Peace is a lie there is only passion
Through passion i gain strength
Through strength i gain power
Through power i gain victory
Victory shall break my chains
The force shall set me free

Nope. First of all you have to download a patch/mod or whatever to get it to run at 60fps, that's kind of annoying but not a gamebreaker. In fact other than the fact that it's just not aged well there isn't really one. Supposedly there are sound and crashing issues somewhat in abundance but I didn't get any of those in my short time playing it. Instead I got to the second level and had to raise a platform that simply wouldn't go high enough for me to jump and dash over to the other side. It either kept getting stuck or they just expect you to make that jump on wishful thinking and childhood dreams. It was at that point I just gave up. I completed it once yonks ago and loved it, playing it now it's just not fun. Certainly not £15 worth of fun.

Fun, but buggy as ♥♥♥♥. Low quality overall.

Ever wanted to beat up an old man with psychic powers while you plummet through the atmosphere of a small planet on a collapsed observation deck? Ever wanted to slice the equivalent of a space-tank in half with a glowing lazer sword? Ever wanted to electrecute a jawa... WITH YOUR MIND?
if yes = get this
if no = what the hell is wrong with you?

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is an action adventure game releasing initially on PS2, PS3, Wii, Xbox360, iOS, Nintendo DS, PSP and who could forget, the N-Gage. The Ultimate Sith edition of the game finally released on PC and Mac OS in November 2009. The plot in The Forced Unleashed is between the first two trilogies of Star Wars films, but acts as an original story. You play the role of Darth Vadar’s apprentice, as you are tasked with hunting down Jedi – but you slowly become part of the Light side as things do not go as planned.

The game play is very hack and slash style, with the good old classic lightsaber action and with a drop of force action too, the combat is very exciting and pack with all sorts of fancy attacks and duels. Part of your force powers includes the use of electric shocking your enemies too; this can be extremely pleasing to do on large groups of Stormtroopers. The combo system with the lightsabre is easy to get a grip of, and you can soon be showing off some crazy attacks, that look simply awesome. The game does have quite a lot of QTE’s throughout, these normally occur at the end of a regular fight, allowing a more cinematic dramatic end to a fight, normally I am not a fan of QTEs, but these are done in a way which allow you to enjoy what is happening on the screen whilst also testing your speed and awareness of what is going on.

This game is old now, having released almost six years ago, the graphics are becoming to look a bit dated, but that’s not to say it is a bad looking game at all. It is certainly not up to the standards we are used to now, but if you stick this on 1080p, you can still get some really nice looking scenes. The animation of all the characters are done brilliantly, and all of the levels look fleshed out with some really cool looking backdrops.

Plot wise, this has got to be one of my favourite Star Wars games. I really enjoyed playing as the Dark side for once in this type of game, but you can’t stay as the Dark side, as events unfold, you soon start becoming part of the Jedi’s and working to over throw the Emperor. It will really get you in the mood for watching the film series again.

This isn’t a very difficult game; the only times I died were due to errors in the platforming side of the game and I ended up falling off the edge of the world. The difficulty can be ramped up, so playing on hard mode may be the way forward to get more of a challenge. The end boss fights pose a little bit of a challenge, but nothing that you can’t really overcome. I’m looking at you, Star Destroyer boss!

Even though the game is very linear, the levels are all of a decent size, and have multiple paths to the end. With plenty of hidden items for you to collect as you go, you’ll be jumping and fighting your way through plenty of enemies to find them. I was a little disappointed to see that a couple of the levels were essentially the same map, just done in a different order so to speak, just seemed a little lazy on that part.
The game is also on the short side, having completed the game in just less than four hours on a normal difficulty. There is little reason to play it through for a second time unless you are trying the harder modes.

I had a couple of technical problems whilst playing. I did go into the game expecting there to be some given the age of the game. The first issue I had was, even when selecting 1080p, the game still doesn’t play in a full screen, you get black bars down the side of your game, which are very annoying. Secondly, the game is capped at 30fps – I can only assume that is because it is a port of the PS3 game. Thirdly, the sound on some levels just cuts out for no apparent reason, this has been reported as a common bug on the game, and a simple reload will fix it, so just an annoyance really. I did also encounter a couple of random crashes which resulted in me losing a bit of progress – again I expected these due to the age of the title but would be nice if a patch could be released to fix the problems.

To sum up, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is a pretty good action game. The game play is really good, and the plot alone all deserves your time and attention. The only thing that really lets it down is the length of the game. I would only say it is worth half of the £14, 99 price tag for that reason alone. Due to the premium name of the game though it won’t go on sale very often so keep your eyes peeled.

Tom's Score Card
1) Stay away
2) Not Recommended
3) Only recommended when on sale
4) Recommended
5) Highly recommended
6) This is a must play

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http://store.steampowered.com/app/32430

Let's get this out of the way first: this game is an extravagantly unfinished piece of trash.

It plays and functions like a very early and rough prototype, levels are spectacularly inconsistent in both length and difficulty, sounds and music many times fail to even load [!], it is locked at 30 fps [!!] (except for a glitch during combos that momentarily unlocks the framerate [!!!]), and textures and segments of levels fail to load at random times [!!!?!] (including during cutscenes when parts of the enviroment simply pop-in after the camera has already panned to it's location). It's undeniable proof of LucasArts's state of total disarray during the generation, and it's ridiculous this game was ever deemed release-worthy.

However, I still recommend it....because I had fun with it and liked it.

The story is fantastic; containing awesome moments, excellent plot twists, great original characters and deepening existing Star Wars characters. It contains a brand new original score that is wonderful and is up to the quality of John Williams' own work, and the graphics and rendition of the Star Wars universe is breathtaking and exciting once you get past the poor coding and glitches. The DLC for the game (included here) includes an alternative version of the Star Wars trilogy that is also really well done and pure fan service for any Star Wars fan.

At the end of the game, I was left wanting for more....which is exactly what I want from any game. Go ahead and play it if you are a Star Wars fan, because you may have a blast.

So here's the thing, is the game bad? No, far from it. Is it the best Star Wars game out there? No, go play Knights of the Old Republic you fool.

The game is based between episodes 3 and 4 of the Star Wars movies. The story, if you pay attention actually is well-explained and well-placed in the 20-ish year gap between the two. It explains how the Rebel Alliance came to be and all that good stuff (if you pay close attention you'll even see where the symbol for the rebels came from), and wraps itself up in the end nicely as well, but this is just story-wise. Are there a few plot holes, probably, but the force is the ultimate way to explain them, right?

Anyway the game isn't bad, it takes about 6-8 hours to beat and it is super fun to blast everything to death with Force Lightning.

Outside of that, if you are a Star Wars fan, you'll probably like the game, if not, I'd try KotOR first then see how you feel. They aren't the same type of game but if you aren't a Star Wars fan and don't find yourself liking Knights of the Old Republic, then don't bother with this game.

One last thing, as a warning, and I will leave this with MINIMUM spoilers. Towards the latter part of the game you end up taking on a Star Destroyer with the force, it took me 3 sequences of manipulating it with the sticks. The third time, it tells you to bring the right stick down and stays red, it is supposed to turn yellowish/green when you are in the correct position (when you get there you'll see what I mean) just keep holding that stick up. It is a bug and I can't believe they didn't fix it, but you'll thank me later when you waste an hour going "WTF WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO"

So, back in 1996, George Lucas, creator of Star Wars wanted to know whether the world was ready for more Star Wars. After all, it had been 13 years since the last film had been released. To gauge the public’s opinion, Lucas launched a massive multimedia project quite unlike anything seen before. The entire Lucasfilm marketing engine would produce and publish everything that would tie in with a feature film release, but without actually releasing a film. The result was the Shadows of the Empire chapter. Basically Star Wars 5,5; rich in plot, lore, characters and other elements you’d expect from a Star Wars feature. The project was such a success that it motivated the release of the Special Editions one year later, and finally the prequels.

When you consider that project’s success, it isn’t hard to imagine why Lucas would revisit the concept to continue the Star Wars line, even after the release of Revenge of the Sith. Once again, the marketing machine was awoken and the fires of the multimedia forge flared to give shape to: The Force Unleashed
The Force Unleashed bridges the gap between episodes three and four. It tells the story of the founding of the Rebellion and the uneasy relationship between the Emperor and Darth Vader. The story is compelling enough to keep you playing. At the same time the game boasts an interesting three-way of physics engines that create a spectacular environment to test your mettle. The package is rounded out with great concepts and art direction, but it is stained with severe cosmetic glitches.

The game’s story, and the project’s main plotline follows the exploits of Galen “Starkiller” Marek, who is taken by Vader to be trained in the ways of the Sith after he killed Starkiller’s father himself. Darth Vader raises and trains the boy in secret until he is ready for trials. Vader then sends Starkiller out test his mettle against a number of Jedi who escaped the purge with the ultimate goal of preparing him for a showdown with the Emperor whom Darth Vader seeks to overthrow. The plot ultimately leads to betrayal, rebellion and finally a test of resolve that either leads the universe into the natural course of the larger Star Wars line, or you can derail the entire plot and force the premature end of the rebellion.
While strictly linear and with hardly any exploring to do in both gameplay and lore, the game does offer an interesting bridge between the prequels and original trilogy. Both as an explanation for the founding of Rebellion, as well as Vader’s old personality still seeking revenge against the man who turned him a mechanical monster. The newcomer Galen is a rather disappointing affair. He is your typical bald space marine and communicates through whispers and shouting, but no measure in between. He merits more exploration, because the game makes him out to be stronger in the force than any Jedi seen before. The game makes a set piece out of this by having you drag a mile-long, gargantuan, Imperial Star Destroyer out of orbit with the Force just to draw the Emperor’s attention.
The story is compelling, and certainly interesting for Star Wars fans, but it also introduces some awkward subjects. Like the robot Proxy, who is programmed to both train and kill Galen, while also appearing at the most impossible locations to provide some gratuitous fan service. Or the character of Juno Eclipse, Galen’s love interest, who seems to be just an accessory. All in all though, the story is interesting and enthralling enough to warrant a good romp. The included DLC chapters play a fun “what-if?” game with the original trilogy events, but they’re short, and unsurprisingly, non-canon*.

The Force Unleashed is a technological show stopper with some very clever design, but also riddled with clichéd traits and other gameplay substitutes. It runs a total of three physics engines at the same to time govern a set of parameters. The first engine, Havoc, controls ragdolls and other jiggle bones to give the game its organic aesthetic. Alongside runs Euphoria, the engine that controls the enemy AI to interact with the environment. That way, enemies with grab on to objects to prevent being thrown away with the force. Lastly, the DMM engine governs the world’s materials and their reaction to collision and impacts. Glass shatters realistically when you send a poor sod hurtling through it into deep space. Everything comes together in LucasArts’ own Ronin engine where you basically play like Kratos from God of War, but with significantly more lightning.
As Force prodigy, your abilities stretch far beyond your regular Jedi. Force push isn’t just a shove; it’s more like a hadouken. Force lightning now lights up the night sky. You can weaponise the environment by throwing everything and the kitchen sink at you enemies. It is inviting and fun to rip off the walls to toss at your enemies in every new room. However, the multitude options has its limits. A lot of enemies are still dealt with through boring and poorly executed quick-time events. While the physics generally hold up well, they can get buggy at times. It wouldn’t be the first time a boss would sink through the floor after zapping him. Or that the ground suddenly stretches to insane lengths. If you’re entirely unlucky, the game can even give up on you and crash. However, as a PC port, it holds up reasonably well. Don’t expect the illustrious 60fps or 4K resolution. It’s a 2009 game.

While its age does show, the art makes up for it. Although not as stylised as Republic Commando or the Clone Wars cartoons, the game does a good job looking like a technically advanced version of the original trilogy. The bedlam around you is well married to the fine-tuned art of the levels and characters. Electricity arcs convincingly, characters recoil and writhe in accordance. Air rushes out of rooms as you break the windows; explosions blow enemies away. Trees move and sway in the wind and shockwaves. Some bosses have seen a very stylish makeover from their film versions. Everything is accentuated with John Williams’ impeccable score to heighten the mood.
However, that is where the problems arise. The game shows cracks in the veneer. The music suddenly stops and doesn’t come back on until after a reboot. Or that the sound effects are horribly out of synch with the cut-scenes. Last time, my lightsabre didn’t deactivate during a cut-scene; resulting in a hilarious display of senseless eye-poking. However, it’s such a mess at times you just want to stop playing.

In the end though, the game is enjoyable to Star Wars fans. Especially people who got involved during the original era will get a kick out of the focus on the empire over the clones. Interesting characters and satisfying storyline make it worth at least one romp at a good discount. The tech is a thing behold when it doesn’t bug itself out too much. The same goes for the visuals; while a little dated, they use the source material in a dignified and well adapted manner for a more brutal game. This media project paid off my opinion. Give it a go if you like Star Wars.

the intro level is the best because you basically commit Wookie genocide as Darth Vader

This is a long review, so if you want a brief summary of why I recommend Forced Unleashed skip to Results and read from there.

LucasArts offers a game that brings the force to modern-day systems; although, riddles with pitfalls in the design the Force Unleashed is still a fun and dynamic play-through.

Story:
You play a young Sith warrior who was taken under Darth Vaders’ wing to become his apprentice. You sole purpose in life is to become a powerful Sith warrior and join Vader to take down the Emperor and control the galaxy. Yet, not everything is how it seems and as you are sent from planet to planet to slay the remaining Jedi a whole new tale unfolds.

Campaign:
The campaign offers a decent length - depending on how you play it can take anywhere from five (5) to eight (8) hours. The story is divided up into approximately nine missions, which take you through a large variety of different environments. As you progress through the campaign you unlock new force powers, which change how you defeat your enemies. Each level has hidden Holocrons spread throughout it which offer you more experience, skill points, or customizable features. The enemies tend to repeat themselves fairly quickly and the combat dynamics become repetitive, but the bosses offer a nice twist which keeps you wanting more. Each boss fights differently, which causes you to constantly change up your strategy.

Gameplay:
The main issue with this game is the poor design. Firstly the camera controls are awful, there are more times where you are fighting the camera than fighting enemies. Trying to grab objects with the force can be rather cumbersome and I noticed that I never really grabbed anything because the time it took to get the object to move in the correct direction would cause me to take tremendous damage from surrounding enemies. Another major issue was being pinned by enemies, who would knock you over suddenly turning you into an elderly person who required a warm up before being able to stand up.

Hints:
>Don’t play on the hardest difficulty (Sith Master) as the bosses scale poorly - the particularly Kazdan Paratus who was damn near impossible to defeat especially when fighting against the poor game mechanics.
>Make sure to search the maps for the Holocrons they help you level up much quicker and afford you with more force powers.
>Remember to go in and look at your lightsaber, as you play through the campaign you unlock lightsaver powers which help boost your lightsaber. This can be really useful to change based on the mission you are playing.

Results:
All and all if you’re a Star Wars fan this is a game for you - if not them you probably find the listed cons to ruin the game. I personally like the Star Wars series and found this to be a good addition to the story even though some parts were cheesy. The game offers a decent sized campaign and a relatively fun experience.

Pros:
+Customized level structure which allows you to choose how you want your character to grow.
+Lots of combos, which can make fighting incredibly dynamic.
+Control over many aspects of the environment, which you can wield in battle to your advantage.
+Awesome boss fights, which force you to change your play style.
+Beautiful level design with many different environments.
+Nice addition to the Star Wars saga, and great new story elements.
+Prologue was just awesome, walking around as Vader and destroying everything.

Cons:
-Not readily made for Keyboard and Mouse gameplay.
-Poor game design – difficult camera control, poor force power control, off targeting system.
-Limited to no description of objectives, can leave you standing around wondering what you’re supposed to do. I found myself shocking things with lighting, before realizing I had to grab them or slash it with a lightsaber.
-Repetitive enemies, typically finding myself fighting the same thing over and over. This wouldn’t be bad, but some of them were more annoying than difficult to kill.
-Limited game customization, there was no ability to control graphics levels. Resolution was controlled before starting the game.