The Force Unleashed

[Quirinus]

From what I gather on GameSpot and YouTube, it's coming out on every console, even the PS2, but not the PC. Still, it looks pretty good if LucasArts changes its mind about a PC version.

Trailer

It looks like Jedi Academy on steroids, which is a good thing, since I enjoyed that game a lot. The Force powers look amazingly overpowered, which probably means that the game will be easy, but hey, I'm not complaining.

I have a few pet peeves, though. All this business about Vader's secret apprentice and everything.... reeks of bad fanfiction. If he was powerful enough to bring down a Star Destroyer, why wasn't he ever mentioned in the old trilogy? And if he's Vader's apprentice, how come he's not killing Rebel scum? I really wanted to be able to totally pwn rebels for once, Battlefront not withstanding.

So... anyone else looking forward to this game?

[Tratorix]

I have a few pet peeves, though. All this business about Vader's secret apprentice and everything.... reeks of bad fanfiction. If he was powerful enough to bring down a Star Destroyer, why wasn't he ever mentioned in the old trilogy? And if he's Vader's apprentice, how come he's not killing Rebel scum? I really wanted to be able to totally pwn rebels for once, Battlefront not withstanding.

I read somewhere that the game designers apparently worked "very closely" with George Lucas to make sure the story was the best it could possibly be and fit with the timeline. Which is probably why it sounds like bad fanfiction.

That said, i'm looking forward to this game. Play as an evil sith hunting down the last of the jedi with awesome force powers? Sign me up. I just hope they don't do something like have your character turn good and join the rebels or something.

[The Foolish Horseman]

looks [pretty good, but i have a feeling its gonna be a very thin game, and a dissapointment.

I mgiht buy though.......but second sight is all the force i need atm

[00jebus]

That said, i'm looking forward to this game. Play as an evil sith hunting down the last of the jedi with awesome force powers? Sign me up. I just hope they don't do something like have your character turn good and join the rebels or something.

I personally hope for a KotOR like choice... so you can toe the good guy line if thats your thing, go gray, kill everything and everyone or my personal fave, become supreme galactic overlord.. and make palpatine your only janitor abord your supreme unbeatable galactic warship (complete with no cheap one shot kill parts, so some farmboy can't ruin your supreme galactic empire) and equip him with only a toothbrush.
oh, and HK-47... I demand more of him... every star wars game can be improved with HK-47.

Now that reeks of bad fan fiction, but I do want a moral choice instead of fixed storyline

[lars573]

I read somewhere that the game designers apparently worked "very closely" with George Lucas to make sure the story was the best it could possibly be and fit with the timeline. Which is probably why it sounds like bad fanfiction.

That said, i'm looking forward to this game. Play as an evil sith hunting down the last of the jedi with awesome force powers? Sign me up. I just hope they don't do something like have your character turn good and join the rebels or something.

Your hopes are in vain (sort of). Hasbro (makers of SW toys) spoiled that much.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/p...il&picture=out

You can go Jedi or totally evil.

[Mailman653]

Your hopes are in vain (sort of). Hasbro (makers of SW toys) spoiled that much.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/p...il&picture=out

You can go Jedi or totally evil.

Ha ha ha....so it apparently seems. Although could there have been any other way? If you became a sith lord then that would not fit in with the cannon already established in the last three movies, otherwise there would of been two sith lords or at least the mention of a second sith lord. But if you leave the darkside, then that gives the game a good excuse to knock off the character or go into hiding, Yoda style, and disappear from the last three movies story.

[Lemur]

PA had a good cartoon about how unbalanced them force powers are. Warning, two naughty words.

[Husar]

minor demo spoiler:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Well, that AT-ST in the end of the demo still wasn't easy...

[Papewaio]

[QUOTE=Quirinus] And if he's Vader's apprentice, how come he's not killing Rebel scum? I really wanted to be able to totally pwn rebels for once/QUOTE]

I think he isn't supposed to leave any witnesses be they Imperial or Rebel.

I also think he does a reverse Vader... turns to the Light Side and probably dies because of it.

[Fragony]

Can't wait for the wii version

[rajpoot]

The official site says that the game is using two new physics concepts, something about DMM, that'll have everything behave as it should in reality, dry wood shattering, plants bending....real behaviour; and a (engine?) Euphoria, that'll make the charecters and models behave realistically with the havok physics engine; And thus the game can only run on the newest generation consoles.........no hopes for PC ~(

[Fragony]

Wii won't get the (amazing) physics, but we get to wield a sightsabre! And force push and pull are done with the nunchuck, awesome. From what I saw the Wii version still looks pretty spectacular when it comes to graphics, I hope they won't rush it and make a cheap cash-in we see too many of those.

[pevergreen]

/wants pc version now!

If I have to settle for the Wii one i will.

[Quirinus]

I think he isn't supposed to leave any witnesses be they Imperial or Rebel.

Hopefully that's the case, though why the trailer shows only exclusively the Imperials being mown down isn't clear to me. Surely LucasArts understands that at least some people are fans of the stormtroopers? I'll take them over the very vanilla rebels any day.

The whole point of a secret apprentice is for him to be a secret.

I know, but it doesn't preclude my opinion that it reeks of bad fanfiction.... you know all those stories about OMG HARRY'S SECRET TWIN SISTER!!! ? It feels like that. Also, IMO it undermines the whole Rule of Two and Anakin-bringing-balance-to-the-Force thing (which is incidentally my biggest gripe with post-ROTJ stories-- that is, Palpatine dies, but then you still have Lumiya, C'baoth, etc, etc, Sith/Dark Jedi/whatever running around generally being a nuisance and danger to the good guys) /rant

As for the not killing Rebels, why go out and fight your enemy when you already have an entire empire doing that, when you have such a deadly assassin at your disposal who can take out your political rivals and thus you gain even more power, such is the way of the Sith. Vadar's secret apprentice also deals with traitors and wayward bouty hunters in service of the Empire.

Why's that, when highly-trained (often Force-sensitive) one-man tanks were tried-and-tested methods of dispatching enemies? I mean, look at Anakin/Obi-Wan, Kyle Katarn, Mara Jade, etcetera.



But hey, again, these are just nitpicks. A believable story would be nice, but honestly, it's not what makes or breaks the game. Really looking forward to flinging hapless troopers into incoming TIE fighters.

[Sarathos]

Also, IMO it undermines the whole Rule of Two and Anakin-bringing-balance-to-the-Force thing (which is incidentally my biggest gripe with post-ROTJ stories-- that is, Palpatine dies, but then you still have Lumiya, C'baoth, etc, etc, Sith/Dark Jedi/whatever running around generally being a nuisance and danger to the good guys) /rant

Anakin didn't really bring balance to the force because the Sith and Jedi still continue to exsit and conflict before and after Vadar's death. There probably more Sith lords that emerged after Vadar and an equal number of Jedi to confront them.

Why's that, when highly-trained (often Force-sensitive) one-man tanks were tried-and-tested methods of dispatching enemies? I mean, look at Anakin/Obi-Wan, Kyle Katarn, Mara Jade, etcetera

I don't quite get what you many here. but just to point out that those people you listed are all did or do fight for the good side.

[Quirinus]

I was under the impression that Kyle Katarn was doing his bad-a** one-man tank thing before he went over to the Rebels. Didn't he kill everyone but Jan Ors on this one Imperial mission? Not too sure about that though.

[Sarathos]

No, Kyle Katarn didn't kill many people at all when he was in the service of the Empire, nor did he know about his Force-sensitivity until later. He met Jan Ors when on a Rebel space station, the company of men he commanded was ordered to execute some Rebels prisoners (one of them being Jan Ors), he couldn't do it and let them all escape. He later met Jan Ors again, who explained to him that the Empire had killed his father and not the Rebellion. At this point Kyle defected from the Empire to become a mercenary with Jan Ors. Jan then introduces him to Mon Mothma and Kyle eventually joined the Rebellion.

[Papewaio]

Anakin-bringing-balance-to-the-Force thing (which is incidentally my biggest gripe with post-ROTJ stories-- that is, Palpatine dies, but then you still have Lumiya, C'baoth, etc, etc, Sith/Dark Jedi/whatever running around generally being a nuisance and danger to the good guys) /rant

Anakin did bring balance to the force. Just not in the manner that the Jedi were hopping. He knocked off enough of the Jedi that they were in balance with the Sith. Pity that the emotionally retarded Jedi are as bad at maths as they are at relationships.

[Tratorix]

Anakin did bring balance to the force. Just not in the manner that the Jedi were hopping. He knocked off enough of the Jedi that they were in balance with the Sith. Pity that the emotionally retarded Jedi are as bad at maths as they are at relationships.

Yeah, they hould have realized that "balance" doesn't mean "only good guys left". But, since they were unable to notice a conspiracy involving several sith and millions of clone soldiers, i'm not surprised.

[Husar]

Well, just finished the demo, wasn't bad.

[KarlXII]

Looks like Revenge of the Sith on steroids. Won't get it.

[Paradox]

http://www.gamespot.com/wii/action/s...n?tag=;title;2

I've underestimated the Wii version, after seeing this video, I'm positive this game won't disappoint. Video contains spoilers.

[Husar]

Ouch.

That must be the worst GameTrailers review I have seen so far, I mean the worst game they have reviewed, apparently it's very short and the engine has some problems with sound disappearing etc, sounds like something to buy from the bargain bin.

[Lemur]

[Paradox]

Love the neck.

[Praxil]

This fails miserably in an attempt to be funny. Oh man, I hope the creator didn't quit his day job for this.

[lars573]

^

Ouch.

That must be the worst GameTrailers review I have seen so far, I mean the worst game they have reviewed, apparently it's very short and the engine has some problems with sound disappearing etc, sounds like something to buy from the bargain bin.

My brother-in-law said it's like God of War gameplay wise. Another person compared it to Assassins Creed. Great execution in graphics and game elements. But lacks variety in those elements and is short.

[Paradox]

Ouch.

That must be the worst GameTrailers review I have seen so far, I mean the worst game they have reviewed, apparently it's very short and the engine has some problems with sound disappearing etc, sounds like something to buy from the bargain bin.

I don't understand, how is this review bad?

Edit: Nevermind, the score was really bad, I don't know who to trust anymore, IGN gave it a much better score.

[Mailman653]

Take all the scores you read from reviews and then come up with an average. I just finished the IGN preview and it sounds alright. I wasin't crazy about this game in the first place but it sounds like it could make a fun rental or a cool gift this holiday season. Plus I think it has two player vs mode, pick a SW character and fight against a friend, surely that has to be fun as well. Who wouldn't want to pick Vader and Maul and see who's the baddest Sith lord of them all.

GS review, 3 out of 5.
http://xbox360.gamespy.com/xbox-360/.../910182p1.html

[frogbeastegg]

Got it, played it, finished it. It's buggy. It's glitchy. It's unfinished. It's got plenty of traits which I consider to be half baked at best. It's got dull level design. It's fiddly. The controls are quite poor. It's got difficulty spikes. It's got sections which are numbingly easy. It artificially limits the player in many ways, and does so with increasing frequency as the game passes.

However it did get enough right that I played it through to the end instead of dumping it, and feel (mostly) able to say I enjoyed half the time I spent with it.

The problems fall into a collection of broader categories.

1. The beginning is poor. No, not the prologue level where you play as Vader, the first 3 levels as the apprentice. You're weak, have barely any powers, the enemies are boring, and the level design is ... well, let's say I hated Felucia 1 so much I came within a hair of dumping the game outright. The story at this point is a simple 3 step rehash of "go there, kill jedi" It's only after Felucia 1 that that changes. Coincidentally that's also the point where your character has developed enough to make combat more varied.

2. Artificial limitation. In the force unleashed universe every third guy is immune to 1 or more force powers, and everyone except basic stormtroopers are resistant to your sabre. This game was billed as allowing you to unleash the full fury of the force, be a sith badass, blah blah. Yes, there's got to be something which provides challenge, however this wasn't the correct way. Hurling stormtroopers into TIE fighters is badass. Running about on fire because none of your force powers work on the flamethrower stormtroopers is not badass.

2a. The way I could sense the developers saying, "She's getting through the game too quickly! Quick - chuck in loads of enemies, and pick types which are a real pain in the rear to deal with at once! And then add multiple waves of them, with each wave featuring more than before!" Purge troopers are a pain to fight. Rocket troopers are a pain to fight. Snipers are a pain to fight. A combination with plenty of all three is hell on earth. And then in the worst example they chucked in two types of AT-ST! In a cluttered room where the camera gave up its last, feeble pretence of being able to keep up with the action! I spent much of the game wondering if I should swap from normal to hard, then I'd hit one of these patches and spend many deaths wondering about swapping to easy.

3. Level design. Problem the first: It's not star wars. Sure, it looks like star wars and sounds like star wars, but it's a series of boxy rooms and/or long corridors which could have been taken from any game and reskinned for that authentic star wars look. Problem the second: they're not even interesting levels. Walk into room, kill mob, push door down, into next room, kill mob, into corridor and kill mob, into next room and kill mob ... The last level was appalling. Simply appalling, from start to finish.

4. Combat is dull. Most battles tended to end up with a set series of moves being uses against each enemy type doe to the limitations on the force and sabre. As much as I'd have liked to use more variety, it just didn't work effectively. Either it killed the enemies more slowly and lost me precious health, or it didn't work at all and got me pulped. I ended up killing every single purge trooper with lightning plus sabre slam, every AT ST with lightning plus air combos, every single rancor with lightning plus running away until my bar recharged, every flame thrower trooper with the most basic x, x, x, sabre combo, every ... Did I mention the targeting was bad? As in it selects a crate for that dose of lightning, not the 12 enemies surrounding you and killing you?

5. Bugs. Glitches. General unfinished air. One level hung up on me multiple times at the same point, and I only got past that part because I rushed through to complete the objective to force the game to save and load the next part. One time the enemies and objects didn't load into an area, leaving me wandering and stuck. I slipped and fell to my doom on entirely flat areas. I had an easy time of it - many players are reporting far worse troubles, including one bug which bars you from collecting all of the holocrons.

What did the game do right?

1. The plot. For a star wars game it's good. After the lacklustre start it heated up and then some. I'm not the first in saying this should have been made into a film and not that animated clone wars thing, and I'm sure I will be far from the last.

2. Badass sithery. When the game stops dragging at your sleeve and lets you cut loose you're a force to be feared! Picking up a stormtrooper and dragging him near his friends so he grabs at them in an effort to free himself, only to hurl the whole struggling mass into a TIE fighter and set off a massive explosion which showers debris about the area, setting off secondary explosions and wiping out more stormtrooper is fun.

3. Blasting Jawas with force lightning. Love the sound they make. This was the only thing I enjoyed about the first junkyard level.

4. Voice acting and cutscene production. Both were done to a high standard.



If you are a star wars fan then you'll be able to grin and bear the worst to see the best, and will probably enjoy most of it. If you are a reformed star wars fan like me then it's a rougher ride which you may or may not see the end of. If you don't like star wars then stay away, far away.