RATING: 4.5 stars
All I'll say here is this is not for casual Star Wars fans, nor is it for casual or "coffee-break" gamers!!!
[COFFEE BREAK GAMER] A gamer that plays games at his lunch breaks or in between activities
[COFFEE BREAK GAMER] A gamer that plays games at his lunch breaks or in between activities
REVIEW INFORMATION
PLATFORM: XBOX360
RATING: 4.5
GAME INFORMATION
ESRB RATING: T
DEVELOPERS: LucasArts
GENRE: Action
PLATFORM: XBOX360
PLATFORM: XBOX360
RATING: 4.5
GAME INFORMATION
ESRB RATING: T
DEVELOPERS: LucasArts
GENRE: Action
PLATFORM: XBOX360
GAMEPLAY
GAMEPLAY RATING: 3.5 stars
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed Cover Art
Okay, so, basics first, I guess. This is NOT for casual fans and/or gamers. Its levels are intense, and it can get quite lengthy. However, as far as the XBOX360 controls go, this game is fairly simple and uses the perfect balance of single button-smashing and combo button-smashing. And, as far as button-smashing systems (such as XBOX, PlayStation, et cetera) go, this game makes gameplay feel more like something natural and interactive than something where you're just pressing buttons. The buttons and controls make sense, and that's what I love.
HOWEVER, I must say that I am not fond of the cutscenes. Unlike most games, unless you time the skipping perfectly, it take forever to skip a cutscene. I've beaten this game numerous times, and even so, even with the file that has all of the levels unlocked, you must sit through the cutscene for every level while the game loads. And, to be honest, it's quite annoying.
IN ADDITION, unlike with the graphics, gameplay can get highly illogical! For example, in the Maxis Prime levels, you can make unfeasibly giant jumps to the top of a junk pile only to fall to your death. It's stupid. And then there's the fact about the powerups... Yes, HIDE THEM IN IMPOSSIBLE TO REACH PLACES, WHY DON'T'CHA!? To illustrate...in the Imperial Maxis Prime level, a simple Force Sphere is hidden way out in the middle of nowhere and you have to jump from platform to platform to reach it. Did I mention that you have to manually use the force to enable you to jump across (which takes a considerable amount of time) and even then, the platforms are highly unstable, more than once in that level I have made a platform perfectly straight only to jump on it and fall into the chasm of illogical death.
HOWEVER, I must say that I am not fond of the cutscenes. Unlike most games, unless you time the skipping perfectly, it take forever to skip a cutscene. I've beaten this game numerous times, and even so, even with the file that has all of the levels unlocked, you must sit through the cutscene for every level while the game loads. And, to be honest, it's quite annoying.
IN ADDITION, unlike with the graphics, gameplay can get highly illogical! For example, in the Maxis Prime levels, you can make unfeasibly giant jumps to the top of a junk pile only to fall to your death. It's stupid. And then there's the fact about the powerups... Yes, HIDE THEM IN IMPOSSIBLE TO REACH PLACES, WHY DON'T'CHA!? To illustrate...in the Imperial Maxis Prime level, a simple Force Sphere is hidden way out in the middle of nowhere and you have to jump from platform to platform to reach it. Did I mention that you have to manually use the force to enable you to jump across (which takes a considerable amount of time) and even then, the platforms are highly unstable, more than once in that level I have made a platform perfectly straight only to jump on it and fall into the chasm of illogical death.
GRAPHICS
GRAPHICS RATING: 5.0 stars
One of the redeeming qualities of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed video game is the graphics. Both the in-game and cutscene graphics are extremely detailed, and everything seems like it's straight form an HD movie! The effects are highly detailed, and the lip syncing is perfect!
The logic behind the graphics is impeccable! When you jump, your cloak will unravel behind you like it would in real life. When you hit something with something else (IE, a wall xD), it will dent...LIKE IN REAL LIFE, and when you hit something with your lightsaber, it will show the glowing orange marks left behind for several seconds before fading out.
Everything in this game effing roars detail! From the bruises and scrapes your character sustains to the explosions and even down to every lightning bolt that shoots from Starkiller's palm!
The logic behind the graphics is impeccable! When you jump, your cloak will unravel behind you like it would in real life. When you hit something with something else (IE, a wall xD), it will dent...LIKE IN REAL LIFE, and when you hit something with your lightsaber, it will show the glowing orange marks left behind for several seconds before fading out.
Everything in this game effing roars detail! From the bruises and scrapes your character sustains to the explosions and even down to every lightning bolt that shoots from Starkiller's palm!
SOUND/MUSIC
SOUND/MUSIC RATING: 5.0 stars
The sound effects and music are amazing, pure and simple. They're realistic, times perfectly, and sound like they're straight from the movies! The music is NOT directed by John Williams, however, it does include some of his famous galactic motifs...such as the famous Imperial March tune.
IMAGES/SCREENSHOTS
Click for larger image.
