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

Conclusion

The Force Unleashed, though not without its issues, is a fun game to play. I can't really say that it lived up to the hype surrounding its release, but it does include a very interesting story that Star Wars fans will eat up. In a sea of games with lackluster stories to drive them, Unleashed stands out among the crowd with likable characters and great voice acting. The gameplay, however, is not nearly as enthralling.

Using the various force powers is enjoyable, but the experience becomes stale all too soon as combat grows more and more repetitive. While most players will complete the game in a mere 7 or 8 hours, the thought of playing it for much longer is utterly yawn inducing. Even so, the game is not void of fun by any means. If nothing else, the game's popcorn movie quality will entertain but may only serve as a stepping-stone to a more enjoyable gaming experience elsewhere.

• Beautiful environments
  
• Great story and voice acting
  
• Unmatched musical score
  
• Enjoyable force powers
  
• Playing as Darth Vader

• Repetitive missions
  
• Frustrating auto-targeting system
  
• Tiresome mini-games
  
• Unvaried AI
  
• No co-op or multiplayer

Lucas Arts' quest for greatness with The Force Unleashed only makes it halfway there with an intriguing story hindered by repetitive gameplay. While Star Wars fans will relish its tie-in to the movie series, others will regard it as just another solid action game with pretty cutscenes.