Games for Lunch: Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
In a nutshell: See what happens when Jedis stop being polite and start being freakin' bad-ass.
8/29/2008 5:16 PM | 2 Comments | Page 1 of 3
Developer: LucasArts
Publisher: LucasArts
Release Date: Sept. 16, 2008
Systems: Xbox 360 (reviewed), PS3, Wii, PS2, a bunch of handhelds no one cares about
ESRB Rating: T
Official Web site
0:00 I've been looking forward to this one ever since I saw a demo of the physics/materials engine back at GDC '07. Let's see if the gameplay stands up to the impressive base.
0:01 The LucasArts logo just threw a lightsaber like a boomerang, cutting a hole in the black background. I can't decide if this was cheesy or inspired.
0:02 We jump directly to the title screen with standard Star Wars-style orchestra music and a silhouette standing in front of the "O" in "Force." After a while, a video demo begins. "THE SAGA CONTINUES" blares the title card as we pan over some impressively diverse alien environments. Man, this guy sure likes killing things with his lightsaber. "CHANGE THE FATE OF THE GALAXY." A few scenes feature what looks like Imperial Senate debates -- not as exciting. "MAY THE FORCE BLOW YOUR MIND." Is that supposed to be a pun on "May the force be with you"? Because if so, it's awful. The video ends with Mr. Lightsaber-man (didn't catch his name yet) standing next to Darth Vader. Ominous!
0:04 On to the Force Grip tutorial, which is something every young Jedi has to go through, I'm sure. "Welcome aboard the Rogue Shadow, master," says an off-screen robot. He goes on to tell me a bit about the training room. "All modules are designed to kill you... just like me." Wait, what? The narrator is designed to kill me?
0:05 The right trigger grabs an object with the Force, then the two sticks move it up, down, left, right, in and out pretty simply. It's fun, but I'm a bit peeved that I can't move while doing it. That would require too many fingers on the controller, I guess.
0:06 I smash three glass panels with some big black boxes that happen to be lying around. They shatter into realistic shards and the box spins on its axis in midair. Amazing how a nice physics engine increases a world's believability more than polished graphics.
0:08 Holy hell, is it fun to throw things at stormtroopers with the Force. It's even more fun because they dive out of the way right before I do it. My aim could use a little work, but I'm sure that will come with experience. Whee!
0:09 The difficulties for the main game are "Apprentice," "Sith Warrior," "Sith Lord" and "Locked." Shoudn't that be "Sith Locked"? I'll start with apprentice, because I don't want dying to distract from the box-throwing mayhem.
0:10 A controller flashes on screen showing even more Force powers: Force lightning and Force push. Reminds me of Batman, where everything has the "bat" prefix. The Force-arang! The Force-mobile!
0:11 The intro cut scene starts off confusingly: "WHERE IS YOUR MASTER?" "YOU KILLED MY MASTER YEARS AGO." "A son?" "Run!" What just happened? Oh, wait, now Darth Vader is talking. "At last, the dark side is your ally." My character rises in front of Vader. "What is your will, my master?" Vader's spies found a Jedi Master named Rahm Kota who he wants dead. "The emperor cannot discover you... kill everyone aboard." I look a little apprehensive about that part, but I finally agree.
