This pre-review is based on the Demo, downloadable now.
The first Force Unleashed for me represented a missed opportunity. Promises of free flowing Jedi-based combat were all but obliterated by overly linear level/gameplay design, and often-rigid combat. Particularly restricting was the emphasis on flashy set pieces and quick-time events, which prevented the basic combat systems ability to tell its own story. The saving grace of the game was, for me, characters and a story which you could care about and become involved in.
My first impressions with the Force Unleashed 2 were that it was simply a much refined version of its predecessor. Whereas the design seemed to be in the face of its limitations in the first, the second game has apparently been tailored to better utilise its peculiarities to create challenging situations. Not a total overhaul, but that was never expected. However the game feels far less bloated than the first.
Visceral Combat
Enemies are far smarter in this outing, utilising their position and sheer numbers in an attempt to overwhelm you. They respond to your attacks, not only tactically, but emotionally: screaming in terror when they are in immediate danger, or taunting you when they are suitably backed up. Your combat powers are well balanced though still feel rigid when you employ the targeting button (an aspect which feels out of place in fights that often find you surrounded). This is not helped by a camera which does not track unless targeting is held, and is not easy to operate in mid-combat. The sheer power of the force does makes you feel unstoppable, but on harder difficulties your complacency means your demise, which creates a need for thought and care on your part. Features like dismembering your enemies are a welcome addition, as is the ability to mind trick a Stormtrooper into diving out a window…he assured me he had no regrets.
Quick Times for Set Pieces
The Demo contains several set pieces of varying interest, the opening diving-escape from the Kamino cloning facility is awe inspiring and fun, but others are less interesting and appear to serve only to pad the level out. The flavour of the month that is the quick-time event returns and once more does little other than indulge whoever animated it: they sucked in the first game, and they still do now. The game will no doubt be stocked to the gunnels with them though…yippee.
Audio Visual Splendour
If you are a graphics whore then get your Vaseline ready cos there is lots here for you. The environments are beautifully rendered (though still painfully linear) with brilliantly convincing weather effects which interact with the characters in them. As I walked inside from a brief trip in the rain I found Starkiller to be peppered with a few rain drops. Longer excursions outside left his clothes sodden and heavy looking. Effects like rain cascading down window panes and arcs of light from your force lightning help give a weight to the world, and the sound tracking pulls out a winner. The blending between action and ambience is seamless, literally beat perfect, and the scoring (I believe a mixture of Williams’ work and original material) lends itself well to describe your situation. Another notable facet is the well employed force-feedback which really helps you to understand the action and anticipate your surroundings.
Wrap Up
Positives:
- Refined control and better combat design
- Enemies are both more responsive and more challenging
- Exceptional Audio-Visual combined with sensitive use of force-feedback
Negative:
- Environments still overly-linear
- Targeting system seems ill thought out and leaves the camera loose
- Quick-time events
In closing, this seems to be shaping up into a much better all-round game than the first Force Unleashed. The storytelling, of which is there is a good chunk even in the demo, remains of good judgement and direction. I only hope that the action heavy nature of the demo is only indicative of the Kamino level, and that we are offered more pensive moments. Whilst this series will likely never become what it could (or should) be, it has at least began the path away from mediocrity. It might actually be worth buying.
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