Press Start: October 2008 -- My B Button Is Stuck!
Everyone loves a little variety. Think about the food you eat; if you like cheeseburgers, but you start eating them every day, then soon enough you're not going to like cheeseburgers anymore. You got to change it up a little; why do you think that there are so many buffets in Vegas? That's what kills me about some guys; everybody has that one friend that does nothing but play the same damn game over and over again like Halo 3 or Call of Duty 4 or Madden! It's not because they don't have the cash to pick up another game; it's because they just can't open their thick skulls and consider that, yes, there are other good games out there.
If you happen to be the kind of guy (or girl) that I'm talking about, then allow me to open a whole new door for you. Like I always say, it's a great time to be a gamer because this month we got shooters, puzzlers, adventures, action, comedy, oldschool, newschool, all kinds of good stuff. If you happen to be the kind of gamer that loves a good variety and doesn't just spend their cash on the mainstream games, then you're going to love this issue also. Come hungry to this month's edition of "Press Start."
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii Sony PSP, Sony PlayStation 2 and Ninteno DS; Publisher: Lucas Arts; Developer: Lucas Arts; Release Date: September 16, 2008; ESRB Rating: T for teen; Genre: action/adventure; Players: 1; Support: N/A; Online: N/A
You Don't Need To See His Identification These Aren't the Droids You're Looking For
I love the Star Wars series. I mean, who the heck doesn't? But up until now, the Star Wars action/adventure games have been crap. The only good Star Wars games were the Rogue Squadron games, which are spaceship shooters, and the Knights of the Old Republic series, which are RPGs, and even then players never really got to enjoy a good solid light saber fight (the sloppy light saber controls in the Jedi Knight series don't count.)
A lot of hype has been surrounding Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, mainly for two reasons. One, because even months before Force Unleashed was released, it showed off the most incredible-looking force powers. More incredible than any other Star Wars game or movie! And two, because the story of Force Unleashed is a direct part of the Star Wars story itself. The events of Force Unleashed happen right in between the Star Wars: Episodes III and IV movies. Right out of the box, you start off using Darth Vader. Everyone's favorite dark lord has been hunting the last of the Jedi and he lands on the Wookiee planet Kashyyyk in search of another Jedi master. As you force blast your way through hoards of Wookiees, you finally reach the hiding Jedi Master. After defeating the Jedi Master, Darth Vader finds that this Jedi has a son who is incredibly strong in the force. Darth Vader decides to take on this boy as his apprentice behind the emperor's back. Years pass, and the boy grows into a powerful Sith -- that's when things get even more interesting!
Bar none, this is the best-looking Star Wars game ever. The force effects are incredibly dramatic; you'll almost cuss when you see Darth Vader charge up a force push and take down an entire building! At the beginning, the Apprentice has a few force powers at his disposal, such as force grabbing and throwing, but can soon perform powers such as force lightning, throwing his light saber like a boomerang, and whipping out light saber combos that we all wish we could do in real life! Even later, the Apprentice can combine powers such as channeling force lightning through his light saber and also force grabbing an enemy, holding them in midair and throwing his light saber to impale the enemy. The only force power you don't use is the Jedi mind trick! Throughout the game there are secret pick-ups that give the Apprentice new costumes, allow the Apprentice to advance his force powers, and also change the color, style and effect of his light saber.
He Can Go About His Business
The story fits seamlessly into the Star Wars canon and the voice acting is outstanding. The dialogue communicates believable characters and never takes itself too seriously, adding a few comical moments here and there (but don't expect to see the emperor riding a unicycle or anything like that!) As you progress through the gorgeous levels, you will come in contact with huge bosses like Rancors and junk titans, who, after being beaten on for a while, can be finished off with a pre-rendered finisher that is initiated by timed button presses, just like in God of War. The only real problem with Force Unleashed is that it's a little buggy. You'll come across small things like collision bugs, but nothing so crazy that it interferes with the game. This is the absolute best Star Wars action/adventure game ever made. In fact, this is the kind of action/adventure game that ranks right up there with the God of War series and the Devil May Cry series.
Printer-friendly version
Post new comment