Star Wars: The Force Unleashed

 Xbox 360
User Score
6.8

Mixed or average reviews- based on 521 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 258 out of 521
  2. Mixed: 174 out of 521
  3. Negative: 89 out of 521
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  1. Tjthegamer
    Nov 12, 2008
    6
    While the games concept is good, and the force powers work perfectly. The game suffers from bugs and issues that seemed would be the least of the devoloper's problems in making a force game. Such as impossible camera, targeting system, and difficulty issues (the games second boss is still the hardest for me even after 4 cycles). Boring locations (a grand total of 4 themes), While the games concept is good, and the force powers work perfectly. The game suffers from bugs and issues that seemed would be the least of the devoloper's problems in making a force game. Such as impossible camera, targeting system, and difficulty issues (the games second boss is still the hardest for me even after 4 cycles). Boring locations (a grand total of 4 themes), Repetitive gameplay, and dumb A.I. (They fall for the same moves time and time again) means this game is an average game. It gets a 6 because you can at least take out your frustration by flinging a storm trooper 100 yards at 50 mph into a boulder face first.… Expand
  2. Logi2002
    Feb 11, 2021
    6
    Not as good as i remembered it as a kid,

    Likes: Combat, and force abilities Enemies and Enemy design the Maps Aesthetics and scenery in this game really brings you into the star wars universe The Darth Maul Part the combos and force abilities are what drive this game foward and make it satisfying to kill enemies over and over again, makes you feel like a Sith lord with the amount    Not as good as i remembered it as a kid,

    Likes:
    Combat, and force abilities
    Enemies and Enemy design
    the Maps Aesthetics and scenery in this game really brings you into the star wars universe
    The Darth Maul Part
    the combos and force abilities are what drive this game foward and make it satisfying to kill enemies over and over again, makes you feel like a Sith lord with the amount of power you have

    Dislikes:
    Star Destroyer Part Sucks, When the tie fighters get in the way constantly
    Its Pretty Repetitive Near the End of the Game
    Story isn't great
    the romance they try and build between the piliot and star killer sucked and when they kissed it felt strange because there was no signs of romance the whole game except for them meeting, then the rest of the game he just orders her where to go, and she's just a robot about it
    Ending (Good Ending) Palpatine fight wasn't rewarding
    Quick Time events feel a little deflating when you see it over and over again

    its alright, not bad not great    … Expand
  3. Cadell_Sheldon
    Jun 12, 2022
    5
    I recently bought the game for Nintendo switch thinking it was going to be a slight remaster using some of the best parts of the original games on most platforms, and giving it some basic life improvements making it the best it could be but nope. What I got was a repackaged version of the Wii version with nothing, but an added dash of no mandatory motion controls. And even with all ofI recently bought the game for Nintendo switch thinking it was going to be a slight remaster using some of the best parts of the original games on most platforms, and giving it some basic life improvements making it the best it could be but nope. What I got was a repackaged version of the Wii version with nothing, but an added dash of no mandatory motion controls. And even with all of that, I only beat the game in the 3 days I got it in, on the normal difficulty, and most of that time was spent spamming the force attack, Sith Lightning, or just the basic lightsaber attack over & over & over & over & over again. And while speaking of the gameplay everything controls fine, nothing too awful, but not great. The game is also really bare bones with both world progression and combat variety it mostly fizzles down to block for a little bit, then spam the attack buttons as much as you can. And the amount of attacks their we're, and how the upgrade system worked was terrible, yeah I get killing more enemies in a small amount of time multiplies the earnings you get by a lot, but that still doesn't fix the simple and boring combat mechanics. Which is sad because when you look at a game such as Devil May Cry, or even the Spider-Man Movie games on PS2 & GCN you can see that they both have in depth combat systems with lots of different ways to level up and get specific moves you want by engaging each enemy differently with different moves, with the added benefits of large open areas to pull of multiple attacks and still get combos going shows how disappointing this game is.… Expand
  4. JakeSciaroni
    Jan 30, 2016
    7
    As far as star wars games go The Force Unleashed is pretty good. It is definitely an enjoyable, sometimes glitchy hack and slash type star wars game. A ton of fun (when it works...)
  5. TatsMcGee
    Sep 8, 2018
    5
    Why did you want to get the game?

    I have heard about this game for a while and it’s been something that I have been wanting to pick for a while. Then I saw it on Xbox Game Pass and figured that this is a great opportunity to finally sit down and play it. What did you not like about it? I played the game for a number of hours, it wasn’t bad but it never really hooked me in. I    Why did you want to get the game?

    I have heard about this game for a while and it’s been something that I have been wanting to pick for a while. Then I saw it on Xbox Game Pass and figured that this is a great opportunity to finally sit down and play it.

    What did you not like about it?

    I played the game for a number of hours, it wasn’t bad but it never really hooked me in. I played it one night for 3-4 hours and then I just never had any motivation to go back to it. Sadly the game just didn’t have anything that was worth going back to. It just felt painfully average.

    How much time did you put into it?

    As I said before, it was about 3-4 hours.

    Do you think you’ll try it again at some point?

    I haven’t deleted it from my Xbox yet so that should count for something. I may go back to it if I am feeling desperate but at this point, there are a lot of other games that I want to try. On my backlog, it’s at the bottom of the list which should say everything that needs to be said about this game.    … Expand
  6. CenkAlp
    Jan 3, 2018
    7
    Hikaye = 8
    Oynanış = 8
    Grafikler = 6
    Sesler = 7
    Keyif = 7
    Atmosfer = 8
    Süre = 6
  7. JacobL.
    Mar 2, 2009
    7
    The Force Unleashed is overall a good game. The force powers are fun to use and there are some interesting boss fights. However, about half way through the game the enemies become tougher and are only vulnerable to one of your force powers and you revisit every location you went to in the first half. Despite all of these flaws the game is fun especially if you replay levels when you are The Force Unleashed is overall a good game. The force powers are fun to use and there are some interesting boss fights. However, about half way through the game the enemies become tougher and are only vulnerable to one of your force powers and you revisit every location you went to in the first half. Despite all of these flaws the game is fun especially if you replay levels when you are very powerful. The story is good, the weaker enemies are fun to toy with, and the graphics are amazing. This is the one game that may not be for everyone so play the demo before you buy the game.… Expand
  8. Sonny
    Oct 1, 2008
    6
    as an RPG it cant measure up to content found in KOTOR I & II, as for fighting there are more realistic and better saber fights in battlefront II, force powers is really all this game has. i found it too be too short and too constrictive. and even force powers are a bit of a let down since u get a movie clip wher u down a star destroyer but in fights againt AT-Ts u cant do the same. its as an RPG it cant measure up to content found in KOTOR I & II, as for fighting there are more realistic and better saber fights in battlefront II, force powers is really all this game has. i found it too be too short and too constrictive. and even force powers are a bit of a let down since u get a movie clip wher u down a star destroyer but in fights againt AT-Ts u cant do the same. its really just another dungen crawer. C+ just for the graphics and force powers.......other than that its a disapointment. and not too mention than ending is so unrealistic and for obvious reasons. i mean how can a character that is supposed to be a sith apprentice that spends his hole life on training to kill the emperor on the end spair him...well because if he didnt there would be no Starwars saga of Luke Skywalker. C.… Expand
  9. JoonasM.
    Sep 27, 2008
    5
    Gameplay is very poor. Only good thing about this game is that the story is very good. Everything else just sucks.
  10. MY.
    Sep 4, 2008
    5
    The only reason I can think of for not releasing a PC version of this game is the stark difference in quality between it and the other Jedi Knight titles that have come before. Lucasarts really dropped the ball on this one, and I for one would rather wait for the new Castlevania on DS than buy this title.
  11. ZachM.
    Jan 7, 2009
    5
    I am so let down I can't put it into words. I was hoping for a real roleplay game in which I could feel what it would be like to have total control over the force but instead what I got was anxiety. The auto lock feature SUCKS, the lightsaber is more like a stun gun, and the part where you have to move the destroyer is enough to make you pull your hair out. Then to top it all off I am so let down I can't put it into words. I was hoping for a real roleplay game in which I could feel what it would be like to have total control over the force but instead what I got was anxiety. The auto lock feature SUCKS, the lightsaber is more like a stun gun, and the part where you have to move the destroyer is enough to make you pull your hair out. Then to top it all off after like five hours of gameplay....the whole thing is over. That's like more than than ten bucks an hour I paid to play this sorry ass excuse for part of the Star Wars franchise. I think I fought like three Jedi and one so called Sith (other than the Emporer) and they were all easy as hell to beat. Now what? I am supposed to go play the same old lame ass missions on a harder level...no thanks...I am taking this biaatch to gamestop and trading it in for polly pocket, or simcity or something not quite as lame. NIce job George..maybe you should focus on making the third trilogy instead of giving us cartoons and horrible video games to try and give us our Star Wars Fix......as Master Yoda would say...Sucks a big one,,,this game does.… Expand
  12. LongTimer
    Oct 1, 2008
    6
    Dodgy level design and a huge amount of bugs makes this game sub par. Getting caught on something invisible while trying to run over a bridge is pretty unacceptable in this day and age. Almost seems like it wasn't play tested. The digital molecular matter that has been boasted about for the past few months isn't up to scratch yet on some objects, namely wood. The story is enough Dodgy level design and a huge amount of bugs makes this game sub par. Getting caught on something invisible while trying to run over a bridge is pretty unacceptable in this day and age. Almost seems like it wasn't play tested. The digital molecular matter that has been boasted about for the past few months isn't up to scratch yet on some objects, namely wood. The story is enough to keep you going but just doesn't quite seem like star wars to me. If ever there was a game to rent rather than buy then this is it.… Expand
  13. KhristianR.
    Oct 1, 2008
    7
    Its decent, but its too linear and doesn't allow for as much freedom as you'd hoped. The little touches are nice, and while it lasts its a bit of fun, but it doesn't last to long. SCORE : 73%
  14. jason
    Oct 4, 2008
    5
    Graphics are good but not up to par in the faces (the main character looks like he has down syndrome) Fighting is very static, you dont move while attacking you can only jump straight up you cant break a combo to dodge or block, skills take a large amount of energy and can be very difficult to aim. Grabbing and throwing doesnt lock on so almost impossible to direct hit. Targeting will on Graphics are good but not up to par in the faces (the main character looks like he has down syndrome) Fighting is very static, you dont move while attacking you can only jump straight up you cant break a combo to dodge or block, skills take a large amount of energy and can be very difficult to aim. Grabbing and throwing doesnt lock on so almost impossible to direct hit. Targeting will on target enemy directly in front of you. Glitches are everywhere, causing you to get stuck or the enemies get stuck on things. Excessive quick time events although they don't punish you for messing up. Verdict : if you love stars wars to death rent it , if you are looking for a good deep action game much much better can be found elsewhere (devil may cry , ninja gaiden, or god of war if you like quick time events).… Expand
  15. chenry
    Oct 8, 2008
    6
    Impressive graphics barely make up for sloppy controls and extremely irritating auto-targeting systems. The game itself attempts to mesh the new and original prequels together, and it comes off as trying to force the (bad) new trilogy down our throats. Many non-canon elements make the game seem more like Star Wars Fanfic than legitimate Star Wars mythos. Control wise, the game is buggy. Impressive graphics barely make up for sloppy controls and extremely irritating auto-targeting systems. The game itself attempts to mesh the new and original prequels together, and it comes off as trying to force the (bad) new trilogy down our throats. Many non-canon elements make the game seem more like Star Wars Fanfic than legitimate Star Wars mythos. Control wise, the game is buggy. Movement is rapid and spastic, like a hyperactive rabbit. The auto-targeting will leave you throwing lighting at non-threatening inanimate objects while a Stormtrooper is busy lining a shot up on your stupid face. Enemies tend to swarm you and come from now where. Boss Fights usually end with a bloody Quick-Time button mashing sequence, which is just irritating and totally unnecessary. I hate quick time button sequences, they're awful and pointless. I just beat this boss into submission, there's no reason to force me to play bloody Simon Says!!! The game is full of cheap deaths and irritating fight sequences. You're constantly under assault by guys with laser guns and you've got a sword. It'd be nice if you had some more ranged attacks, or even a blaster pistol, but no. You can throw lightning, or your light saber, but hoo-bloody-ray, here's the awful targeting system back to haunt you. Calling this the best Star Wars game isn't a stretch though, since LucasArts has almost never delivered a good Star Wars game. Only when someone else makes the game is it any good. KOTOR from Bioware, or even Lego Star Wars from Traveler's Tales are better games.… Expand
  16. TrevorG
    Aug 22, 2008
    6
    While it's cool to be able to weild a light sabre and use force powers, the gameplay itself is pretty week. Honestly it's like a cheap God of War rip off dressed up in Star Wars outfits. The graphics are almost last gen and the textures are bland. The enemies are stupid and the character models look like something out of Battlefront II. The gameplay seems very linear, only one While it's cool to be able to weild a light sabre and use force powers, the gameplay itself is pretty week. Honestly it's like a cheap God of War rip off dressed up in Star Wars outfits. The graphics are almost last gen and the textures are bland. The enemies are stupid and the character models look like something out of Battlefront II. The gameplay seems very linear, only one way to go and one thing to do. Which would be alright if that one way was very interesting. I think a lot of people are going to be disappointed in this game. I know I for one expected more.… Expand
  17. IulianM.
    Sep 15, 2008
    6
    The ligthsaber is nerfed beyond my comprehension. Ever since Jedi Knight 2 it's been a known and proven fact that a lightsaber will cut trough anything not made of chortosis. Sormtropers loose their heads, litteraly, at a touch of the glowing plasma sword. Here you're just bashing them. This would be ok if this was Devil May Cry, but it's Star Wars and you have what should The ligthsaber is nerfed beyond my comprehension. Ever since Jedi Knight 2 it's been a known and proven fact that a lightsaber will cut trough anything not made of chortosis. Sormtropers loose their heads, litteraly, at a touch of the glowing plasma sword. Here you're just bashing them. This would be ok if this was Devil May Cry, but it's Star Wars and you have what should be a very deadly Lightsaber. Another thing I saw is that for all his "scaryness", half a foot unarmed oponents aren't shy of attaking him, wheras an unarmed storptrooper woulr run like hell from Kyle Katarn or his aprentice Jaden Korr. The game may have the advantages of Euphoria and DMM but gameplay wise it's as much of a Star Wars game as Legacy of Kane Defiance.… Expand
  18. Orindlt
    Sep 18, 2008
    5
    Uneven controls and idiosyncratic camera angles mar what might have been an otherwise excellent game.
  19. xeroman
    Sep 19, 2008
    5
    Did anybody even playtest this game before it went out to the public? Every possible glitch and bug from missing animation to getting stuck on objects and out of sync and even missing audio, it's all here! Terrible gameplay mechanics towards the later levels (why do I have the The Force powers if I can't use it on anybody!). In what should be one of the greatest moments in Did anybody even playtest this game before it went out to the public? Every possible glitch and bug from missing animation to getting stuck on objects and out of sync and even missing audio, it's all here! Terrible gameplay mechanics towards the later levels (why do I have the The Force powers if I can't use it on anybody!). In what should be one of the greatest moments in gaming, bringing down a Star Destroyer, ends up being the worst part of this shovel ware. Yet another cash in on the already dried up Star Wars franchise. If you're smart you'll be returning your copy for a refund just like I did.… Expand
  20. Anonyous
    Sep 28, 2008
    7
    Matt M, everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Obviously, they all played the game. Anyways, I felt the game was fun, but is only worthy of a rent--doesn't seem like the kind of game with high re-playability.
  21. AlexC.
    Sep 18, 2008
    5
    This game had such promise, but at the end of the day, all I am going to remember are the glitches and failures that developers were suppost to fix during the testing stage of the game.
  22. mrpeatie
    Sep 21, 2008
    7
    As an action game fan and a Star Wars fan, I enjoyed this game. All the flaws mentioned in the reviews above are there. How much they detract from the overall experience just depends on how much you like the genre and the Star Wars universe.
  23. Nikolai
    Sep 20, 2008
    6
    This game has a completely linear storyline and there are glitches everywhere. You would think that any game associated with LucasArts would be a top quality game. All signs point to the arrogance of George Lucas believing that because he created one of the greatest sci-fi genres that he can never make an inferior product. I'm pretty disappointed in the game overall. On a positive This game has a completely linear storyline and there are glitches everywhere. You would think that any game associated with LucasArts would be a top quality game. All signs point to the arrogance of George Lucas believing that because he created one of the greatest sci-fi genres that he can never make an inferior product. I'm pretty disappointed in the game overall. On a positive side, the force powers are fantastic and the combat combos are amazing. To contrast with the negatives, the combos are very hard to learn and remember. The storyline was pretty original as it leads to some questions of Darth Vader's overall role in the rebellion but I would have to say I was pretty disappointed. This game will definitely be traded in once it's exploited. I hope that any future products from LucasArts will be far superior.… Expand
  24. TheExile
    Sep 23, 2008
    6
    I enjoyed this up until the Star Destroyer. This has to be the most badly designed level in all gaming. Nearly threw the game against the wall in a rage. That aside, you cant help feeling that they would have been better off creating the engine and mechanics then giving it over to BioWare for them to use as KoToR 3.
  25. HassanRab
    Sep 25, 2008
    6
    Has lots of problems. Don't even really bother renting it unless you're okay with lots of glitches.
  26. BlandyB.
    Sep 27, 2008
    7
    I haven't really experienced any of the glitches that I'm reading about. The only really bad part is pulling down the Star Destroyer. It should have been the most awesome part of the game, but instead it's tedious and frustrating. Whoever programmed the gameplay for that part dropped the ball big time.
  27. Brackynews
    Sep 28, 2008
    7
    Very Good: Story, voices and art. Lots of bonuses and upgrading, mix of Jedi Knight and KOTOR. Change difficulty anytime. Satisfying combat, more dependent on lightsaber than trailers led to believe.. Very Bad: Lock-on entirely dependent on where your character is facing. Camera viewfield too narrow and behaves badly. Uneven checkpoints.
  28. ADrew
    Oct 18, 2008
    7
    This game would have got a much higher score if only they'd given it a little more time to be bug tested and balanced. The only major flaws with the game are the targetting system and collision detection, you'll die more often from a "cheap" death caused by an inability to target what you intended or being hit by something that missed you by miles than you will from having a This game would have got a much higher score if only they'd given it a little more time to be bug tested and balanced. The only major flaws with the game are the targetting system and collision detection, you'll die more often from a "cheap" death caused by an inability to target what you intended or being hit by something that missed you by miles than you will from having a lack of skill. That said the games levelling system makes it worth playing twice, collectibles actually have a good reason to be found and the story with its 2 endings is both well written and compelling. This game was obviously rushed to hit shelves before the other titles being released for the primary gifting periods of thanksgiving and christmas. The quality of the end product is reflected in this decision made by the marketting people and not by the developers. Without the bugs this game would have been given a 9. (i'm taking away 1 point for 2 ridiculous scenes in the otherwise great story).… Expand
  29. GarethS.
    Sep 27, 2008
    5
    A 5 and thats me being generous. Ive played it through on all difficulties and got all the gamerpoints but this game is not worth a purchase no matter how much of a star wars fan you are, rent this game if you must but you may be disappointed.
  30. --
    Dec 29, 2009
    7
    360 version is full of glitches which quite frequently end in you losing the last bit of your health. Good storyline, but lacks the ability to have a fair fight, as the enemy mostly croud around your body as u lay on the ground and let them take turns beating the crap through u. Good game, but ALOT more testing is required for next time.
  31. niconline
    Oct 29, 2012
    7
    The audio is fantastic, and the graphics will impress more often than not. The fun combat system and epic story are moderately spoiled by a poor targeting system, bad enemy AI, and some glitches.
  32. ArkonBlade
    Jan 6, 2011
    6
    the game has some cool things going for it . the start is its set in the original trilogys story line and adds more to the star wars lore. some cool force powers to use . a pretty solid story with some good voice acting . 2 differnt endings which gives you another reason to play it . a pretty decent combat system . what holds this game down is how buggy and glitchy it is . the starthe game has some cool things going for it . the start is its set in the original trilogys story line and adds more to the star wars lore. some cool force powers to use . a pretty solid story with some good voice acting . 2 differnt endings which gives you another reason to play it . a pretty decent combat system . what holds this game down is how buggy and glitchy it is . the star destroyer part especially . i was stuck on that part for 2 hours because of it getting glitched up. the game is pretty simple too they could have done alot more to make it much more exciting . its a ok star wars game which i only paid $15 for so i dont feel to bad about it.… Expand
  33. Snipestrifer
    Dec 14, 2010
    7
    Sadly this is not what I thought it would be. The story is awesome but the combat can feel clunky and reptitive sometimes and I only feel substantially powerful when I've maxed everything, because you can't even charge up force push or lightening until the second level, when it should have been immediate. The game ends very quickly as well and here isn't that much replay-value. I hope theSadly this is not what I thought it would be. The story is awesome but the combat can feel clunky and reptitive sometimes and I only feel substantially powerful when I've maxed everything, because you can't even charge up force push or lightening until the second level, when it should have been immediate. The game ends very quickly as well and here isn't that much replay-value. I hope the next installment will be better… Expand
  34. Guivera
    Mar 2, 2011
    7
    I suspect that the people giving this game such poor reviews were expecting a fantastic game rather than a good game. The game has somewhat clunky controls and not so great graphics, but a strong storyline and enjoyable force powers and lightsaber attacks at the players disposal. Certainly not the Star Wars game it could have been, but still an overall good game. It's a shame that thisI suspect that the people giving this game such poor reviews were expecting a fantastic game rather than a good game. The game has somewhat clunky controls and not so great graphics, but a strong storyline and enjoyable force powers and lightsaber attacks at the players disposal. Certainly not the Star Wars game it could have been, but still an overall good game. It's a shame that this game's potential was not reached in the second instalment too.… Expand
  35. HofmanT
    Feb 2, 2012
    7
    This was a great game. It had an amazing story, great characters, and good gameplay. I think it did a great job connecting the prequel movies with the original Star Wars movies (Light Side Ending). It has good replay-ability (I beat it four time :D). However what I didn't like were the Felucia missions and all the bugs and glitches... still a good game though. The 2nd one sucked assThis was a great game. It had an amazing story, great characters, and good gameplay. I think it did a great job connecting the prequel movies with the original Star Wars movies (Light Side Ending). It has good replay-ability (I beat it four time :D). However what I didn't like were the Felucia missions and all the bugs and glitches... still a good game though. The 2nd one sucked ass compared to this one.… Expand
  36. Manmade3
    Dec 23, 2011
    7
    While it lacks the replayabillity of Jedi Academy or Kotor, it is immensely satisfying for a few hours and gives you a taste of that "UNLIMITED POWEEERRRRR" the Emperor was so excited about. However, it quickly goes down hill the last few levels, and I personally found the ending very disappointing. If you want a good rental id recommend this game, if you can tolerate low graphics, id goWhile it lacks the replayabillity of Jedi Academy or Kotor, it is immensely satisfying for a few hours and gives you a taste of that "UNLIMITED POWEEERRRRR" the Emperor was so excited about. However, it quickly goes down hill the last few levels, and I personally found the ending very disappointing. If you want a good rental id recommend this game, if you can tolerate low graphics, id go pick up a copy of Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy.… Expand
  37. ADobbo
    Feb 18, 2012
    5
    Coming from being a big fan of the Star Wars film series and video games I thought this game could be quite good. With many unfamiliar characters I could tell this game was going to be as good as I had hoped. The story only lasts 5 hours and doesn't have much of a replayability factor apart from the 2 endings. The best things in the game are meant to be the 3 DLCs which are 800MSP each.Coming from being a big fan of the Star Wars film series and video games I thought this game could be quite good. With many unfamiliar characters I could tell this game was going to be as good as I had hoped. The story only lasts 5 hours and doesn't have much of a replayability factor apart from the 2 endings. The best things in the game are meant to be the 3 DLCs which are 800MSP each. With no multiplayer and a slightly shabby story I have not and will not be buying the Force Unleashed II.… Expand
  38. Discord
    May 19, 2012
    6
    Quite fun, but suffers from idiotic AI and easy combat, except during boss fights. As for the storyline, some may hate it but I personally find it a decent addition to the SW canon, neatly filling in a bit of the slot between the two trilogies.
  39. alex007
    Jun 6, 2016
    7
    "The Force Unleashed" is a mix of frustration and fun. Hayden Blackman's hack n' slash creation bridges both the original and prequel trilogies together with a good story that is no longer considered canon (since Disney bought Lucasfilm). In it, Darth Vader assigns his secret apprentice (codenamed Starkiller) to hunt down the last remaining Jedi in the universe. The game's excellent"The Force Unleashed" is a mix of frustration and fun. Hayden Blackman's hack n' slash creation bridges both the original and prequel trilogies together with a good story that is no longer considered canon (since Disney bought Lucasfilm). In it, Darth Vader assigns his secret apprentice (codenamed Starkiller) to hunt down the last remaining Jedi in the universe. The game's excellent presentation and cutscenes are mostly based off George Lucas' beloved original trilogy with a few nods to the prequels. It's got a few surprises and an ending that mirrors the conclusion to "Return of the Jedi". As far as the gameplay is concerned, it plays a lot like "God of War" only much clunkier. The targeting system isn't as smooth as it needs to be and the player will suffer plenty of cheap deaths because of it. Despite this, unleashing havoc with the force and a lightsaber is fun despite the repetitive nature of the battles. Boss fights are particularly terrible with the Star Destroyer segment being downright awful. It's these moments that make the game a slog to play through at times. And pointless QTEs also rear their ugly on occasion. But overall, "The Force Unleashed" is still a worthy "Star Wars" game due to its combination of a good story, excellent presentation and satisfying action. With four difficulty levels, optional challenges, secondary objectives and plenty of collectibles scattered throughout each level, it's a game worth playing through twice.… Expand
  40. Compi24
    Jun 25, 2013
    7
    While story elements may leave you feeling rather cold, most of the gameplay mechanics are pretty solid, and "Star Wars: The Force Unleashed" does for the most part hit its intended mark
  41. WyattTheAwesome
    May 30, 2013
    7
    Stars The Force Unleashed is a nice hack and slash that is very entertaining. It's nice to have a non lego star wars game I really like. it wasn't anything special, but it did offer much entertainment and I enjoyed plaything through a second and third time. Don't pass this up.
  42. coopert
    Jan 19, 2014
    7
    This game was very enjoyable the force powers made it very fun but it was way too short which meant it suffered in terms of character, story and the overall experience just didn't seem epic enough for Star Wars and dragged up characters just for the sake of it and didn't have the feel of originality in an existing franchise like Knights of the Old Republic did with original characters andThis game was very enjoyable the force powers made it very fun but it was way too short which meant it suffered in terms of character, story and the overall experience just didn't seem epic enough for Star Wars and dragged up characters just for the sake of it and didn't have the feel of originality in an existing franchise like Knights of the Old Republic did with original characters and story. Overall being able to throw storm troopers around and shoot them with lightning while in mid-air is an excellent way to spend a bit of time if you can pick it up for a couple of notes but it will only be a short amount of time.… Expand
  43. SuperkenGaming
    Jan 30, 2017
    7
    Star Wars The Force Unleashed
    More Like Star of Wars
    This game is basically God of War set in the star wars world but with none of the variety… You start the Game as Darth Vader and its perfect.. You’re walking slowly just destroying everyone and everything in sight… It’s a great way to introduce the fighting mechanics and I didn’t want it to end... honestly if all 6 and a half hours    Star Wars The Force Unleashed
    More Like Star of Wars
    This game is basically God of War set in the star wars world but with none of the variety…
    You start the Game as Darth Vader and its perfect..
    You’re walking slowly just destroying everyone and everything in sight…
    It’s a great way to introduce the fighting mechanics and I didn’t want it to end...
    honestly if all 6 and a half hours of this game was the prologue… it would be pretty close to a 10/10 experience…
    unfortunately it isn’t..
    Sadly you play the game as Darth Vader’s Apprentice after something happens that I’m not gonna say... I don’t want to spoil it…
    The Story here is actually really enjoyable, easy to follow along with and I wanted to see it to its end…
    But you play through the 9 missions in total killing the Jedi among other characters…
    And again this is god of war with light sabers…
    As you progress through the levels slicing enemies and finding new light sabers so you aren’t stuck with sith red... you’re leveling up for skill points to spend in the 3 different skill trees…
    You’re completing tasks in these linear levels using the force where you have to pull items out of their sockets for the most part or zap them with lightning… using the force to grab and pull doesn’t really feel all too intuitive or responsive though…
    many frustrating moments trying to bend doors and grab onto items to fling them through the air…
    And at the end of each mission you take on a boss…
    Every boss is really about jumping out of the way and slashing them more times than they slash you.. And they all end in a god of war style quick time event….
    it’s cool meeting all of these star wars characters and visiting the different worlds…
    But beyond the prologue... the game feels generic…
    You visit no place interesting..
    so level progressing trying to build yourself up to the Vader status you started as is just no fun…
    you feel more like running through to the end rather than spending the time fighting enemies wanting to get stronger because it is so boringly designed…
    You never truly reach the god status the games beginning teases you with either which was so satisfying and fun even at the slow pace Vader was moving at…
    This games graphics are insane though considering it came out in 2008…
    Usually early ps3 and 360 games are hard on my eyes…
    But this game could easily be passed off as a late gen ps3 game or a downloadable game on the ps4..
    I was genuinely impressed...
    I just wish they put these graphics towards making interesting levels and environments to explore…
    Overall Star Wars The Force Unleashed is a decently fun game with an interesting story…
    Just not varied enough with its gameplay or level design to call it a must play for anyone not already a star wars fan..
    But if you are a fan even a little and you do play... you won’t be disappointed.. at least not extremely disappointed...
    I give Star Wars The Force Unleashed
    a 7/10    … Expand
  44. IllusivemaN7
    Apr 22, 2015
    7
    The story is ok, the graphics are decent looking and the combat is satisfying, especially using the force and looking at the light saber animations. The quick time vents aren't all bad even though they're too easy and hardly randomized and the light saber doesn't really behave like a light saber as there is zero cutting in this game. It's more like a baseball bat because it will sendThe story is ok, the graphics are decent looking and the combat is satisfying, especially using the force and looking at the light saber animations. The quick time vents aren't all bad even though they're too easy and hardly randomized and the light saber doesn't really behave like a light saber as there is zero cutting in this game. It's more like a baseball bat because it will send enemies flying but won't ever cut through them. I like how many costumes there are but there are and the collectibles will entertain some but not all players. And yea you could argue that the combat is not the most exciting but for me, there are so many ways to deal with many types of enemies, it up to the players to use different tactics, not sure if that's a good thing or not. I've enjoyed it thoroughly but I think it's a rental for most people.… Expand
  45. IONOSGAMES
    Sep 12, 2017
    7
    Para empezar buenos graficos, una historia bastante interesante con un personaje carismatico. Los bosses son divertidos y encima la mayoria son jedi, asi que para los fans es una delicia. Hack and slash que consigue no ser repetitivo.
  46. Xyodanl
    Aug 31, 2016
    7
    The audio is fantastic, and the graphics will impress more often than not. The fun combat system and epic story are moderately spoiled by a poor targeting system, bad enemy AI, and some glitches.
  47. CamyVero
    Oct 10, 2021
    6
    Un juego que visto en perspectiva trataba de aprovechar la popularidad de la franquicia clásica de 'God of War' y combinarla con el universo de 'Star Wars'. El juego es entretenido, no demasiado largo y con pasajes verdaderamente desafiantes dependiendo de tu habilidad con los hack and slash, pero es eso; un hack and slash de la pasada generación, que no va a pasar por el peor, peroUn juego que visto en perspectiva trataba de aprovechar la popularidad de la franquicia clásica de 'God of War' y combinarla con el universo de 'Star Wars'. El juego es entretenido, no demasiado largo y con pasajes verdaderamente desafiantes dependiendo de tu habilidad con los hack and slash, pero es eso; un hack and slash de la pasada generación, que no va a pasar por el peor, pero tampoco por el mejor. Si te mola el universo de 'Star Wars' la historia es decente y las mecánicas de juego están bien implementadas, lo puedes encontrar a precio de saldo, por lo que es recomendable… Expand
  48. Alex_Pilgrim008
    May 10, 2023
    7
    "The Force Unleashed" feels restrained despite its title. I never quite felt like a badass rogue Jedi that would give Superman a run for his money. In fact, while the combat is more often fun than not, it lacks a certain finesse. This is unfortunate. Especially since similar action games from the previous consoles ran a lot smoother (think "Ninja Gaiden" on XBOX). So while the story's"The Force Unleashed" feels restrained despite its title. I never quite felt like a badass rogue Jedi that would give Superman a run for his money. In fact, while the combat is more often fun than not, it lacks a certain finesse. This is unfortunate. Especially since similar action games from the previous consoles ran a lot smoother (think "Ninja Gaiden" on XBOX). So while the story's concept is cool and the aesthetic of the Original Trilogy is perfectly re-created, the gameplay should've been better. Lengthy load times and tepid boss fights also keep the game from reaching its fullest potential. That being said, "The Force Unleashed" isn't awful, it just pales in comparison to something like God of War. Despite its shortcomings, this title is a must own for Star Wars fans. It's flawed, but fun. I would give it a 7.3 out of 10.… Expand
  49. ThePeoplesChamp
    Feb 26, 2019
    6
    ● Overview
    The Force Unleashed has a very strong start thanks to the cinematic character introductory cutscenes and playing as Darth Vader. The developer; Lucas Arts, certainly managed to capture the essence of Star Wars we know and love with characters such as Starkiller, Proxy and General Kota who had a real charm to them. Unfortunately, these few strong elements are drowned out by    ● Overview
    The Force Unleashed has a very strong start thanks to the cinematic character introductory cutscenes and playing as Darth Vader. The developer; Lucas Arts, certainly managed to capture the essence of Star Wars we know and love with characters such as Starkiller, Proxy and General Kota who had a real charm to them. Unfortunately, these few strong elements are drowned out by choppy character movements; plagued by terrible menu design and loading screens and although the game presents some visually engaging environments and basic platforming, it’s let down by its repetitive and mundane combat gameplay.

    ● Graphics [Okay]
    It’s tough to judge considering as of 2019 this game is over 10 years old. The game absolutely shines in some moments, particularly the medical bay Starkiller is taken after Vader attacks him in front of The Emperor; it looks photo-realistic, especially the textures on the floor. In-game cutscenes showcase painfully pixelated faces and almost facial expressions like that of a potato. The cinematic cutscenes, though blurry, look quite impressive. The general in-game graphics hold up well enough.

    ● Story [Good]
    I found the story interesting enough and it was greatly assisted by a strong cast of characters. Some aspects of the story were underdeveloped and forced, such as Starkiller’s Marry Sue abilities and the forced romance between him and the pilot. Cutscenes were made especially well and had me fully engaged every time. Lucas Film inserted quite a charm through them.

    ● Soundtrack [Okay]
    Star Wars music is always great however I did notice the tasteless use of a legendary track from Revenge of The Sith which is added to no great avail. The character’s were not developed well enough to warrant the use of such a meaningful piece and comes across like a try hard.

    ● Gameplay (Character movement, combat & enemies [Bad]
    While I appreciate the modernised, firmer character movement compared to the loose, wishy washy movement of past games such as Knights of The Old Republic, what was presented here was very clunky, unresponsive and unrefined. There was enough variety in attack moves, but it’s barely acceptable in 2019. The timing for pressing attack and seeing it on screen was wrong and seemed to lag as I would often switch between using Force Lightening and the Lightsaber attacks, only to become confused about which I was seeing on screen. Missions were almost entirely reduced to ‘go there and deactivate 3 generators’ over and over.

    Aside from the uncommon duels with Force sensitive people (which were impressively cinematic and challenging) and the completely dominating the regular Storm Troopers, the combat fell flat on its face. Different enemies and variants classes would appear in different levels, but they felt the same, notably the Felucian Warriors who were uninspiringly colour coded to highlight the leader and every engagement felt the same. The tank-like Imperial Purge Troopers were damage sponges who absorb an immersion-breaking amount of lightsaber attacks while barely reacting. Regular storm troopers provide the most rewarding experience as their weakness made for great lightsaber combos.

    ● Menus [Terrible]
    The pre-game and in-game menus are atrocious; some of the worst I’ve ever seen in a video game. The layout is clunky, navigation is slow, the font is barely legible and item information is accessed via a separate overlaying window rather than to the side of items being inspecting, making the task of upgrading skills arduous.

    ● Character Customisation [Good]
    Plenty of clothing and lightsaber customisation.    … Expand
  50. Sprixy
    Aug 7, 2020
    7
    If only this was canon! Force Unleashed is a fun adventure in the Star Wars Universe that surely delivers with its story and gameplay. I would almost go as far to say it rivals with Jedi Fallen Order, in some cases better as they are both very exciting. You will have the most fun in this game with Starkillers many force powers whether its playing with a Stormtrooper using the force orIf only this was canon! Force Unleashed is a fun adventure in the Star Wars Universe that surely delivers with its story and gameplay. I would almost go as far to say it rivals with Jedi Fallen Order, in some cases better as they are both very exciting. You will have the most fun in this game with Starkillers many force powers whether its playing with a Stormtrooper using the force or fighting walkers and even Jedi. The graphics as well even hold up in 2020 making it feel playable more than 10 years later. The story is also quite well in this game if not, better than some of what Disney has made. You will for sure feel connected to Starkiller and for some of his friends as they do give us some reminates and reminders that of Anakin and Luke. The real flaws in this game are with some of its small annoying mechanics and AI in the game. Some enemies feel repetitively annoying to fight some times as the game may force you (no pun intended) to patiently take out an enemy with a certain move and only that move. This somewhat removes the idea of having fun with combat in some scenarios however the game still has good combat either way. The one major flaw in this game however is its poor glitches. This is the main reason I cannot give this game a higher review as some of the glitches ruin the fun and take away from the gameplay. I saw this firsthand during a boss battle where the boss got stuck inside the map thus having me to restart the level. It also has glitches with you getting stuck in certain areas, crashes, and other bugs. Besides that, this game has a very well thawed out story and some fun gameplay. If the devs had fixed this games bugs and patched some of its other flaws, this would have been talked about by gamers for ages.… Expand
  51. AmadouIraklidis
    Oct 28, 2022
    6
    Pretty fun game. Good, enjoyable, and creative gameplay. A good starwars game.
  52. ZackH25
    Mar 23, 2023
    7
    To give this game credit the variety of levels and different types of enemies were quite good. Fighting a boss in each level was very fun. The combat was quite hack and slash and spam buttons but was still somewhat satisfying.. The story was nothing special and a bit over the top.This game not being cannon does make this story automatically less interesting and all characters more bland.To give this game credit the variety of levels and different types of enemies were quite good. Fighting a boss in each level was very fun. The combat was quite hack and slash and spam buttons but was still somewhat satisfying.. The story was nothing special and a bit over the top.This game not being cannon does make this story automatically less interesting and all characters more bland. The best level I would say was the last level in the death star or the level when you have to recruit the a Jedi general from an imperial base. The combat did get repetitive quite quick and there wasn't many force abilities. Lightning and force push was quite fun.… Expand
  53. HydrophobikFish
    Jun 9, 2023
    7
    Fun jedi power fantasy. Force powers and slicing lightsabers never get old. Upgrade system is fun and impactful. Main story is pretty interesting overall, but characters are boring cliches for the time. Level design varies between great and mediocre. QTE boss fights are a real waste of potential.

Awards & Rankings

80
#80 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2008
12
#12 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2008
8
#8 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2008

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
73

Mixed or average reviews - based on 74 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 40 out of 74
  2. Mixed: 33 out of 74
  3. Negative: 1 out of 74
  1. Official Xbox Magazine
    75
    With its non-branching storyline and no multiplayer, Force Unleashed is certainly less ambitious than the classic "Jedi Knight" games - and ultimately, its design makes it feel more videogame-y and less of an all-engrossing Star Wars experience than Xbox entries like "Jedi Knight II" or "Jedi Academy." But when the game is on, it's on. [Oct 2008, p.70]
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  2. GamePro
    70
    Make no mistake: you can have a lot of fun with The Force Unleashed. [Oct 2008, p.88]
    Read full review
  3. games(TM)
    70
    By even allowing the choice between simple hack-and-slash gameplay and the more complex mix-up combos, LucusArrts has ensured that many will never view the title’s full potential. [Oct 2008, p.104]
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