Most people have played a Star Wars game in their gaming career, and most people have been disappointed by one. Some people have been surprised or delighted by a Star wars game. Where does The Force Unleashed fit? Neither, to be honest, it’s far from a total disappointment but it’s also far from being anything better than “good”.

The core gameplay centers around using force powers to great effect, upgrading them and mastering them. While gripping enemies is exciting for the first few levels or so, you feel slashing an enemy gets it over with quicker, which raises the main problem. Force powers are interesting, but not deep enough to evolve into interesting mechanics; which make them feel more like gimmicks than intelligent design.

The presentation is done well overall. Though the visuals aren’t A+ material, they provide some excellent distractions throughout, and with the gameplay never becoming intricate enough to truly grab you, it’s needed. The feel of playing a part in the Star wars universe is captured well and the story is enough to keep you pushing through; though a needless love sub-plot is introduced which made me cringe as it seemed so forced. The music is a boon to the whole experience, being Star Wars, it’s got to be excellent. Mixing old tunes and some new interesting ones strikes a perfect balance between familiarity and excitement.

It’s best played for the spectacle, as it feels like a poor man’s God of War with more (God forbid) quick time events. The feel is captured brilliantly but everything else fails to match the epic scale.

The short length is also a problem, coming in at around 7-8 hours, but any longer would’ve made the game terribly boring.

Overall, I’d say this is a title to rent, experience and then forget. It’s nothing special, by any means, but it’ll provide a burst of entertainment.

6/10

The Holidays are here, and all the worthwhile game companies have made sure that their biggest blockbusters are on the shelves just in time for Christmas, Hanukah, Ramadan (we are a few months late, but still), or for whatever reason people may want to buy games for. However, biggest doesn’t necessarily mean best, and it definitely doesn’t mean original. If you can’t get that special someone the game they want, here are a few great substitutes. Or maybe you can’t get enough of your favorite game? Or maybe you are just too full of yourself to play the mainstream games, even though you really want to. Or maybe you rather buy five games for the price of one. Whatever the reason, here they are.

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