Star Wars: The Force Unleashed [tiga review]

[Tiga]

You already know this game doesn't live up to the hype, on any console it was released. But it achieves more than a lot of other PSP games do considering the strict deadline of the multi-platform release.

Game Title : Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
Number Of Players : 1 player, Online multiplayer
Genre : 3rd Person Action/Adventure
Retail Price : $40


The PSP version was handled by Krome Studios, and they have a spotty record with videogames at best (Ty the Tasmanian Tiger, Hellboy: Science of Evil) that is until now. They've successfully been upgraded to 'not so crap studio' status thanks to their efforts on TFU.

You play as Starkiller, Vader's secret apprentice who does his bidding behind the back of The Emperor in a story that takes place between Star Wars Episodes III & IV, with the title promising the unleashing of the force...

The PSP version has been whittled down to portable size from it's PS3/360 big brothers, missing a number of character developing scenes which explains why the dialogue at times feels stilted and uneven. Starkiller himself begins with soft delicate whispers morphing into an all American hero and then somehow finishes the game with a pseudo British accent. The sound track itself is typically of a high Star Wars standard, with themes from the films as well as new tracks for the title.

Graphically, this is a very good looking game. The textures are visibly lo-res when viewed extremely up close (like all PSP games), but generally, objects look crisp. There are clipping issues, especially when your character is against walls and the camera swings into a realm it does not belong in. This also reveals the games graphical architecture where elements are still being rendered outside while you're in a completely contained environment. Seems like a waste of resources. The levels themselves although very unique from one another, are just different rooms with the same themes with a few props re arranged. (Forest theme, Rusty Metal theme, Alien Plant World with giant flowers and mushrooms theme) it just gets a bit 'samey'. This recycling of virtual assets would be more jarring had it not been for the diverse planetary levels, but the linear narrative and gameplay does make it noticeable.

With so many Force Powers given to you, the button combination's literally just become a 'mash', so if you're thinking of creating a skilled, ninja like devastating chain of moves, you won't, because each Force Power is basically a visual set-piece that demands you view it to completion and then applaud before it'll allow you to input another move. You'll find yourself defaulting on a small set of Force Powers that will no doubt become your favorites when dealing with groups of enemies between bouts of wildly swinging your Lightsaber around. Don't get me wrong, the combat is fun, but it's dumb fun and it gets old too quickly, like Solid Snake... The button mashing is shallow, like Paris Hilton, except Paris Hilton actually says 'oops' after giving your thumb herpes. Ok, I'll stop.

YOUR TONGUE CAN'T REPEL FLAVOR OF THIS MAGNITUDE!

There's one issue with the camera and it's called "the 2 second delay before I let you know that boss machine guy you were running from is actually right behind you so all that effort of running towards that boulder to pick it up with your force hold to chuck at him has been pointless because he is now going to claw at you, making you drop the boulder and sending you flying away in an unknown direction, most likely a wall, where you'll float in mid air and then disappear momentarily while I, the camera, shudder about trying to find you". It *may* annoy some gamers, but here's the thing, the boss fights are so pathetically easy, you don't really care weather they get a few if not a bunch load of good hits on you, not only because they barely damage you, but because health pick ups infinitely re-spawn in boss arenas.

The boss fights themselves require you to use the now unfortunately standard, 'press the button as it appears onscreen' method to finish them off, and it doesn't even do it right. How do you mean Tiga? well let me explain, padawan. In God of War, when finishing off a boss, you mash the button in a frenzy and once you've nailed the boss, you take a breath and feel 'relieved'. It's a false sense of accomplishment but it's still a feeling. In TFU, the button presses could bloody well have signalled the turning of a page in a novel. It's worse than false interaction because there is no interaction. It's like a cutscene that pauses and tasks you with the job of unpausing it every few seconds. Because of that, after every boss, you just feel 'meh' and go on to the next level, never really feeling like you've accomplished anything worthwhile.

Now for the best part of the PSP edition of TFU. Historic missions. Historic missions is a PSP exclusive, and it basically saves the game from being an automatic weekly rental to an overnighter. You re-enact scenes from the films with all the force powers. So basically go nuts and have fun. It's more challenging then the single player campaign due to having a more modest number of health pickups per scenario. There is also Force Duel Mode which is exactly what it sounds like and Order 66, which is like a survival mode. These short but sweet modes work well with the portable aspect of the PSP unlike the single player campaign that has hardly any save points during a level.

Overall, the game feels rushed, and we know it was. Had Krome Studios been given more time, this obviously would've been a better title, but given that they were tasked to make the PS2, Wii as well as the PSP version of the game, The Force Unleashed on the PSP is a fairly cohesive product. The 'easily accessible' mentality that they've no doubt employed while making this game drags it down more than a few notches. The game is too simple, too easy and worst of all, it's completely linear. There is no way to go back to the past levels to find hidden extras unless you restart the game. Try it out, because using the force powers is somewhat satisfying, but weather you rent or buy is up to you. It kept me busy for 10+ hours, probably because I had nothing better to do.

Graphics:7/10
Sound: 7/10
Controls: 6/10
Gameplay: 7/10

Overall: 6.75/10

-Tiga

[.ChAoS-FaCtiOn.]

There is already a review for this game... Sorry, but you wasted your time bro...

[Hercules]

completely shitted on my review, lol...but this was awesome..the only reason why my review was boring was because the game didnt appeal to me (unlike madden or GoW), but i agree, especially with the camera angle, but the Force powers can be used in a combo mode..i like to use my lightsaber a few times, jump up and come down with a bang, use a force push, then use a force choke, use lightning on him while he is in the air, and throw my lightsaber..that makes a plethora of damage...try it out

[Hercules]

Originally Posted by .ChAoS-FaCtiOn.

There is already a review for this game... Sorry, but you wasted your time bro...

that doesnt mean he cant throw in his two cents..plus this was more of the IGN/GamePro type of review..he went into detail, i didnt...and the only reason is because i could care less about the game which is why its deleted

[Tiga]

@Hercules
Thanks for your support man, it's my first review and I tried a slightly different format to add some variety on this board.

With the Force Powers combos, I feel like they're way to segmented and don't flow into each other well. For example, X, X, hold Square (saber assault) and he does the slam thing, [wait for him to get out of that pose], and then square, square, square, circle (Sith Barrage). 2 issues arise from chaining these 2 moves, the flow between them is one, and the other is the button mashing that occurs with Sith Barrage. It's way too easy for the character to ignore your circle button press and keep on slashing, by then you're already stuck in the lightsaber slashing animation, then you gotta wait for that to stop and it disrupts the flow if you wanted to quickly juggle combos and avoid being vulnerable to attack. It annoyed the hell out of me, hehe.

[.ChAoS-FaCtiOn.]

Originally Posted by Hercules

that doesnt mean he cant throw in his two cents..plus this was more of the IGN/GamePro type of review..he went into detail, i didnt...and the only reason is because i could care less about the game which is why its deleted

If the game didn't even appeal to you, why did you make a review? lol, and then delete it? You reviewed it with 7s or higher on all the subjects... Is it really that bad, i mean good of a game?

[Hercules]

Originally Posted by .ChAoS-FaCtiOn.

If the game didn't even appeal to you, why did you make a review? lol, and then delete it? You reviewed it with 7s or higher on all the subjects... Is it really that bad, i mean good of a game?

because i am not biased..i could give the game a 2 for all that i care..but its a psp game, i expected this, then again i am not a Star Wars fan, so that is why it doesnt appeal to me, the ps3 version made me want to play this game

[RetroDemon]

Awesome review Tiga, i agree with you 100% in your review. The game didn't live up to the hype, but it was still a fairly good game, given the rush on the game. The boss fights were easier then the level itself, but i definitely got the feel that i was playing the same levels over and over again with just a different theme.

[xLostCauzex]

Great Review Tiga! I love how you went into Detail but remember that visual appeal is what leads to the text. Its kinda like writing a newspaper you know? The headline and the picture has got to grasp the reader. Other then that dude, I appreciate not only you but hercules for writing the reviews and I hope you guys keep on writing.

[Tiga]

Originally Posted by xLostCauzex

Great Review Tiga! I love how you went into Detail but remember that visual appeal is what leads to the text. Its kinda like writing a newspaper you know? The headline and the picture has got to grasp the reader. Other then that dude, I appreciate not only you but hercules for writing the reviews and I hope you guys keep on writing.

Thanks for the advice LC, I'll keep it in mind.

[Switchblades]

This game sucks balls on all consoles.

End of discussion.

[Hercules]

Originally Posted by Tiga

With the Force Powers combos, I feel like they're way to segmented and don't flow into each other well. For example, X, X, hold Square (saber assault) and he does the slam thing, [wait for him to get out of that pose], and then square, square, square, circle (Sith Barrage). 2 issues arise from chaining these 2 moves, the flow between them is one, and the other is the button mashing that occurs with Sith Barrage. It's way too easy for the character to ignore your circle button press and keep on slashing, by then you're already stuck in the lightsaber slashing animation, then you gotta wait for that to stop and it disrupts the flow if you wanted to quickly juggle combos and avoid being vulnerable to attack. It annoyed the hell out of me, hehe.

thats something else i forgot to mention...this game has no fluidity at all..i have to wait until he finishes something..in stead of doing things all at once...i thought this used the Euphoria engine, because it doesnt seem like it

[Switchblades]

Originally Posted by Hercules

thats something else i forgot to mention...this game has no fluidity at all..i have to wait until he finishes something..in stead of doing things all at once...i thought this used the Euphoria engine, because it doesnt seem like it

It does use the Euphoria engine... if you pay really, really, really, really close attention. Occasionally when you toss blocks around they'll react the way that the laws of physics abide but for the most part you don't see much. Even on the PS3 it's the same thing, it's just a prettier Euphoria engine.

[$tretch]

No big star wars series fan at all, but just got done playing the game. It was o.k., at leat the story was simple enough to where I could understand it without following anything in the franchise. The force use was cool, but you didn't really feel the upgrades much. Like in the Clank game- you upgraded a weapon and you could tell! Not here though, that and the combos for them didn't do much when all you could do was button mash between lightsaber, force, and lightning. Decent game though, I mean I finished it, right?

[KOBEdidit]

Ive never finished a videogame, not even mario/duckhunt, nothing. Hmmm I wonder how many kids on here had snes/sega as their first system, or playstation/n64. I was back in the atari/nes generation(we're all adults now), where games were only fun with a bunch of people.