinking you’ve just played the same mission three times.
Gameplay is, for the most part, really good. Movements flow well and nothing looks better than slashing an enemy to pieces with any of Starkiller’s numerous combos. The addition of destroyable environments adds a nice touch, although this isn’t included everywhere, which takes away from the consistency of the game. As the title suggests, the game allows you to unleash the force. And never has it been so brilliantly brutal. Whether you’re electrocuting an enemy until they’re a pile of ash or exploding rooms with repulse, the use of the force is the game is great. And thanks to amazing graphics, it’s beautiful too. Oh, and you get the chance to pull a Star Destroyer out of the sky…
The only place the gameplay is let down is in the mechanics. Too often when you get knocked down, you’ll keep getting hit before you even try to get up. While it’s fun watching Starkiller flail around like a ragdoll at the start, by the end it’s damn right annoying.
The level design is probably the hardest thing to score. For about half of the missions the level design is well done, and fun to run around and explore, the other missions are functional, not fun. Getting from one place to another is the backbone of most games, and it’s a shame only half the game makes it enjoyable. And, while the boss fights at the end of each mission go from strength to strength, what in-between those boss fights can get a little repetitive, even if the sprinkling of AT-STs and Rancors is a nice touch.
The last thing I’ll talk about is holocrons. The Force Unleashed’s version of Riddler Trophies, these blighters are scattered over the game. Giving rewards such as new Lightsaber crystals and XP boosts, these are something you’ll definitely want to pick up. And, while most of them are hidden ingeniously, some are hidden in such annoying places you’ll often forget there’s a story to be completed as you get caught up trying to get these things. But, as I said, for the most part, they’re hidden, but not hidden too far away from where you’re headed.
On the whole The Force Unleashed is a pretty well rounded game. A great story shown with beautiful graphics served with an insane amount of action cement its place in the Star Wars universe. But the occasional glitch soon becomes too occasional, and will soon become too irritating. Look past this though, and this game really shines. And the whole pulling a Star Destroyer out of the sky looks and feels insane.
8.5/10
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