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
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. VvTJVvthatsmyxboxlivetag!!
    Sep 28, 2008
    10
    This game is one of the best star wars games there are.Now maybe not as good as knights of the old republic i still find this a welcome addition to everyone's game collection.It bridges the gap between III and IV with excellent story good graphics and a good beginning to rebellion. also the first level when you play as darth vader is one of the best gaming moments there is......PERIOD.
  2. LegoEggo19
    Jan 24, 2019
    9
    This game is certainly one of the more underrated games out there. It has an excellent story, takes place in an interesting universe with interesting characters, and the gameplay is fantastic. Nothing is more satisfying than picking up a stormtrooper and throwing him into orbit. I really don't know what caused so many to dislike this game, I encountered barely any glitches, and IThis game is certainly one of the more underrated games out there. It has an excellent story, takes place in an interesting universe with interesting characters, and the gameplay is fantastic. Nothing is more satisfying than picking up a stormtrooper and throwing him into orbit. I really don't know what caused so many to dislike this game, I encountered barely any glitches, and I thoroughly enjoyed all of my time with it. If you're looking to pick up a single player Star Wars game, then this is absolutely worth your time.… Expand
  3. 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
  4. f1o_o1f
    Jul 17, 2021
    4
    Easily among the worst games I've ever played.
    I owned the Wii version back in the day. It was pretty much my favorite game and I must have played it around 12 times from front to back.
    Revisiting the Xbox-360 version now, I realise how incredibly bad it is. Mind you, the Wii and 360 versions are basically different games. The story is the same but gameplay, level design and pretty    Easily among the worst games I've ever played.
    I owned the Wii version back in the day. It was pretty much my favorite game and I must have played it around 12 times from front to back.

    Revisiting the Xbox-360 version now, I realise how incredibly bad it is. Mind you, the Wii and 360 versions are basically different games. The story is the same but gameplay, level design and pretty much everything else is different.

    This version is borderline unplayable. Sure, there are cool things present, but it feels more like an unpolished, unbalanced technical demo than anything else. Disney obviously doesn't give a f#ck about this property (it never was canon), but I hope that one day there will be a remake. There is a lot of potential, but as a game, there is barely anything of quality to be found here.

    Although, credit where credit is due: I don't like quick time events, but this game has one of the best QTE-implementations I've ever seen    … Expand
  5. 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
  6. SWFan523
    Jun 21, 2020
    4
    Not worth another playthrough. Weak narrative with a button mashing combat system with many flaws. Fondly remembered, but doesn't hold up.
  7. 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
  8. spadenx
    Dec 16, 2011
    4
    It was interesting and it did have potential but it was a poor start. Starkiller (a terrible name BTW) is a boring character, The story isnt interesting, Its too repetitive, Short campaign, and using force powers does get old rather quickly. It also has a bit of uneven difficulty as well. It had its moments but the game is an overall fail.
  9. Higher_Standard
    Aug 21, 2010
    3
    I liked the story and was overall entertained by the game. However the halfassedness is very easy to spot. You have a fun time with the force powers and physics but the saber combat is very weak. Lots of enemies are unbalanced and you have to die and fight them again over and over until they forget how to block or stop slamming you with some unblockable combo. The story is good minus theI liked the story and was overall entertained by the game. However the halfassedness is very easy to spot. You have a fun time with the force powers and physics but the saber combat is very weak. Lots of enemies are unbalanced and you have to die and fight them again over and over until they forget how to block or stop slamming you with some unblockable combo. The story is good minus the plot holes. The major thing that gets me is that these morons released a deluxe edition long after the game was released. Then told the fans that this edition would have a level that would not be available for dlc. So everyone had to re-buy the game for this bonus level.. Turns out that this map pack did end up on dlc.… Expand
  10. ChewySmokey
    Aug 27, 2010
    3
    They should have called it The FAIL Unleashed

    Pros: -the graphics are great. -you have quite a bit of control over your character's growth and upgrades. -the story is awesome, really, its the only thing that kept me playing it! -interesting character, level and boss design. -achievements are easy and cliche (i.e. kill X amount of enemies using Y). -attacking lesser units like storm    They should have called it The FAIL Unleashed

    Pros:
    -the graphics are great.
    -you have quite a bit of control over your character's growth and upgrades.
    -the story is awesome, really, its the only thing that kept me playing it!
    -interesting character, level and boss design.
    -achievements are easy and cliche (i.e. kill X amount of enemies using Y).
    -attacking lesser units like storm troopers can be really fun and/or hilarious.
    -you can collect "Holocrons" for power-ups and items and the game keeps track of "Force Points" based on who or what you kill.
    -there is a neat and challenging bonus objective in each level.

    Cons:
    -auto targeting is a joke (ie you're in a corridor, you use the force to pick up a barrel, there is a storm trooper and a service droid next to each other down the corridor, you aim for the trooper and throw the barrel, the game decides that the barrel should hit the wall to your right).
    -invisible walls everywhere and you can't climb on anything that you would normally be able to climb on (ie big rocks, tipped over tree trunks).
    -completely linear level design.
    -glitched level design; I almost found my way out of the level once or twice. In a boss battle I accidentally threw the boss below the level, the only indication of this being her light sabre sticking up out of the ground, causing me to have to start the level over again. In one level I found an invincibility power up, but fell off of a platform to what should have been a flaming death, but instead I survived because of the power up and was stuck at the bottom of the level, even after the power-up faded away.
    -inconsistent as hell! if I can pull a Star Destroyer from space, then why can't I pick up AT-STs or Dark Troopers!?
    -"finishing moves" in boss battles are reduced to God of War style "Simon says" button mashing...rendering some of the awesome combos you learned near pointless.

    To add insult to injury, the game was shipped with a huge glitch that took months before it was addressed; on some random level(s), the game will not keep track of Force Points, the number of Holocrons you collected or even tell you what your bonus objective was (it would say "DEFAULT TEXT") at the end of the level, this happened to me on the very last level and stayed that way until the patch for it was released.

    They should have kept this game in development for another 6 months and actually tested it!    … Expand
  11. TheQuietGamer
    May 18, 2017
    8
    With fun lightsaber action and a wealth of force powers at your disposal, The Force Unleashed allows players to feel what it's like to be an all powerful Sith lord, unrestrained by the Jedi code. You play as the Darth Vader's secret apprentice who has been tasked with hunting down the last of the Jedi that managed to escape Order 66 with their lives in a formerly cannon tale set betweenWith fun lightsaber action and a wealth of force powers at your disposal, The Force Unleashed allows players to feel what it's like to be an all powerful Sith lord, unrestrained by the Jedi code. You play as the Darth Vader's secret apprentice who has been tasked with hunting down the last of the Jedi that managed to escape Order 66 with their lives in a formerly cannon tale set between Episodes III and IV. An exciting prospect. One only strengthened by novelty of the combat system.

    The shear number of ways you are given to dispatch your foes is incredible. There's a lot of depth running beneath the standard hack n' slash formula. The further you progress and level up, the more exciting powers and combos you'll gain access to. The point of the game is to make you feel like an unstoppable killing machine and it succeeds well. It's not always the most difficult game as it's easy to exploit your way through most encounters by spamming the most overpowered attacks, but the game still provides more challenging encounters to keep you on your toes. The boss battles for instance, although they aren't the most balanced of things. Some you can just completely pummel with little to no effort. Others are outright crapshoots. They are the parts of the game where you most easily notice how not all of The Force Unleashed systems are the most reliable.

    With no lock on system you are left at the mercy of the game's auto-targeting when trying to use your force abilities. Suffice to say it's not always the smartest system. It has a habit of jumping around too much when things get crowded (which happens often) and develops a mind of it's own. You may shoot lighting at a crate instead the enemy you were initially targeting. Something that can be lethal during a boss fight. Swordplay is also a little floaty. Like I said, there's no lock on system and unlike other action games there isn't anything that pulls you towards your enemies and sticks with them. Sometimes you'll just be slicing at the air instead of your target. Something that's only amplified by the occasionally awkward camera. Platforming is easily the most flawed part of the gameplay. It's still and also suffers from camera issues and slipperiness.

    So it's worth noting that The Force Unleashed has it's issues. However, they don't ruin the game because when things are working right, which they usually are, the game is an absolute blast like few other Star Wars games have been. Your force powers are exciting and using a lightsaber feels great. The large levels are great and filled with secrets to find. Their design harkens back to Star Wars: Bounty Hunter, only not quite as archaic and there's a map onscreen to prevent you from getting lost. Plus, the game just has that great LucasArts feel to it that we just don't get too experience anymore now that they've been relegated to a strict publisher-only role.

    As if the gameplay weren't enough, there's also a great story here. It starts off really slow as you go about hunting the Jedi on different worlds, but opens up into something more after you best past it's opening levels. The characters are great and the quest of protagonist "Starkiller" may just be a huge loss to the Star Wars cannon. The presentation is also top-notch. Even today the world's you'll travel too are so beautiful that you'll be hard pressed to not be left with your jaw hanging. A lot of detail went into bringing these worlds to life and it shows. They've stood the test of time remarkably well.

    In my opinion this is one of the best Star Wars games out there. Yes, it's got some issues, but it's one of those rare SW games that truly makes you feel like a Jedi. You get the powers and the lightsaber, both of which feel great (minus those targeting inconsistencies) and one heck of a story to go with it. For Star Wars fans this is a must. However, it's not hard to see why those who aren't so keen on the galaxy far, far away might still have fun here. It's a well-made action game in it's own right.    … Expand
  12. greg6781
    Apr 28, 2013
    10
    The game is solid, great combat, upgrade system, not a over abundence of QTEs and its challenging. But the main reason its getting a ten in my book is I am a huge fan of Star wars and this game cares about the lore and shows how the rebels came to be. Hell Lucas even says he includes this story in the star wars cannon. Plus there is no Jar Jar
  13. Vio
    Nov 20, 2011
    9
    This is not a RPG, this is a action platform game with RPG and fighting game elements - once this is realized and you embrace it for what it is it is simply awesome.

    The game's story is the usual starwars story line nothing much of a surprize here, gameplay is very fun once you learn the moves and unlock the force powers - I have found myself finishing this game multiple times looking for    This is not a RPG, this is a action platform game with RPG and fighting game elements - once this is realized and you embrace it for what it is it is simply awesome.

    The game's story is the usual starwars story line nothing much of a surprize here, gameplay is very fun once you learn the moves and unlock the force powers - I have found myself finishing this game multiple times looking for every light saber and unlocking every force power. The graphics/art in this game is beautiful. Gameplay wise the only complaint I have is that of the "hit X" "hit "A" etc timed events in order to kill "bosses".

    Did I like it? Hell yes!    … Expand
  14. 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
  15. BrentP
    Jun 1, 2009
    10
    This is my favorite game on the 360, thus far. It was extremely satisfying and well done. It's definitely worth buying. I'm looking forward to playing it again and again.
  16. BillyH.
    Jan 17, 2009
    10
    I have played the game through-out twice now and I'm sorry to say but this game ROCKS! You are very destructive and the story line is excellent. I love this game and highly recommend it. Why some on here rate it so low is absurd. They game pushed the envelope in so many ways and the game play great. The story behind it just takes you that much deeper into the game itself. This game I have played the game through-out twice now and I'm sorry to say but this game ROCKS! You are very destructive and the story line is excellent. I love this game and highly recommend it. Why some on here rate it so low is absurd. They game pushed the envelope in so many ways and the game play great. The story behind it just takes you that much deeper into the game itself. This game is a 9.5 - 10 in my book.… Expand
  17. kendrickdk
    Dec 14, 2011
    3
    Whoever ported this game from console to PC should have their head examined. It is literally impossible to beat some bosses with a keyboard and mouse. Now I have to purchase a stupid xbox controller if I want to finish this game. May they suffer a thousand deaths for what they have done.
  18. DaredadCrust
    Sep 10, 2013
    8
    A great storyline and intense combat makes this game a must for all Star Wars fans. However, the game is full of bugs (like if you change your lightsaber color it will break your objective screen, telling you your objective is nil but luckily the title update fixes that). The game is also pretty short, the first three and last two levels are long but the others are insanely quick and easyA great storyline and intense combat makes this game a must for all Star Wars fans. However, the game is full of bugs (like if you change your lightsaber color it will break your objective screen, telling you your objective is nil but luckily the title update fixes that). The game is also pretty short, the first three and last two levels are long but the others are insanely quick and easy to beat. Definitely better than its sequel.… Expand
  19. TheMetacritiqer
    Apr 12, 2016
    8
    Saying this is the best Star Wars game isn't saying much but that it's also one of the best action adventure games I've played is. Starting out with classic Star Wars opening with the great theme song got me excited and it wasn't for nothing. It's a shame Lucas Arts is no more. Now we can look forward to Visceral's unannounced Star Wars game.
  20. 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...)
  21. JoroA
    Mar 21, 2016
    8
    Very addicting and fun. The story is interesting and on higher difficulties quite challenging. You feel really powerfull and you can customise your appearance and lightsaber. It has a good replay value and has interesting characters but for the most part used for radio chatter.
  22. 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
  23. Broyax
    Mar 16, 2017
    1
    Un TLT (Tue-Les Tous) starwarisé et même si on y incarne le "méchant", ça reste un petit con très agité qui saute dans tous les sens avec son sabre épileptique rouge pimpon. Navrant de voir la licence la plus connue de la galaxie s'avilir ainsi dans un jeu limité et répétitif et plutôt moche avec en prime une synchro verticale à la rue. La vilaine présentation et la jouabilité trèsUn TLT (Tue-Les Tous) starwarisé et même si on y incarne le "méchant", ça reste un petit con très agité qui saute dans tous les sens avec son sabre épileptique rouge pimpon. Navrant de voir la licence la plus connue de la galaxie s'avilir ainsi dans un jeu limité et répétitif et plutôt moche avec en prime une synchro verticale à la rue. La vilaine présentation et la jouabilité très médiocre n'incitent pas à persévérer outre-mesure dans cette sinistre connerie.… Expand
  24. barneyssj3
    Dec 29, 2016
    4
    Very disappointing game, should be far better than the first but it isn't. Dueling with the same enemies over&over, dull and boring gameplay with an incredibly short story. Such a waste of the Star Wars franchise.
  25. CenkAlp
    Jan 3, 2018
    7
    Hikaye = 8
    Oynanış = 8
    Grafikler = 6
    Sesler = 7
    Keyif = 7
    Atmosfer = 8
    Süre = 6
  26. xXxXxXs
    Nov 5, 2018
    9
    Most people who have given this game a review and called it "unplayable" just seem to be fairly ignorant about the game as a whole. There are bugs and glitches. the story is short. These things are true...but it doesn't make it a bad game. Despite maybe two tiny plot holes, the story is well written, well voice acted, and beautifully scored. The music really is great. Sam Witwer wasMost people who have given this game a review and called it "unplayable" just seem to be fairly ignorant about the game as a whole. There are bugs and glitches. the story is short. These things are true...but it doesn't make it a bad game. Despite maybe two tiny plot holes, the story is well written, well voice acted, and beautifully scored. The music really is great. Sam Witwer was amazing as Starkiller (Galen Marek) who in my opinion is one of the best Star Wars protagonists. All the side characters have their own lore and backstory to them as well. Kota was a respected general in the clone wars who rallied a group of rebels to form his own militia against the empire. PROXY is a protocol training droid who respects yet is programmed to kill his master. Juno is a highly skilled pilot who was trained to side with the empire from birth. I could go on and on but really the characters are all so great. Gameplay is fun and the physics engine is awesome when up against the effects of a force push or repulse. The game gets a bit repetitive around the end and has some fairly annoying enemy types and a near impossible "Sith Master" mode. Aside from these issues, I think this is probably up there with KOTOR and Shadows of The Empire as some of the best Star Wars stories ever made outside of the OT. Unfortunately none of this is canon any longer due to the fact that Disney has not a clue in the world as to what they are doing with the star wars universe. I think i'll just pretend this game is canon until it actually is again....if it is. Anyway yeah, this game is pretty flawed but really awesome.… Expand
  27. KnightMerrick
    Jun 21, 2020
    9
    A fun game, with an interesting story, the controls are good, but the camera is confusing to adjust, but still very good game, the origin of the rebellion in this I like much, more than the new movies. I'm glad I tried it after so many years
  28. Ciuffo
    Nov 21, 2019
    9
    The game is just so much fun, i dont get why it have a so bad metascore, not the best levekl design in the world, but the story is just brilliant ,the characters are so good and the music, guys , the music, is just exeptional
  29. Dsims37
    Jun 16, 2019
    10
    An amazing brawler. Star Wars, great graphics and story. Amazing moves. Don’t listen to the snobs and haters. This is one of the best games of its kind.
  30. Studiop0lis
    Jun 29, 2020
    9
    Good Gameplay, characters,story,plot,yeah there are some problems,but if you want a good star wars game buy this one,its better then its sequel and fallen order
prev
Page:

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 »