Review: The Force Unleashed

[jeriendhal]

Wil: Okay, everybody is here and on time for once. Thanks, especially to Vin for bringing the pizza.

Vin: No prob.

Wil: Okay, we're going to be doing old school Star Wars roleplaying tonight, using West End's d6 system. Setting is between Episodes III and IV, and no Jedi okay?

Steven: Why not?

Wil: Because the Force rules are a pain and I'm not letting anyone run circles around my plot. Okay, did everyone already do up their character sheets?

Vin: Yeah

Steven: Yes.

Barack: Got it.

Robin: Almost done!

Wil: Right, okay everybody go 'round and give me a summary of your background.

Vin: Bad ass Outlaw.

Steven: Hot Pilot, ex-Imperial who got tired of shooting civilians.

Barack: Former Senator who voted against Palpatine when he gained power. Especially given how inefficient the Empire's Pre-Emptive Planet Nuking policy is. I've got some flow charts to show...

Wil: Thank you, Barack. Let's give Robin a chance. Robin?

Robin: (scribbling, erasing, then scribbling some more on his sheet): Hold on, got it! Okay, I'm playing a Sith.

Everybody groans

Wil: I said no Jedi, Robin!

Robin: He's not a Jedi, he's a Sith! Actually he's Vader's secret apprentice, the son of a Jedi that Vader took in...

Vin: Jedi don't have spouses and children. That was the whole point of Episodes II & III!

Robin: His dad was renegade Jedi who got married after the Order was destroyed. Anyway, Vader took him in and started training him in secret so he could use him to destroy the Emperor!

Wil: (sighs) Okay, and why is he with the party?

Robin: Vader gave him the task of creating the Rebellion to distract the Emperor!

Dead silence

Vin: That's stupid! Why would Vader want create such a big problem for the Empire when he's the most powerful Jedi around? He could probably take on Palpatine himself if he ever had the guts!

Robin: Hey, it's just as good a plot as from Episodes I through III!

Wil: Can't argue with that logic. Okay, everybody grab a slice of pizza while I help Robin design another character...


Summary: Nifty idea, but the characterization was a bit thin, and there was zero explanation about why there were ghosts of former Sith hanging around the Jedi Temple. I don't say this often about video games, but it could have been helped tremendously by longer cut scenes (or at least better written ones) to fill the player in.

Gameplay wise it was fun. The controls for the force powers could get complicated, but if you stick to Force Push, Force Lightning and the occasional Saber Toss to break out of another Jedi's attack, you can get through most fights without any problem.

It's damned criminal that it doesn't have a one player Duel mode though.

Comments

[jvowles.livejournal.com]

You'll just have to come visit -- I'll duel your sorry butt. :)

And if you read what's actually in the game mode -- the database in your ship -- it explains why you have to fight fallen Jedi.

[jeriendhal.livejournal.com]

Now here's where I have to strongly disagree with you. I shouldn't have to to look into the game's database in order to find out critical plot points. I'm reminded of the WTF ending to Last Exile, which only made sense if you read the liner notes inside the DVD box. Releying on the encyclopedia for game plot points is a sign of lazy scripting IMO.

[kippurbird.livejournal.com]

Teeechnically, the Corrilian Jedi could and did marry. But they're a weird bunch.