The Force Unleashed

After the preview, comes the real thing – is it worth the hype?

Last issue we had some hands-on time with a preview build of The Force Unleashed, and we were damn excited. Since then we’ve spent a lot more time with the retail version of the game, and that excitement was not unfounded.

If you read last month’s preview then you know the story, but to recap, you play a secret apprentice of Darth Vader’s – your existence is hidden even from the Emperor. Vader is still hunting down the last few surviving Jedi, and that’s where your first few missions come in.

Each level takes you to a different planet, all geographically unique in true Star Wars style. There’s the trash planet, the gas giant planet, and so on. Combined with the advanced phsyics of the games, each locale offers some truly unique situations. From Force-throwing badguys through the lush undergrowth of Fellucia, to smashing flying TIE Fighters with crates in a fighter production facility, this is a game where the advanced physics adds not only to the gameplay, but to your sense of character.

The Force Unleashed is not just about throwing stuff around with the Force; it’s also one of the better Star Wars stories to be told in recent times – better, certainly, than anything George Lucas has been responsible for in recent years. There’s some solid voice work in the game, too, and a lot of the character designs have been taken from the actors playing them, like Starkiller himself, who is voiced by Sam Witwer. If the Sith Apprentice looks familiar, it’s probably because you’ve seen him in Dexter and the new Battlestar.

The entire package of Force-based gameplay, advanced physics, and excellent storytelling comes together to deliver a compelling experience, and not just to the player. Every time we sat down for a session, colleagues from our office downed tools to come watch the game unfold. On a hi-def TV and with a good sound system, The Force Unleashed a better Star Wars experience than most of the movies.

Take that George!