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. mirig
    Sep 24, 2008
    8
    Beautiful game (though faces in cinematics look really bad), great story, individual powers are good and there are good character building and customization features. But chaining attacks is amateurishly implemented, there are lots of bugs, there are some extremely poor design decisions and lightsaber combat is a wasted opportunity. With some key fixes and a couple months of polish, it Beautiful game (though faces in cinematics look really bad), great story, individual powers are good and there are good character building and customization features. But chaining attacks is amateurishly implemented, there are lots of bugs, there are some extremely poor design decisions and lightsaber combat is a wasted opportunity. With some key fixes and a couple months of polish, it could have been a 90+ classic. Too bad they shipped it before it was done.… Expand
  2. RogerK
    Sep 24, 2008
    9
    Ok, all of you who are slamming this game for its "massive faults" are just being overdramatic. There are a few bugs, yes, but they matter very little in the long run, and only hypercritical perfectionists can really be upset by them. And while there are also a few frustrating moments of gameplay, they are vastly outweighed by the non-stop, badass feeling of being a powerful sith lord. Ok, all of you who are slamming this game for its "massive faults" are just being overdramatic. There are a few bugs, yes, but they matter very little in the long run, and only hypercritical perfectionists can really be upset by them. And while there are also a few frustrating moments of gameplay, they are vastly outweighed by the non-stop, badass feeling of being a powerful sith lord. This game has amazing art direction, great level design and sound work, and some truly memorable moments (like when the 8th level boss turns into its final form!). The controls were smooth and intuitive if you knew what you were doing, and I didn't have a problem with the camera the entire way through. I don't know how some of you can be screwing up the controls and camera that badly, its the same setup as GTA IV. The bottom line is: this game delivers heart-pounding action, a satisfying canonical Star Wars story, and the undeniably fun feeling of being a powerful force-wielder. I strongly recommend this game.… Expand
  3. RicardoC.
    Sep 24, 2008
    9
    Awesome game. I really enjoy it. Only problems are with the targeting system. I think some critics are over-analyzing this one.
  4. Beguiler
    Sep 23, 2008
    2
    Frustrating game with far more bad points than good. Story - I had mixed feelings about the narrative. I liked the themes but the plot was too abrupt - it needed more exposition to flesh out the saga component of Star Wars that we've come to expect and more mini-quests / minutae to immerse ourselves in as fans. Graphics and Sound were decent - actually some bits looked pretty Frustrating game with far more bad points than good. Story - I had mixed feelings about the narrative. I liked the themes but the plot was too abrupt - it needed more exposition to flesh out the saga component of Star Wars that we've come to expect and more mini-quests / minutae to immerse ourselves in as fans. Graphics and Sound were decent - actually some bits looked pretty primitive (the backgrounds in the pulling down the Star Destroyer were poor). Gameplay mechanics ranged from bad to worse. Combat was a bit clugy because of the control scheme - even with the target lock button, it was far too easy to apply force powers to the wrong object or opponent. This made using combo attacks difficult at times. Camera perspective also was horrible - in tight spaces it was easy to get disoriented and in Boss fights it made getting killed twice as easy. All in all, there was very little "fun" in this game.… Expand
  5. ChristianR.
    Sep 23, 2008
    9
    its a good fun game. a little short but overall super fun. it also would have been fun to have an online multiplayer, like some of the other SW games. but oh well. a awesome game overall.
  6. 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.
  7. DonKR
    Sep 23, 2008
    4
    The people who rate this game above a 5 are people who work at LucasArts or people who eat every little crumb and morsel that drop out from George Lucas' beard. Sure, the basis for the game is fun. I'll even admit that the story (albet, full of contradictions) is decent and the art is actually pretty good. You really have to be a die hard Star Wars fan to love a broken, buggy The people who rate this game above a 5 are people who work at LucasArts or people who eat every little crumb and morsel that drop out from George Lucas' beard. Sure, the basis for the game is fun. I'll even admit that the story (albet, full of contradictions) is decent and the art is actually pretty good. You really have to be a die hard Star Wars fan to love a broken, buggy and half-baked game as this. Save your money for a game that actually works!… Expand
  8. DMan
    Sep 22, 2008
    9
    Okay, I've heard it all, but any who does realize that this game is a feat in itself, doesn't know anything about the technolgy in the game. The combination between Havoc, Euphoria & DMM make this a unique and refeshing game experience. The story is good and the cinematography is awesome, for the first time I feel like I'm playing in a Star Wars movie of my own. I would Okay, I've heard it all, but any who does realize that this game is a feat in itself, doesn't know anything about the technolgy in the game. The combination between Havoc, Euphoria & DMM make this a unique and refeshing game experience. The story is good and the cinematography is awesome, for the first time I feel like I'm playing in a Star Wars movie of my own. I would give an 8.5 normally, because there are some technical glitches, but the fact of the matter is I'm having too much fun being a Jedi. Also this game has a good combo of playing just as a button masher or if you really want to play the game, you can ADVANCE your gameplay and make some awesome combos.… Expand
  9. MaikelN.
    Sep 22, 2008
    9
    The best Star Wars game I played. The bugs (at least to mine) aren't very noticeable, and the fights against bosses are superb.
  10. Teli
    Sep 22, 2008
    8
    A truly enjoyable experience. Can't wait to see future games make use of DMM. The camera was a problem only in some areas of the game. The fact that you can customize you lightsaber is neat. Definitely worth another playthough on the most difficult setting.
  11. GaryH
    Sep 21, 2008
    4
    Despite all the bad reviews I picked up The Force: Unleashed because after playing the demo I thought that it showed a lot of promise. After the first few levels I was confused about all the low scores because the game itself was actually quite fun! The art work and designs were great and the story itself is better than anything that has come out from the Star Wars universe in a long, Despite all the bad reviews I picked up The Force: Unleashed because after playing the demo I thought that it showed a lot of promise. After the first few levels I was confused about all the low scores because the game itself was actually quite fun! The art work and designs were great and the story itself is better than anything that has come out from the Star Wars universe in a long, long time. However, as I progressed through the game's real nature reared it's ugly and ill conceived head. I haven't played such an untested and unpolished game in my life. I found bugs like spelling, grammatical and even placeholder text; getting stuck on polygons; frame stuttering; disappearing bad guys and even game crashes and freezes. If you can overlook the bugs there are also numerous game play decisions that will leave you scratching your head like Stormtroopers that just stand there and do nothing as you stand right next to them. Battles that are completely uneven in difficulty (I didn't even die once fighting the final boss yet died multiple times fighting the sub-bosses in earlier stages). This game is a real shame. I could see a lot of potential in what could have been a half-way decent game but glaring glitches and some bad, bad, bad game design not only bring this title down, but make it unplayable. Buy at your own risk!… Expand
  12. 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.
  13. Infra
    Sep 21, 2008
    10
    Best SW game ever, and one of the best games ever... only one flaw - way too short.
  14. RichardN.
    Sep 21, 2008
    10
    Y'know, I get the faults. God, I spent last night trying for an hour to complete the infamous Star Destroyer level. Horrid. But as more than the sum of its parts, I loved it way more than technically more proficient games like GTA4 and GOW. It's tones of fun, has a great story (calling GOW and Halo 3 - where was yours?) an interesting protagonist and some truly great scenes. Y'know, I get the faults. God, I spent last night trying for an hour to complete the infamous Star Destroyer level. Horrid. But as more than the sum of its parts, I loved it way more than technically more proficient games like GTA4 and GOW. It's tones of fun, has a great story (calling GOW and Halo 3 - where was yours?) an interesting protagonist and some truly great scenes. Maybe not the best game this year, but certainly the one I enjoyed the most - occasional frustration aside.… Expand
  15. MariusW.
    Sep 21, 2008
    9
    I love the star wars setting and was a bit sad about the reviews of some webzines (4players). I have no problems with tearing (you won't see it if you play). The game is just amazing!!!.
  16. LorsS.
    Sep 20, 2008
    10
    This is an awesome game. The interactive environments, the incredible story and the backgrounds are all stunning. My kids play it every day and love it. I think that a lot of the "hardcore" reviewers are being tough on it because they are expecting a Gears of War or a GTA IV, but that is not what this game is. It is meant to be accessible to kids, who, frankly, appear to have better This is an awesome game. The interactive environments, the incredible story and the backgrounds are all stunning. My kids play it every day and love it. I think that a lot of the "hardcore" reviewers are being tough on it because they are expecting a Gears of War or a GTA IV, but that is not what this game is. It is meant to be accessible to kids, who, frankly, appear to have better targeting and problem-solving skills than some of the so-called critics have.… Expand
  17. JohnM.
    Sep 20, 2008
    8
    wow, all these guys bad mouthing this game because of "broken gameplay" etc. probably didn't play the game, and are just trying to drag it down because its got 1 little flaw, now, I've been playing all day, and noticed little to no problems, the plot is fantastic, the graphics are beautiful, the level design isn't brilliant, but what do you expect, its a great game, wow, all these guys bad mouthing this game because of "broken gameplay" etc. probably didn't play the game, and are just trying to drag it down because its got 1 little flaw, now, I've been playing all day, and noticed little to no problems, the plot is fantastic, the graphics are beautiful, the level design isn't brilliant, but what do you expect, its a great game, definitely worth checking out, vital if your actually a star wars fan, if your looking for some in depth beat em up thats fun, go buy castle crashers, if you want a brilliant story with beautiful graphics and OK gameplay, get this, its still pretty sweet.… Expand
  18. JaceN.
    Sep 20, 2008
    2
    The idea was simple...take the gloves off and FINALLY show "The Force" for the world-shattering power it truly is supposed to be. Unfortunately sometime during development it met the equally powerful counter-forces of "we cant let the player be too powerful" and "this is a business and we need to make money so I don't care if its finished or not...ship it".
  19. 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
  20. RobertC
    Sep 19, 2008
    8
    Is it short? Yes. Is the Destroyer sequence frustrating? Of course. But once you get the hang of the controls, the game becomes as smooth as butter. I honestly haven't come across any huge glitches (though that seems to be the case with most of my titles). The Force powers are still an experience unlike any I've seen in a game, the story's wonderful, the graphics look Is it short? Yes. Is the Destroyer sequence frustrating? Of course. But once you get the hang of the controls, the game becomes as smooth as butter. I honestly haven't come across any huge glitches (though that seems to be the case with most of my titles). The Force powers are still an experience unlike any I've seen in a game, the story's wonderful, the graphics look gorgeous, and it's ultimately a SATISFYING experience. This doesn't rank with the Action Trinity (Devil May Cry, Ninja Gaiden, and God of War), but the thrill of discovering this side of the Star Wars mythology with the powers you possess is something altogether great.… Expand
  21. Bruce
    Sep 19, 2008
    4
    There's only one word to describe The Force Unleashed, "broken!" Too bad because this could have been the Star Wars game we were all waiting for but inexcusable bugs and glitches that was solved two game generations ago and some very bad game design choices bring this title down.
  22. 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
  23. AdamR
    Sep 18, 2008
    10
    This is my new favorite game, when I got on metacritic I was so mad when I saw they only gave it a 72, great graphics and controls are easy.
  24. 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.
  25. Acts7Acst7
    Sep 18, 2008
    8
    I think the game itself is excellent. The story is solid. RPG is the only disappointing element for me. You can customize your character, but not enough to really feel like you are affecting your character's total role in the universe.
  26. Orindlt
    Sep 18, 2008
    5
    Uneven controls and idiosyncratic camera angles mar what might have been an otherwise excellent game.
  27. [Anonymous]
    Sep 17, 2008
    8
    This game is a truly awesome game. Just play around with some of the more fun combos and your force powers to have fun! Also, credit to Naturalmotion with its scarily accurate people realism. But i rated it the way i did because every level is basically the same, and the camera when you fight a jedi is VERY annoying. Also its easy to get lost, even with a minimap. But i do recommend buying it.
  28. LukeS.
    Sep 17, 2008
    9
    Game is awesome , would have been a ten if it was longer. Overall a great game that is worthy of the name star wars.
  29. FourRSwords
    Sep 17, 2008
    8
    Are there problems with the game yes, but that doesn't mean it is bad. Give it an eight. Graphics great, story rocks.
  30. JP
    Sep 17, 2008
    2
    What a horrible, buggy game. Save your money.
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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]
    Read full review
  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]
See all critic reviews »