It received a lot of hype, so does Star Wars: The Force Unleashed lives up to the promise? Well, yes and no. No, it's not the end-all Star Wars adventure that many expected. On the yes front, crunching AT-ATs into metallic nuggets and throw Wookies off cliffs is pure Star Wars-esque unadulterated fun.
You take control of Darth Vader's "secret" apprentice, doing the Emperor's dirty work. Yet, he's got a plan to overthrow him, although everything isn't quite as it seems. Nevertheless, you stay loyal, flying around the galaxy with your robot Proxy and your stunning beautiful co-pilot Juno Eclipse, completing missions in the name of the Dark Side. You've got several tools to work with, including a powerful red lightsaber and the Force, which allows you to pick up enemies and objects and fling them around. You can also Force Push, if certain obstacles, like doors and explosive barrels, stand in your way.
Controlling the Apprentice is performed done with the Wii remote and Nunchuk. For instance, Force Push is done by pushing forward with the Nunchuk. To execute lightsaber swings, you move the remote in multiple directions. There's also a more effective lock-on system, which you activate by pressing down on the d-pad. For the most part, these controls work reasonably well, although your wrists may ache after an hour or two of play. We're just wondering why developer Krome Studios included a first-person view option. It's mostly useless, because you're able to take damage without getting a good look around.
For the boss battles, you twist around the Wii remote and then push it upward. It's all right at first but becomes tiring after the third or fourth time, as some motions don't read correctly. As a result, the boss removes a chunk of your energy. It should also be noted that the conclusion of boss fights are diluted, made up of button presses and quick jerks of the Nunchuk and Wii remote..
At least there are some "guilty pleasure" moments. You're able to play as Darth Vader in the beginning of the game, ripping through Wookies like they were nothing. There's also something immensely satisfying in taking out a field of Stormtroopers with one big Repulse attack, followed by a little Lightning deep fry. Using the Force powers does use up your energy. Fortunately, each kill replenishes your health.
Campaign Mode contains takes about six to seven hours of deep play. You can go back through on a higher difficulty and unlock certain costumes (including a Vader skin), but that's about it. Fortunately, the separate Duel mode is worth going a few rounds with. You pick from a variety of good and evil characters, including Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi, and then duke it out through a variety of Star Wars locales such as Hoth and Bespin. It's a little surreal watching Anakin battle his Vader alter ego, but entertaining nevertheless.
As for presentation, the audio portion is great, with many John Williams tunes from the movies blaring in the background and some above-average voice acting. Sound effects are of the usual lightsaber and blaster variety, and should please most Star Wars fans. In the graphics department, the game teeters on average. There are great animations, enormous level designs like the indoor Jedi Academy temple) and destructive environments aplenty, but there are also in-game glitches, camera issues (the Apprentice constantly disappears behind walls and objects) and fade-in on distant objects. Overall, it's decent, but a little primitive.
If you're a Star Wars fan or just looking to torture enemies in creative ways, The Force Unleashed is definitely for you. It could've used improvements in presentation and more boss fight interaction, but it's still a worthwhile game. Enjoy those Force powers while they last.
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