The Force Unleashed is out

[Lt. Dan]

So let me see if I got this straight, because the discussion seems to boil down to two basic points:

Person A: The game is fun!

Person B: Yeah, but the game engine sucks, so the game must suck!

Pretty much. I'm in love. There is a ton to unlock, 27 saber crystals, 13 costumes, 27 combos, 9 talents that all can be upgraded up to 3 times, 6 powers that can also be upgraded, artwork, the databank to unlock. And combat is fun when you do more than swing your saber. This game has plenty to offer.

If all you want is the latest and greatest, then have fun constantly upgrading your PC waiting for that gem that is so elusive. If you want to hack, slash, pull, push, and lightning your way through giant levels, with AT-Sts, rancors, and jedi, then pick up the phone, it's for you. There are times where the odds are overwhelming, but nothing that isn't hard to get passed if your creative with the force. Dynasty Warriors ain't got shit on the sith.

I guess I too am easily pleased.

The only thing that bugged me was that bringing down that Star Destroyer wasn't as cool looking as it was in trailer. But still a ton o' fun.

[Stark]

Oh ho, the fantastic 'it's okay it looks like poo and has linear level design because OH NOES TEH UPGRADZZZ' argument. I've spent so much money upgrading my 360, which is why Too Human and TFU both look like poo. Oh wait, they just look rubbish.

But thanks for agreeing with someone who read this thread and doesn't see anyone talking about how bland the game is, only a discussion of the engine. That's funny shit.

How about this for hilarity -

a) game is boring, bland, looks poo, has alarming terrible level design, so uninteresting nobody has even tried to explain how it gets good later and many have said it never does

b) WHEE I MADE A CHAIN OF STORMIES GAME MUST BE GOOD

It's that easy guys. False dilemnas for the winRAR! I better start saving for my next 360 upgrade, lol. At least there's the Burnout bikes to make sure my 360 doesn't switch off forever

[Erik von Nein]

THe hilarious thing is my friend picked up the PSP version of the game and it's apparently more well done. They've got extra levels, extra dialogue, extra, new mini-bosses, different level design, more force powers and more things to do with them. Mooks don't have ridiculous amounts of health so you feel sort of like you're a powerful person and on and on.

I mean, what the Hell? Why were all the people who put effort into this game doing it for the PSP version (different developers)? It baffles me. Really does.

[Zac Naloen]

Wait, what exactly is bad about the graphics?

I thought they looked pretty decent

[Vympel]

You seriously think it looks good?

I expanded on this point a little further in SB.com, but basically, the look of the levels/ locations - specifically the second level, which I'm up to, is wayyy better than the usual shit they put in Star Wars games. You know - Tatooine and Hoth, over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again.

And no, the level design isn't a factor for me. It's no different from God of War, as far as I can see. Heck, you're essentially Darth Kratos. I don't see why non-linear or whatever level design should be a litmus point for fun. And the plot is so far entertaining and pretty well done, presentation wise, IMO.

[TheFeniX]

I find it enjoyable, about on par with EPIII for Xbox. It's not great, but it's a good Star Wars game, which is saying a lot. It's being called repetative.... which I don't get. Exactly what was so original about a game like Jedi-Outcast? Run into a room, slice or shoot enemies, maybe force push them off ledges. No matter how many or few options you're given to kill enemies: you're still just mowing down enemies over and over. Same lame-ass "Galaxy is in danger" storyline, kill lot's of grunts, kill a few bosses, win game.

The PC collisions could be a little better during jumping segments. I don't like "sliding" off walls or sliding down a ramp with a 15º incline. The graphics don't wow me, but they don't suck either.

This isn't really a lightsaber fighting game like the JK series. Most of the actually "dueling" during boss battles is pretty random, but there's nothing the pisses me off. I find the button pressing events kind of annoying, but at least you don't die immediately if you don't pull one off.

This game won't exactly be winning any awards, but it's nowhere near the suck of EPI or "Obi-Wan."

[Stark]

I expanded on this point a little further in SB.com, but basically, the look of the levels/ locations - specifically the second level, which I'm up to, is wayyy better than the usual shit they put in Star Wars games. You know - Tatooine and Hoth, over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again.

And no, the level design isn't a factor for me. It's no different from God of War, as far as I can see. Heck, you're essentially Darth Kratos. I don't see why non-linear or whatever level design should be a litmus point for fun. And the plot is so far entertaining and pretty well done, presentation wise, IMO.

Ah, I'm judging purely by an internal level (the demo). I'd argue 'better than the usual nonsense in SW games' isn't a litmus point for fun, but I'd be called mendacious. It's a good point that not recycling the same levels over and over is a step in the right direction, as is the deliberate separation from the 'canon' plotline, which became stale and lame about a decade ago game-wise.

It makes me sad that people are only just realising it's God of War - this was obvious from the earliest previews. The ROTS-game comparison is also pretty clear, and I remember lots of people here liked that as well. Does TFU use QTE the same way God of War does (ie, semi-regularly for the 'mini-boss' characters)? Chardok tells me there are some pretty lame QTE chains later in the game.

But I keep forgetting a bunch of people talking about a game's flaws can be dismissed by butthurt fans as merely engine disputes, while they claim that 'fun' is an objective quantity. Silly me.

[Erik von Nein]

Does TFU use QTE the same way God of War does (ie, semi-regularly for the 'mini-boss' characters)? Chardok tells me there are some pretty lame QTE chains later in the game.

Ooooh, yeah. Though, it includes bosses, as well. Also random events scattered through-out the game.

[Chardok]

Does TFU use QTE the same way God of War does (ie, semi-regularly for the 'mini-boss' characters)? Chardok tells me there are some pretty lame QTE chains later in the game.

Ooooh, yeah. Though, it includes bosses, as well. Also random events scattered through-out the game.

Iy should be noted that TFU's QTEs are one-button, and you've got forever to hit it. It's not like GoW with it's freakin' XYXABBX quickquick like that.

[Mad]

Bad graphics? Seriously? The graphics are fine. They aren't spectacular, but I don't see how the word bad can be applied here with any level of seriousness.

The biggest problem is that the game is just buggy. Not a little buggy like when the word is usually used, but very buggy. I've had the game lock up on me, requiring a restart. I've been tossed through the level geometry upon getting hit and gotten stuck in a void. I've gotten almost stuck several times. It's bad enough that I have a nagging "should I save in case I have to restart the game?" question in my head when I play the game.

There's some other bugs that aren't as game-breaking, too. For example, I've seen stormtroopers start panicking and dying for no apparent reason. (I think some had jetpacks and just couldn't fly very well?)

Then there's the oft-lamented targeting system. If they just implemented some way to easily switch targets (say by double-tapping the target button to cycle targets) then it wouldn't be nearly as bad.

The camera can be annoying, but you almost always have manual control over the camera so it can be dealt with. Just as long as you aren't in a fixed-camera boss battle duel and some debris blocks the camera.

The DMM is used very well in some places and disappointingly little in others. Large portions of Wookiee huts can be collapsed and railings on makeshift Imperial structures can be deformed by thrown objects and Force-blasts. It'd be nice if it was featured a bit more, but its inclusion doesn't hurt the game and it does allow for some nice touches.

I actually find the game fun. You have several options for clearing out rooms of enemies, Jedi duels can be pretty epic, the storyline seems good so far, and the music is a nice mix of the classic and prequel trilogies.

It's just a shame the bugs and lock-on system can overshadow the good points to the game. I really hope the game gets patched to solve those problems. Though even if those problems are addressed, the game would just be "good" and not "great." Too many other missed opportunities would keep it firmly capped at "good," at best.

[Stark]

Based on the demo, I think Too Human looks better, and it looks pretty bad. It's all relative of course; as people have said, AssCreed looks WAY better and has larger environments. How large are the outdoor environments?

[Chardok]

Based on the demo, I think Too Human looks better, and it looks pretty bad. It's all relative of course; as people have said, AssCreed looks WAY better and has larger environments. How large are the outdoor environments?

The larget area I've been in - wall to wall was maybe 300 meters by 500 ish meters. Though not square because of walls and trees or whatever. Just based on the time it take the character to run from one end to the other.

Anyhoo - I've just past level....5 I think. The story has taken a...disturbing twist. And more examples of horrible voice acting. Did you know princess leia smokes 5 packs a day and is Britimerican?

[Chardok]

Has GL commented on the level of Canon that the story outlined in the game is? (or the book or whatever) because it's pure genius.

[Zac Naloen]

Anyone claiming it's easy playing it on Sith Lord?

I think i've died about 30 times in the last two hours (and i'm on the second level) and i'm seriously having to make use of every ability to get through the game.

PAIN.

[DarkSilver]

So since my 360 is in the repair shop...I went ahead and snagged this for the Wii...

Graphically, it lags behind the PS3 and 360. Sometimes a great deal so. The graphics look PS2 level, and no where near as nice as they could on the Wii.... I wasn't expecting 360 level "purty" in the game, but come on.....what the hell with all the jaggies everywhere? Bad show.

I'm sure because the Wii has less horsepower, there's less "blow shit up in cool ways" stuff that can happen, but there's still a nice amount of destructability in the game. But things blow up, in nice ways to.

The controls on the Wii version are....tricky. You have to get used to them because it involves ALOT of gesture movements. Swinging the lightsaber itself is alot of waggle room, because you have to move the Wiimote in the direction you want to swing the saber. Which is kinda cool. Force powers are mapped for the most part to the Nunchuck, and I must admit, it feels kinda cool to push forward with the 'chuck and force push a buncha debris and bodies - same with throwing your lightsaber and impaling some poor smuck with it in mid air.

Then there comes everybodies favorite, the Force Choke. This is perhaps the most satisfying move in the game for me on the Wii. You Force Grip, lift them into the air (pressing Z for it) then twist the Nunchuck. Then you hear them wheeze, gasp, and stuff cracking as you strangle the ever loving shit out of them. No wonder Vader liked to strangle Imperial Commander's who lacked faith......

The Voice Acting is.....bad. Made worse because of the jaggies you see even in the cut scenes. And the facial movements are no where near as nice as have been seen even on the GameCube, much less on the Wii....

Gameplay is linear, the levels can't be destructed as much as I would like (I want to see entire trees flying everywhere, and mounds of trash being pulled down damn it...), but it's a decent game. Actually, for a Star Wars game, It's pretty damn good. But overall, it's just decent.



If you have no other option, buy the Wii version......otherwise, get it for the PS3 or 360.

[Darksider]

One question about the voice acting. The original characters (mostly Kota) aren't that bad, but who the hell did they find to voice the emperor?

As soon as I figure out his name, i'm starting a petition so lucasarts NEVER lets him voice palpatine again.

ever

[Mad]

One question about the voice acting. The original characters (mostly Kota) aren't that bad, but who the hell did they find to voice the emperor?

As soon as I figure out his name, i'm starting a petition so lucasarts NEVER lets him voice palpatine again.

ever

It's the same guy who voices Starkiller.

[Raesene]

One question about the voice acting. The original characters (mostly Kota) aren't that bad, but who the hell did they find to voice the emperor?

As soon as I figure out his name, i'm starting a petition so lucasarts NEVER lets him voice palpatine again.

ever

It's the same guy who voices Starkiller.

Sam Witwer (who played Crashdown in neo-Battlestar Galactica) voiced Starkiller, but IMDB lists the Emperor as spoken by Matt Sloan.

A pity it's not being published for the PC, I'm not going to buy a console for it. The Rulebook for the RPG however is very good.

[Vympel]

The voice acting for the Emperor was fine, IMO. It was no Ian McDiarmid, of course, but it wasn't jarring.

The further I get into the game, the more i think that anyone who calls the plot cookie-cutter lame or something is just plain wrong, IMO. It's not your standard Star Wars game plot. I think it's well done.

[Starglider]

I had a quick go at this yesterday. It seemed fun, but not 'wow I must buy this'. I'll probably pick it up second hand from CEX in a few months, once the price is down a bit. It's not as if I have much time to play games at the moment anyway.

[Mad]

It's the same guy who voices Starkiller.

Sam Witwer (who played Crashdown in neo-Battlestar Galactica) voiced Starkiller, but IMDB lists the Emperor as spoken by Matt Sloan.

The in-game credits list Sam Witwer as also voicing the Emperor. IMDB was wrong (it doesn't appear to list a voice actor for the Emperor anymore).

[Raesene]

It's the same guy who voices Starkiller.

Sam Witwer (who played Crashdown in neo-Battlestar Galactica) voiced Starkiller, but IMDB lists the Emperor as spoken by Matt Sloan.

The in-game credits list Sam Witwer as also voicing the Emperor. IMDB was wrong (it doesn't appear to list a voice actor for the Emperor anymore).

Checked it now - Matt Sloan is now listed as Darth Vader. Either it's time for my new glasses to arrive, or they updated the list.

[Ryan Thunder]

Does TFU use QTE the same way God of War does (ie, semi-regularly for the 'mini-boss' characters)? Chardok tells me there are some pretty lame QTE chains later in the game.

Ooooh, yeah. Though, it includes bosses, as well. Also random events scattered through-out the game.

Iy should be noted that TFU's QTEs are one-button, and you've got forever to hit it. It's not like GoW with it's freakin' XYXABBX quickquick like that.

I found GoW's QTE was actually easier, myself.

Is it slower since the demo?

[Vympel]

QTE in TFU is easy as shit. You don't even cop damage for failing. Which is how I like it. It's a reward for winning, not a tedious requirement.

[Mad]

Has GL commented on the level of Canon that the story outlined in the game is? (or the book or whatever) because it's pure genius.

The novel should be as canon as any other novel. The plot had to be approved by the licensing department and the game designers talked with and got input from Lucas.

I don't know of anything that would make this storyline "more canon" than other books, but it's safe to say that the plot is as canon as anything else in the EU.