I’ve had less time with this game so far, but like many of you, I was eagerly awaiting this newest foray into the SW expanded universe it so I wanted to get the word out as quickly as I could.
The story is rich and is a well-detailed story. They just don’t give it to you. If you want the real story, read the terrific graphic novel published by Portland’s own Dark Horse Comics, written by the game’s author Haden Blackman. If you want even greater-detail, the hardback novelization by Sean Williams is fantastic. Unlike the game, they spell out the story. A story now accepted as canon in the Lucas-verse. The game feels rushed and not put together right.
A brief synopsis for the uninitiated is that you play “Starkiller”; Darth Vader’s secret Sith apprentice, hunting Jedi in the post Episode 3 Universal scourge and eliminating all witnesses along the way. (Also note, this was Luke Skywalker’s name during a draft of the original Star Wars… After he was called Mace Windu). – AD Yes, this means everyone, be they Imperial, Rebel, Droid or Wookie, are prey.
The mechanics of the game rely less on Lightsabers and more, as the name would imply, on the Force. Specifically, the Dark Side of the Force…
Yes, you finally get to shoot lightning from your fingers and use a choking grip. It just isn’t as fun as I wanted it to be. Sure, there’s something exhilarating about picking up a Stormtrooper and throwing him 100 yards in the air into an oncoming TIE Fighter and watching the fiery results.
Even better is an opportunity to use the Force to bring a freaking’ massive Super Star Destroyer ass over teakettle crashing into a planet.
Sadly, the novelty wears off soon enough and you’re left slogging through the game with a character you don’t know well enough to care about. I’ll finish playing it, but with no online play for PS3 and 360 users, I don’t see this as having any replay value. If I had more time to play right now, I would have finished it on Hard in a day or two and never look back. I do recommend it as a rental just for the simple joy of sending umpteen thousand volts of Dark Side goodness into the face of a Jawa. There are lots of little Easter Eggs to occupy the time of sharp viewers and diehard Star Wars fanboys. Including the trophy room on Kashyyk, this includes a stuffed Salicious Crumb, the heads of the Reek, Nexu, and Acklay from the Episode 2 Geonosian Battle, the eyestalk from the Dianoga (trash compactor monster from Episode 4). Even a Carbonite statue of a certain annoying Gungan (mesa inna da Game?). Sorry, no pic of this exists online yet, but it will eventually.
Make note of this though as it is one of the few times I will proclaim the Wii as a better console. The release of this game, for the frakking Wii only (Yea, Wii finally pwns – AD) includes a saber duel mode where you can battle, Mortal Kombat style, against all your favorite Jedi and Sith. Kind of a 2008 version of Masters of Teras Kai, except this one doesn’t suck… If you own a Wii, this one might be a good purchase. I wouldn’t know and getting a Wii just to try it isn’t worth for me.
Sadly, after all the hype. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is a great rental game.
