Good day ATSW members, this is my review for Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, for the XBOX-360.
This is the Story Darth Vader's secret apprentice, Starkiller. The story is set sometime between ROTS and ANH and as I understand it, this is the old game that's considered part of the Star Wars canon.
Let me begin by saying that this game is awesome, despite it's flaws. The graphics aren't quite what I'd call excellent, but if excellent was 10, then the visuals deserve a 9. Bear in mind though, I don't have an HD-AV cord, so I still can't truly appreciate the graphics in their fullest. It is however a beautiful game, sporting many exotic locations that are rendered with great texture and color. It truly is a visually impressive game. The ingame movies also look very impressive, but could be better...though this also may be a result of using a regular AV cord. Maybe with an HD cord, the Star Destroyers in the opening sequence won't look like a cross between a practical shooting model and a cardboard cutout.
As always in Star Wars games, the sound effects and music are dead on with the films. Though some of the time, I do have some issues with lightsaber throwing. For example, when I throw it and catch it, it sometimes still makes the sound of flying through the air, even as I'm holding it. The cries for help from Imperials and other enemies are amusing, though most of the time, the just grunt when hurt.
For me atleast, the controls seem pretty solid, for the most part. There have been instances when Starkiller wouldn't do what I wanted him to and I'd end up getting beat up with vibro-blades or shot at without deflecting. This game also suffers from BCWS, or "Bad Camera Work Syndrome". It's nothing atrocious, but there are time when your view will be so obstructed that you need to completely reposition yourself if you don't want to end up dead.
The biggest problem is the dated gameplay. It's very reminiscent of PS1 games and older PS2 games. If not for the Graphics and ability to use the force (which I'll get to in a minute), one would think they're playing a game from the late 90s and early '00s. Despite that drawback, I think it has a high replay value.
Through various uses of button combinations, you can fling an enemy through the air, bounce them up and down, throw them into the sky, use a stormtrooper as a projectile to hit another one, electrocute a room full of enemies, or just hold someone in the air and use sith lightning on them...or just impale them with you lightsaber. As you kill enemies, you ear force points to upgrade you powers, to make you attacks more powerful. I can't truly describe the fighting to you to do it justice, but basically, you're a one man army capable of taking out an entire room of enemies within seconds..if you're good enough
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The boss fights are similar to what the God of War Series does. If you are unfamiliar with this, it involves pressing the correct button when the game prompts you to do so. One of many bosses includes what's known as a Bull-Rancor.
I don't what to give away any of the secret hidden stuff in the game or any of the plot, but I will say this...Another subtitle for this game could have been
"Birth Of The Rebellion"All in all it's a fun Star Wars experience, so I give Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (for the XBOX 360) 4 Sith Holocrons...out of 5.