I think I might've been a bit too hard on this game. A week has passed since I traded it in and I have a strong urge to play it again. Thank goodness for Gamefly. I also noticed that the second time through the game (I played it twice before trading it in) was much more enjoyable than the first. Once you know the trick to bringing down the Star Destroyer and where to find Jedi Holocrons, the game gets much more enjoyable. That and setting the difficulty down a notch helps too. I'm no newmeat to games like The Force Unleashed, but they're not my usual fare.
In it's defense, the graphics are in a word, amazing. I hadn't given it much thought the first time (mainly because I was gritting my teeth over getting trashed by Purge Troopers) but The Force Unleashed really does have amazing scenery. If you stop and take a look around (there are no respawning enemies; every area has a fixed number of opponents. Once they're dead, feel free to have a look round) the settings really are quite amazing, even if a few of them are recycled. And while the planets may be recycled, the levels themselves are not. Very little is the same between the repeats in levels besides the textures. If you need to recycle levels, this is the best way to do it.
I'll be honest and say I like earning Achievements. I've no delusions about that. It's not because I wish to appear more macho to fellow gamers; far from it. I like the sense of accomplishment you get by earning an Achievement. And The Force Unleashed has some pretty good Achievements. My hands-down favorite is available in the prologue, during which you play Darth Vader. To earn this Achievement, you need to kill at least 12 of your own Stormtroopers. The Achievement is called "Worst Day Shift Manager Ever". I read that and couldn't stop laughing!
In a revised review, I would still only recommend The Force Unleashed to fans of the Star Wars universe and people who like ninja action games. Hardcore gamers and KotOR fans will be disappointed by the unpolished gameplay and the rigid nature of the game (let's be honest; the only choice you have between good and evil is at the very end.) For all it's faults though, I find myself being drawn back to The Force Unleashed. Though I get no say in who he is, I do like being Starkiller. Had he lived, I think he could've made a very powerful Jedi.
Bottom line: rent it first. If you play it more than twice through, it's worth buying for you. If you play it through one time or less, it's not for you.
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