COLUMN: Starkiller strikes back with ‘Star Wars’ game
The original “Star Wars: The Force Unleashed” is one of the best Star Wars games around. With solid mechanics and a storyline that rivals that of the films, you can imagine the hype train I was riding coming into “Force Unleashed II.” I am sorry to say, however, that the game fails to live up to the promise and potential of its predecessor.
The strength of every great piece of Star Wars fiction is the story. From “Empire Strikes Back” to “Knights of the Old Republic,” strong narratives have defined the best parts of the universe. It is in this category that “Force Unleashed II” unleashes its biggest disappointment. The story is extremely weak to virtually nonexistent.
The game begins with your character Starkiller, who was killed at the end of the first game and now apparently a clone, in captivity in a cloning facility on planet Camino. He is haunted by memories of his dead, non-clone self and decides to escape and look for answers. It is not a very strong premise to build the story around and it never really finds solid footing. It is also incredibly short, taking me only about six hours my first time through, and was far from the force driving me to keep playing. There is a decent challenge mode that attempts to add replay value to the experience but I feel like it will be a one-and-done for most gamers. I expected much more in the story department and really have to express my disappointment.
Fortunately, “Force Unleashed II” does excel in other departments, making the game an enjoyable romp. Its greatest accomplishment comes from the game play. From start to finish combat is an absolute pleasure. Animations are insanely smooth and keep up with the relatively deep and varied combat system. New powers include the Jedi Mind Trick, which always ends with the enemy hilariously betraying his allies or committing suicide in a ridiculous manner. Melee combat also receives an upgrade with dual lightsaber wielding and absolutely awesome decapitations that certainly add realism to the weapon.
The game does suffer in this category from some tedious and annoying boss fights that are either extremely easy or frustrating. Considering the quality of the boss fights in the first game, the game really takes a step back in this department. There is also a complete lack of enemy variety and it would have been nice to get a new challenge throughout the levels.
The other aspect in which the game excels is in cinematic presentation. The game is absolutely gorgeous and is easily one of the best looking games of this console generation. The amount of detail that goes into the characters and environments is amazing and reaches a level few games have yet achieved. Lightsabers leave permanent scorch marks as they slice through enemies and environments, and you will find yourself constantly amazed by the amount of action on screen. Every now and then some minor screen tearing would occur or I got snagged on a random piece of geometry. It was never anything that broke the game and does not deter from the fun at any point.
The score is also exactly what you would expect from something “Star Wars.” It is nearly perfect, bringing the best of John Williams’ classic themes as well as some great new pieces. Sound design is also great, with some very good voice acting performances as well as excellent sound effects and hilarious AI banter during combat.
Overall “Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II” is a fun, yet flawed experience. Strong game play and visuals are dangerously close to being overshadowed by a short, uneventful story that really doesn’t feel like it should have been told at all. I really wanted to love this game and I ended up disappointed, but still enjoyed my time with it. This game is worth a play-through for fans of action games with excellent game play as well as all fans of the galaxy far, far away.
– nathan.c@aggiemail.usu.edu