*SPOILER ALERT* This review contains some spoilers from TFU and TFU2. If you wish to play the games, but haven’t already, do not read this.
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 2 is gripping from the start. It’s beautiful scenery and character animations reel you in, but they only take the game so far. At first, these things took me, but the game as a whole is pretty weak compared to the first. A short, rushed story combined with repetitive combat and lack of character depth make the experience less than tolerable. Don’t get me wrong, I love Star Wars, but I can’t fully accept TFU2 into my collection of loved games without raising a few points.
At the center of the core mechanic, the game brings back the same concept; supercharged versions of Force powers we’ve all seen in the movies. The character causes such destruction and mayhem that it evolves beyond the typical hack ‘n slash. You’ll slice and dice your way through enemies wondering if that guys’ head really just flew off. And with the exaggerated Force powers, I wondered if there was any skill to playing the game at all.
You play as Starkiller, Darth Vader’s secret assassin/apprentice who died at the end of the first game. At the beginning of TFU2, you find out that he is alive, but that he is a clone according to Darth Vader. After failing a series of ‘submit to the Dark Side’ tests, Starkiller manages to escape captivity. This is exciting enough, but what’s his mission? He sets off to find his former pilot and love interest from the first game, Juno Eclipse.
Cloning isn’t unfamiliar in the Star Wars canon, and the premise is acceptable enough to make a game out of it, but it lacked the meaty goodness of the first game. Fan service ensues as characters from the first game are reintroduced, but the entire thing seems like filler. Comparably, TFU was keen on telling the story of the events that took place between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope, the birth of the rebel alliance, and how Starkiller played a pivotal role in all of it. Now, the story of Starkiller seems to have been conjured just to make another game instead of adding to the plot of the first game.
The levels and scenes are equally stunning and give the player a sense of scale that Star Wars always seems to provide. However, despite the beauty and grandeur, the levels feel awkward and quickly become repetitive. Graphically, I appreciated some realistic aspects that were missing from the first game. Water and steam sizzles as it hits Starkiller’s dual lightsabers, but that’s about it. The environments felt redundant and I found myself starring at the same buildings over and over again.
The combat was a lot of fun- at first. I enjoyed freefalling from a tower and using the Force to destroy obstacles on the way down, but as I said, the abilities are overpowered, and blasting Storm Troopers off ledges the entire game bored me by the end. Actually, there wasn’t much in the way of variety to pace the combat so it didn’t seem like I was doing the same things throughout the game. I basically hack ‘n slashed my way through the entire game, and not by choice. Starkiller mercilessly slams through everyone in his path, and Major League Butt-Kicking isn’t what I signed up for. Sure, I don’t mind opening a can here and there, but all smash and no break makes V-Dub a dull boy.
The variety of enemies was limited in TFU2, as well. Once you realize that some enemies can be killed by lightsabers and that others can be killed with the Force, the challenge evaporates. At times, they were combined to make it a bit more challenging, but it was too underdeveloped for me to feel accomplished after defeating a large wave of bad guys.
Character development was an issue as there was quite little. I couldn’t feel anything for any of the characters since there wasn’t time to get to know them. A lot seems to have happened since the last game ended, including General Kota being captured, but we don’t see that at all, and it bothers me that I went from an in-depth story to one that is reminiscent of the Clive Owen suck-fest know as Shoot Em Up. Starkiller is confused about where his destiny lies, and if he is, indeed, a clone as Darth Vader has led him to believe. But with the non-stop action that kept flinging me from level to level, I had no time to really care about it.
The events in The Force Unleashed 2 didn’t last that long anyway, but the game was surprisingly short. I rarely had time to grasp any kind of real meaning from the pint-sized plot, and I literally rolled my eyes when Yoda showed up for a brief conversation. If I had to estimate how long it took me to beat the game (minus all the deaths I accrued from fighting that damned Gorog and every other enemy since I played it on hard), my playing time would be just above eight hours. Now, I don’t mind a short game, as long as the story grips me enough throughout, but toward end of the game is where my interest was peaked… and then it ended.
Starkiller is basically able to rip anything to shreds based on the fact that he starts this game with the powers he had to work to achieve in the last game. The only thing is that they need to be leveled up before he’s truly unstoppable. But even so, my need to be empowered as a player doesn’t mean that I need to play a character that was already supercharged in the beginning, and becomes even more supercharged throughout. And I have to say that it takes away from the mysticism and discipline of the Jedi and makes Starkiller a whiny punk with raw, destructive potential.
Overall, The Force Unleashed 2 was disappointing and didn’t live up to and exceed it’s predecessor like most sequels do. I was looking for a continuation of Starkiller’s gripping story, but what I received was the bare minimum that upped the action ante, but dialed down the story. There are some points that are fun, but they’re toward the beginning when Starkiller escapes prison. If there is a third installment on the way (which there probably will be due to the ending), I hope they bring a healthy combination of well-paced action and a meaty, enjoyable story. For now, it seems as though the Force is not with this title. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 2 has earned a solid 6 out of 10 from me.
Still writing, still believing…
-V
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Monday, December 6, 2010
Young Guns: Perfect Day to Day 4
Angel sat across from Derrick, who suggested they sit away from the other sports kids. He sat looking at the older boy, and sharing his attention with the clock that hung above the double doors of the cafeteria. Fifty students exchanged banter amongst themselves, but Angel found it difficult to care about what Derrick spoke of; considering none of it had anything to do with shared interests.
“So?” Derrick asked
“So, what?”
Sighing, Derrick leaned back in his chair, “You weren’t listening.”
“Yeah, I was, but I had to take it all in.” Angel was a horrible liar, but had a habit of being in his own head when he lacked interest.
“Look, I know you don’t like me, but-“ Angel raised an eyebrow at that, an assumption that rang true to the boy who just wanted to be left alone, “I just want you to see that I’m not some idiot sports guy.”
“Okay.” Humoring the notion that it wasn’t something material that Derrick wanted from him, Angel nodded, “Why should I not think that?”
“I know it’s what you might have thought before, and still think now, but I don’t always party and stuff. I like having intelligent conversations, and I’m tired of talking with kids who don’t know anything. You just seem different.”
Angel didn’t say anything; he just starred as a way to let him continue his sob story.
“Have you ever had something happen that made you think… differently about your life? Like, if you almost died or something?” Derrick asked, he breathed slower so he could articulate as Angel continued to stare, “I just want to get to know you, that’s all.”
He’d heard enough. It was bad enough that they hadn’t know each other for seven years, but to want to be friends now was suspicious as hell. It bothered Angel, and it wasn’t in his nature just to trust anyone right off the bat. If Derrick wanted his friendship, he’d have to earn it. Standing, Angel began to walk away, rolling his eyes. He felt a hand grip his wrist, “Just think about it, okay?”
Not only did Angel feel Derrick holding his wrist, but a rising of sorts. It was small at first, but it struck his stomach hard before spreading to the rest of his body as an overwhelming sensation. He ripped his arm away and turned to the double doors. Angel made his way out, still feeling the sudden nausea. He pushed the door open and rounded the corned into the hallway, but was stopped. He’d made contact with someone since he hadn’t been paying attention.
It seemed to be an accident as she stepped back, lightly touching his forearm, “Oh. I’m so sorry. I didn’t see you there.”
The words ‘Not a problem’ were natural for him, and he would have spoke those words, but a wave of disorientation gripped him. Other people in the hall went around him, but he hadn’t noticed. For a short moment, a rising clasped his stomach and made him stop completely. The hall spun faster with each step, which sparked his immense confusion, as he felt fine a moment ago. Dizzy, he managed to catch another glimpse of the girl he’d run into.
It was the same girl from before; the one who he’d seen in the hall, but wasn’t sure if she was real. She looked concerned, but not for him. Her concerned eyes seem to linger on what would come from his ailment. In the midst of his sudden illness, he stumbled away from her since she didn’t seem to want to help him.
The girl, a black-haired angel in her own right, stepped away from him. She stared at him, almost as if she knew what was happening; her blue eyes studying him as he moved. Angel slowed to a stop, the dizziness too intense to continue on. Other students seemed to think he was just fooling around, laughter turned to dull tones in his ears, and the girl he’d run into disappeared in a sea of teenagers watching his misery. He fell to one knee and felt a slew of vomit erupt from his throat. He heaved as more came up and splattered on the floor in front of him.
Angel shut his eyes hoping to quell his tipsy-turning hell, longing for it to stop. Bodies continued to pass by; just bodies in a sea of shifting colors that turned to a black abyss. Lights diminished and the churning of the environment began to slow, but the rising feeling increased as Angel let it take him.
“You-“ A gurgle of a voice bubbled up at him. The falling shifted to sinking as Angel was being held by something. But who or what? The only thing that was certain was that the boy only wanted to escape back to his bed where he would awake from an obvious dream.
“You-“ The gurgle was a bit louder now, an echo of the voice he wasn’t sure he heard the first time. Opening his eyes, the only thing he saw was more black, which was somehow darker than when his eyes were closed.
Then, an orange hue came into view. It was small at first, and seemed quite far away, but that quickly change as the hue grew into a tsunami of vibrant, orange flames that surrounded him, as he lay suspended above nothing. The vision was quite vivid; the heat was almost too much to bear.
The voice boomed, unfamiliar, but still authoritative and eerie as it croaked on, “I will swallow your soul when I find you.”
This was unlike any dream the boy could have imagined. A shiver coursed up his spine, then through his body. Why could he not break the grip of this dream? As Angel’s thoughts began to shift to fearful dreading, a light burned his eyes.
A repeating tone rang in his ear. It took Angel a minute; slowly opening his eyes, the boy caught the sight of a bright ceiling light above his bed. The sting forced him to shut his eyes and groan at the uncomfortable effect. A hospital? From the flat bed to the IV in his arm, he’d realized why it felt like he’s been asleep for a long time. Groggy, Angel sat up, "What's going on?"
“So?” Derrick asked
“So, what?”
Sighing, Derrick leaned back in his chair, “You weren’t listening.”
“Yeah, I was, but I had to take it all in.” Angel was a horrible liar, but had a habit of being in his own head when he lacked interest.
“Look, I know you don’t like me, but-“ Angel raised an eyebrow at that, an assumption that rang true to the boy who just wanted to be left alone, “I just want you to see that I’m not some idiot sports guy.”
“Okay.” Humoring the notion that it wasn’t something material that Derrick wanted from him, Angel nodded, “Why should I not think that?”
“I know it’s what you might have thought before, and still think now, but I don’t always party and stuff. I like having intelligent conversations, and I’m tired of talking with kids who don’t know anything. You just seem different.”
Angel didn’t say anything; he just starred as a way to let him continue his sob story.
“Have you ever had something happen that made you think… differently about your life? Like, if you almost died or something?” Derrick asked, he breathed slower so he could articulate as Angel continued to stare, “I just want to get to know you, that’s all.”
He’d heard enough. It was bad enough that they hadn’t know each other for seven years, but to want to be friends now was suspicious as hell. It bothered Angel, and it wasn’t in his nature just to trust anyone right off the bat. If Derrick wanted his friendship, he’d have to earn it. Standing, Angel began to walk away, rolling his eyes. He felt a hand grip his wrist, “Just think about it, okay?”
Not only did Angel feel Derrick holding his wrist, but a rising of sorts. It was small at first, but it struck his stomach hard before spreading to the rest of his body as an overwhelming sensation. He ripped his arm away and turned to the double doors. Angel made his way out, still feeling the sudden nausea. He pushed the door open and rounded the corned into the hallway, but was stopped. He’d made contact with someone since he hadn’t been paying attention.
It seemed to be an accident as she stepped back, lightly touching his forearm, “Oh. I’m so sorry. I didn’t see you there.”
The words ‘Not a problem’ were natural for him, and he would have spoke those words, but a wave of disorientation gripped him. Other people in the hall went around him, but he hadn’t noticed. For a short moment, a rising clasped his stomach and made him stop completely. The hall spun faster with each step, which sparked his immense confusion, as he felt fine a moment ago. Dizzy, he managed to catch another glimpse of the girl he’d run into.
It was the same girl from before; the one who he’d seen in the hall, but wasn’t sure if she was real. She looked concerned, but not for him. Her concerned eyes seem to linger on what would come from his ailment. In the midst of his sudden illness, he stumbled away from her since she didn’t seem to want to help him.
The girl, a black-haired angel in her own right, stepped away from him. She stared at him, almost as if she knew what was happening; her blue eyes studying him as he moved. Angel slowed to a stop, the dizziness too intense to continue on. Other students seemed to think he was just fooling around, laughter turned to dull tones in his ears, and the girl he’d run into disappeared in a sea of teenagers watching his misery. He fell to one knee and felt a slew of vomit erupt from his throat. He heaved as more came up and splattered on the floor in front of him.
Angel shut his eyes hoping to quell his tipsy-turning hell, longing for it to stop. Bodies continued to pass by; just bodies in a sea of shifting colors that turned to a black abyss. Lights diminished and the churning of the environment began to slow, but the rising feeling increased as Angel let it take him.
“You-“ A gurgle of a voice bubbled up at him. The falling shifted to sinking as Angel was being held by something. But who or what? The only thing that was certain was that the boy only wanted to escape back to his bed where he would awake from an obvious dream.
“You-“ The gurgle was a bit louder now, an echo of the voice he wasn’t sure he heard the first time. Opening his eyes, the only thing he saw was more black, which was somehow darker than when his eyes were closed.
Then, an orange hue came into view. It was small at first, and seemed quite far away, but that quickly change as the hue grew into a tsunami of vibrant, orange flames that surrounded him, as he lay suspended above nothing. The vision was quite vivid; the heat was almost too much to bear.
The voice boomed, unfamiliar, but still authoritative and eerie as it croaked on, “I will swallow your soul when I find you.”
This was unlike any dream the boy could have imagined. A shiver coursed up his spine, then through his body. Why could he not break the grip of this dream? As Angel’s thoughts began to shift to fearful dreading, a light burned his eyes.
A repeating tone rang in his ear. It took Angel a minute; slowly opening his eyes, the boy caught the sight of a bright ceiling light above his bed. The sting forced him to shut his eyes and groan at the uncomfortable effect. A hospital? From the flat bed to the IV in his arm, he’d realized why it felt like he’s been asleep for a long time. Groggy, Angel sat up, "What's going on?"
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Young Guns: Perfect Day to Day 3
He walked into the class, and there she was. Hazel eyes, brown hair, and she was already settled in the front row chatting it up with her girlfriends. Lindsey Mettler was the prettiest girl that didn’t have a date to the prom... yet. Angel hoped to win her answer with his gift; he only needed a few more things to complete the project he’d been planning for weeks.
Now that he only had one step to go, he would make sure that nothing went wrong. As he moved to the desk next to hers, he caught a glimpse of another student moving toward it. He sped up, almost tripping over his feet, and claimed the seat.
Catching a glimpse of her in his peripheral, he pulled out his take-home test along with his notebook. Angel looked to pull a trick he’d been using for a few weeks now for attention. He leaned slightly and tapped her shoulder, about to ask her for a pen.
She looked to him, pulling one out of her pocket, seemingly prepared for him. Lindsey shot him a smirk, “Right here.”
Angel’s eyebrows rose, nodding, but still surprised, “How’s it going?”
“Eh-“ She shrugged as she turned to him, “Weekend kinda sucked.”
Angel leaned in, letting out a concerned sigh. He didn’t want to seem too eager, but who wouldn’t want to listen to the person they had feelings for? Nodding, he listened to her go on about how she fought with her father… something to do with privacy. He actually hadn’t heard a word she said as he looked into her eyes. His daydream involved candles, strawberries, and a sickening amount of whip cream; the cornerstone of any healthy, teenage boy’s subconscious.
“It just bothers me. You know?” Angel snapped back to reality, nodding to make it seem like he heard her story.
Nodding, he made eye contact and hoped she wouldn’t notice the spacey look he sported. Feeling as though he should say something, Angel furrowed his brow and opened his mouth, but nothing came out. Instead of a long sentence, he spat out the first thing that came to mind, “Yeah.”
He knew he’d messed up. It was amazing to him how he seemed to know a decent amount about other things, but when it came to girls, he knew nothing. Lindsey raised an eyebrow, turning to face the front as the teacher entered the room. Angel sighed to himself; a long, irritated sigh. Another day, another ‘crash and burn’ with the ladies.
The morning sun shone on his desk, making the surface hot by the time the period ended. He had know this would happen before he sat there, but felt he had no choice as the seat on the opposite side of Lindsey was occupied. He starred at the chalkboard for forty-seven minutes; thinking of something to whisper to her, but nothing clever or witty came to mind.
The bell rang, and he sank as the butterflies in his stomach fluttered away. How could he talk to her without feeling like he had to say something cool or slick? When he didn’t want to be seen, it wasn’t hard to remain invisible to everyone else. But when it came to Lindsey He thought about it for the next few periods, but those thoughts faded away as he sat at a two-person table in the back of the cafeteria.
Lunchtime was a contemplation period. It was the best time to sit outside and write in his journal, but as he left Trigonometry, he caught sight of something… someone he’d seen before. It was one thing to see her from across the way or down the hall, but a curiosity came over him. Angel noticed her blue eyes first, then her jet-black hair; a zombie to their electric harmony.
He began to walk, but he felt his shoe get stuck on something. Lifting his foot, he saw the white strand of gum leading from the floor. Shifting his gaze back to the girl, she was gone. He searched, turning around to make sure she didn’t pass him, but there were too many other students to be sure.
Did he just imagine a stunning girl coming his way? And why did she look strangely familiar? Those questions would have to wait as Angel felt a hand clasped down on his shoulder, “Hey!”
Derrick; the last person he wanted to talk to at the moment. He turned and gave a half-smile, “What’s up?”
“You wanna get some food?”
Lies were always simpler in his head, but what was he supposed to do? Derrick had come too comfortable around him in too short a time. It had been fine at first, but something wasn’t right about all this, yet it was hard to say ‘no’. To Angel’s surprise, the jock seemed interesting. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but the feeling penetrated his heart deeply, as if he and Derrick shared the same thought. He ignored his initial instinct and said, “Uh- yeah.”
Whatever it was, he’d just have to find out, and as the crowd shifted, Angel followed Derrick to the cafeteria where the older boy paid for lunch. Fish sticks and tartar sauce… definitely a Monday.
Now that he only had one step to go, he would make sure that nothing went wrong. As he moved to the desk next to hers, he caught a glimpse of another student moving toward it. He sped up, almost tripping over his feet, and claimed the seat.
Catching a glimpse of her in his peripheral, he pulled out his take-home test along with his notebook. Angel looked to pull a trick he’d been using for a few weeks now for attention. He leaned slightly and tapped her shoulder, about to ask her for a pen.
She looked to him, pulling one out of her pocket, seemingly prepared for him. Lindsey shot him a smirk, “Right here.”
Angel’s eyebrows rose, nodding, but still surprised, “How’s it going?”
“Eh-“ She shrugged as she turned to him, “Weekend kinda sucked.”
Angel leaned in, letting out a concerned sigh. He didn’t want to seem too eager, but who wouldn’t want to listen to the person they had feelings for? Nodding, he listened to her go on about how she fought with her father… something to do with privacy. He actually hadn’t heard a word she said as he looked into her eyes. His daydream involved candles, strawberries, and a sickening amount of whip cream; the cornerstone of any healthy, teenage boy’s subconscious.
“It just bothers me. You know?” Angel snapped back to reality, nodding to make it seem like he heard her story.
Nodding, he made eye contact and hoped she wouldn’t notice the spacey look he sported. Feeling as though he should say something, Angel furrowed his brow and opened his mouth, but nothing came out. Instead of a long sentence, he spat out the first thing that came to mind, “Yeah.”
He knew he’d messed up. It was amazing to him how he seemed to know a decent amount about other things, but when it came to girls, he knew nothing. Lindsey raised an eyebrow, turning to face the front as the teacher entered the room. Angel sighed to himself; a long, irritated sigh. Another day, another ‘crash and burn’ with the ladies.
The morning sun shone on his desk, making the surface hot by the time the period ended. He had know this would happen before he sat there, but felt he had no choice as the seat on the opposite side of Lindsey was occupied. He starred at the chalkboard for forty-seven minutes; thinking of something to whisper to her, but nothing clever or witty came to mind.
The bell rang, and he sank as the butterflies in his stomach fluttered away. How could he talk to her without feeling like he had to say something cool or slick? When he didn’t want to be seen, it wasn’t hard to remain invisible to everyone else. But when it came to Lindsey He thought about it for the next few periods, but those thoughts faded away as he sat at a two-person table in the back of the cafeteria.
Lunchtime was a contemplation period. It was the best time to sit outside and write in his journal, but as he left Trigonometry, he caught sight of something… someone he’d seen before. It was one thing to see her from across the way or down the hall, but a curiosity came over him. Angel noticed her blue eyes first, then her jet-black hair; a zombie to their electric harmony.
He began to walk, but he felt his shoe get stuck on something. Lifting his foot, he saw the white strand of gum leading from the floor. Shifting his gaze back to the girl, she was gone. He searched, turning around to make sure she didn’t pass him, but there were too many other students to be sure.
Did he just imagine a stunning girl coming his way? And why did she look strangely familiar? Those questions would have to wait as Angel felt a hand clasped down on his shoulder, “Hey!”
Derrick; the last person he wanted to talk to at the moment. He turned and gave a half-smile, “What’s up?”
“You wanna get some food?”
Lies were always simpler in his head, but what was he supposed to do? Derrick had come too comfortable around him in too short a time. It had been fine at first, but something wasn’t right about all this, yet it was hard to say ‘no’. To Angel’s surprise, the jock seemed interesting. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but the feeling penetrated his heart deeply, as if he and Derrick shared the same thought. He ignored his initial instinct and said, “Uh- yeah.”
Whatever it was, he’d just have to find out, and as the crowd shifted, Angel followed Derrick to the cafeteria where the older boy paid for lunch. Fish sticks and tartar sauce… definitely a Monday.
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