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Wield your lightsaber like a Padawan
“Unleashed” considerably tame
By Michael Maniaci
The lack of a working user-controlled camera system can be frustrating when trying to time jumps and attacks.
The much anticipated “Star Wars: The Force Unleashed” has finally arrived. Ultimately it doesn’t deliver on what was promised, but a good story and a decent action romp through the Star Wars universe saves the game.
Set between the events of “Episode III” and “Episode IV,” the game allows players to assume control of Darth Vader’s secret apprentice Starkiller in the quest to hunt down the remaining Jedi. The story of the game is one of its strongest factors, having a solid voice acting cast and script to work from, which George Lucas helped collaborate on. The strong story certainly helps to push the player through each level.
Between boss battles, players will spend a majority of the time hacking and slashing through the game against overpowered enemies. While there’s nothing wrong with making an enemy powerful, there is something wrong with giving an enemy a bunch of health and a single basis for attack. The AI within the game is simple – and stupid, quite frankly – as it charges at you with no concern to well being. This wouldn’t be that big an issue if it weren’t for the Euphoria game engine, which was touted as providing an AI that would react differently to different situations.
The level designs of the game are vast and various, taken from different parts of the Star Wars universe. Alongside the Digital Molecular Matter the game takes on a level of realism when the Force interacts with the environment. Trees sway, metal bends and wood shatters as a result of the DMM. Some of the effects look similar, so it is hard to judge whether or not the actual effect is just repeated or truly unique to a situation.
Beyond the story and level design there is the game play, which is probably the worst part of the game. While it is fun to use the Force powers and interact with your surroundings, the controls to do so are flawed. The lack of a working user-controlled camera system can be frustrating when trying to time jumps and attacks. An ineffective targeting system makes for painfully wearisome battles with enemies, and throwing objects with the Force can be a trial-and-error annoyance.
The combo list within the game is standard for most action games. While the combos work out nicely, it isn’t nearly as streamlined as the “Devil May Cry” or “Ninja Garden” series. The inability to tear through a level like a dark Jedi should certainly slows the game down. The fact that the lightsaber doesn’t actually cut through limbs or most objects is another disappointment.
While “The Force Unleashed” is certainly a beautiful piece of eye candy, it sadly fails to deliver. From broken controls to glitches in the gameplay, “The Force Unleashed” is far from being the masterpiece that was promised to us.
Yet this is not to say that the game doesn’t have its moments, such as over-the-top Force powers and a Star Wars story worthy of the canon. With more time the game creators could have ironed out all the kinks present to create a spectacular Star Wars experience worth remembering.
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