Seeing as how most of my work these days involves video games, I thought I'd post a little something on my latest acquisition. Ok, who am I kidding, video game work is all I do.
**SPOILER WARNING**
So yesterday, I picked up Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, with great anticipation. I'd been following this for a while now, I'd seen the trailer where the guy pulls the Star Destroyer out of the sky and I thought "that's just strong!" I buy the game, I get home, I play it...and I'm having mixed thoughts.
On the one hand, it is a fantastic addition to the Star Wars universe. The story is interesting and compelling (thought much much shorter than I was hoping for) and opens up a world of possibilities while at the same time not interfering with the canon. The action is cool and throwing Stormtroopers several hundred meters just never gets old.
On the other hand, it has some parts that annoyed the crap out of me. The gameplay mechanics need a little tune up, particularly the part where you pull the Star Destroyer down. The damn thing has to be just so, or you can't pull it! I've also read that many people have encountered a bug here that prohibits you from pulling it down at all.
I'm not really a fan of jumping games and I hate to say it, but this is definitely one. If you ever want to upgrade your Lightsaber with crystals that do more than change the color, you NEED to be good at jumping. I also hate games that are filled with mooks who have IWIN buttons. You know, the mooks that knock you down, kick the crap out of you then knock you down again the second you get up? It's boring for a player to have that ability and it really bites the big one when it gets used on you. Getting trashed by cheap moves is no fun at all and there are plenty of mobs in TFO that have chump moves.
Call me crazy if you will, but I like character customization. I think games with fixed main characters are becoming a minority, and this is no bad thing in my mind. I like being able to own my character, I like the feeling that it is *my* character I am playing, as opposed to living out someone else's adventure. With that in mind, I was disappointed to see that you don't even get a choice of premade characters; you get Starkiller, Vader's Secret Apprentice. That's it. You don't even get to choose gender. Again, call me crazy if you like, but I enjoy playing female characters. I know what I guy's body looks like and frankly, I'd rather not look at a male ass waggling at me for hours on end (as much as I love it, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic did a great job of showing off the male ass...) In it's defense, TFO does a good job of covering that up, but still. I would have preferred at least a little choice in character options.
All things considered, I wish I had rented this instead of buying it. It's a good game and is worth money, but for the length of time I spent playing it (<10 hours) I would've liked to have seen a smaller price tag on it. Bottom line: if you like Star Wars and action/ninja-style games, you'll love The Force Unleashed. If you like RPGs, play Knights of the Old Republic; you'll be happier.
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