Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (Xbox 360, PS3)

Gameplay

The gameplay in The Force Unleashed is best described as glorified hack-n-slash with a focus on combat using on a variety of Star Wars' signature force powers in addition to wielding the classic lightsaber. The game can be played be played on three difficulty settings initially, with an additional level of difficulty that can be unlocked by completing the campaign. Whichever setting you choose, the level of intensity in your force powers remains the same when the game begins. This suggests an immediate need to upgrade your powers. Thankfully, the game incorporates a screen in the options menu that allows you to upgrade your powers to new levels of intensity. During the game, players will gain force points and collect glowing spheres that allow the purchase of these enhancements. Using this same system, players can unlock new lightsaber combos as well as attributes to make your saber increasingly lethal.

Force powers in the game are what separate The Force Unleashed from other similar action games. They include force push, force lightning, force repulse, and force grip. The force push attack causes a burst of energy to thrust forward, knocking your attackers backward, allowing you to get the jump on them with your lightsaber. This is equally effective when used to knock enemies off raised platforms, sealing their fate as they plummet into the abyss below. Force lightning stuns enemies with a powerful jolt of electricity while force repulse acts as a smart bomb, killing all enemies within a certain radius of your lightsaber. Lastly, the force grip allows players to levitate objects as well as enemies, which can then function as projectile weapons.

Of all the force powers you have at your disposal, the force grip attack is largely the most enjoyable as it allows for a degree of creativity during battle. For instance, players can pick up a nearby machine part and toss it into a horde of advancing rebel forces, causing an explosion that will send them flying into the air. On the other hand, one might choose to pick up a Stormtrooper, bang his head on the ceiling a couple of times, and then toss him into the next galaxy. Enemies grabbed with the force grip do not go quietly. In fact, many will latch onto a nearby object in an attempt to keep from being lifted. Enemies will also grab onto their nearby allies, allowing you to have some fun with both of them. And this is indeed fun... for a while.