Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (Wii) Review
At long last, after what has felt like years, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is finally upon us. While its big brother HD console versions have been developed directly by Lucasarts, the Wii version has been developed here in Australia by Krome Studios.
As such, the Wii version was developed separately from the other versions, and has been released on a much less powerful platform leading many to believe that the Wii version would not be worth their time. However, theyd be wrong. The Force Unleashed on the Wii is not only as much fun as any other version of the game, but stands up as one of the best action games on the Wii.
Taking place in the relative void between Episode III and IV, The Force Unleashed tells the tale of Darth Vaders secret apprentice. This apprentice is found by Vader on a mission to the Wookie home world of Kashyyyk. While still only a child, Vader senses the force is strong with the boy and takes him under his evil wing. This manifests itself as the first mission of the game. After the initial mission, the game truly kicks off with you taking control of the apprentice, now known as Starkiller, to help Vader and the Empire track down and kill the remaining Jedi. After a number of missions the story twists, then twists again. The story is interesting – even more so if you are a Star Wars fan. The game’s story is told in fully-voiced cut scenes and through in-game sequences. The storyline helps drive the game through some boring parts, and some of the twists keep the whole thing very interesting all the way until the end.
While the Wii version lacks some of the features of the HD versions, the true star of the Wii version is undoubtedly the control; yes, lightsaber combat has finally arrived on the Wii. Before you ask, no, its not 1:1 (and neither will the also-Krome-developed Clone Wars: Lightsaber Duels heading our way later this year), but the game still accurately recognises top to bottom, side to side, diagonal left and right movements and while the combat can get swing-heavy, you will soon realise that its called The Force Unleashed for a reason. The game is a lot more enjoyable if you resist the urge to just hack your way through. Using the force powers, which are assigned to the Nunchuck, really makes the combat a lot of fun. While normal movement is still assigned to the analogue stick, the rest of the Nunchuck is used in imaginative ways to let you unleash the force. Swiping the controller performs a force push, the C-button unleashes your force lightning and the Z-trigger allows you to do the famous Vader force choke (or grab). Its this combination of controls that lead to all sorts of fun. There is literally a dozen or so ways to dispatch enemies with a simple force push then a hack or two with the Lightsaber. Later on youll want to soften up your foes up with some lightning, and then go in for the kill. Levels with open edges are great to pick up your opponents and throw them clear off the walkway. Throwing your enemies into one another or many of the objects littering the stage is also possible and loads of fun.
The Force Unleashed also contains many skills and combos for you to perform and upgrade as you progress, and while your lightning and force push skills are very powerful from the start of the game, later on they ramp up even more. Thankfully, the game is no cake walk in fact the game seems unbalanced during a lot of fights. You will find yourself locked into many battles that drag on and on, with the game respawning you back into the area with enemies you have defeated, and in the case of boss battles, back into the battle with the bosss health partially restored. Its not that the game does not give you enough power to take out all these enemies – its just that the enemies are too unbalanced. For example, (and this is a fault in every game that features a Lightsaber) when you strike an enemy your lightsaber, it should just go through them like butter. Even AT-STs which in-game takes a ton of hits, lightning and projectiles to take down. Enemies can stand up to more than one slash with a saber, with some enemies even being able to take a ‘saber through the stomach and survive. Also what about blocking a Lightsaber? Some enemies have the uncanny ability to use a stick or staff to block these attacks.
Ok, maybe the Lightsaber was not as powerful then or something, but the balance is still a little off in The Force Unleashed. I shouldnt have to respawn seven times to chip down boss’s energy. Yes, I know you’re thinking Well Daniel, maybe youre just crap at the game, but I guarantee it will happen to you. Boss battles are also finished off by quick time events. Youll eventually get their health down and the game will switch to a more cinematic camera which requires you to shake either the Nunchuck or Wiimote on cue. Get it right and the boss will go down…get it wrong and youll have to chip away at their health some more.
The story mode starts off in your ship, piloted by the main character’s love interest, Juno Eclipse, and your droid, which manages to act as not only a database of information, but the projector for holographic conversations and the method of communication between Vader and his apprentice. The game’s hub also gives you the option to change the apprentices costume (which has no effect apart from the styling); the colour of the Lightsaber blade; the crystal in it that changes one dynamic such as increased damage or larger throw distance; or even the sabers hilt. Other options in the ship include managing your powers, as well as viewing artwork from the game’s development which you collect by gathering Jedi Holocrons scattered all over the game. Youll return to your ship at the end of each level and then choose the next one from the map.
Sadly the game reuses quite a few environments and the story is somewhat short, with some players probably able to shoot through the story in a couple of sittings. The game’s physics engine and AI engine are one of the big advertised features on the other versions of The Force Unleashed and, while the Wii is unable to run these technologies, Krome has done a brilliant job of bringing a physics model to the Wii which works well whether you’re throwing a stormtrooper into the rest of his squad or pulling down a statue in the Jedi Temple to throw at a pack of ‘troopers…crushing Troopers is a ton of fun.
The Force Unleashed does have a number of short-comings and most come from the camera and the graphics. Firstly, the camera is handled automatically most of the time, however you can manipulate it left or right with the D-Pad, lock onto bosses with down on the D-Pad and there is also a useless first person view by pressing up. The camera for the most part does its job well, however there are certain times, mainly during boss battles, where it gets in the way and makes throwing objects, which is needed to defeat some bosses, a difficult task. The second problem is the graphics. Yes, we expect Wii graphics to not exactly be the latest high-poly marvels we see on other consoles, but there are things like popup and graphical glitches that are just not acceptable in this day and age. The game also has a certain roughness about it and at times, feels very unpolished. This lack of polish is especially prominent in the first level. My first impression of the game was uh, oh, this isnt going to be good, but a couple of levels later, it seems to pick up when the levels move indoors, but then it falls down again when you head back outdoors.
Thats about all of the graphical negatives though. They do their job and, apart from the aforementioned problems, work well. Character models are low-poly up close, but well animated when moving. Its when they are up-close in a movie you notice the lack of detail. The game moves at a high frame rate most of the time – only slowing down when the ‘troopers are flying, you’re shooting lightning from your hands or chopping up enemies with your Lightsaber – but good luck noticing it. Youre probably going to have too much fun. It really is a Star Wars fan’s dream come true.
Being in the Star Wars family, The Force Unleashed has a lot to live up to in regards to its aural qualities. Thankfully Krome have been given what seems to be full access to the score and tunes from the Star Wars library. From the Imperial March on the boot-up screen, to John Williams’ theme over the opening crawl, all the classics are there but the game doesnt rely on all the old tracks, nor does it need to use all the tracks from the newer trilogy. The game features a ton of new music scored specifically for the game, and with all the new worlds you travel to, it’s good to hear some new music that sounds like the Star Wars sound we all know and love, but still sounds fresh. There is a section where the music dims down and the action of combat takes precedent, but get into the thick of things in a duel and music powers through, really adding to the mood.
The Wii Remotes poor speaker quality actually plays to its advantage, as the Lightsaber sounds that come from it actually sound more authentic. As you swing the Wii Remote, the speaker will play the same sounds as those coming from the main speakers – just as if you had a ‘saber in your hand. Its just another small addition to the game’s controls that make you feel like you have the force in your hands. All the other Star Wars sounds effects are in from the dopey stormtrooper voices to the blasters. Voice acting in the game is done well, however when coupled with the stiff animations in cut scenes, it comes across as a little forced. The game’s cast does an impeccable job, with the not-quite-James Earl Jones doing an excellent Darth Vader. Starkillers voice suits the character as well.
Outside of the story mode there is not a lot more on offer. There is, of course, the duel mode, which is only playable with a mate (sadly no CPU fighters on this one). While you will initially only have access to a handful of characters in the duel mode, playing through the game will quickly increase the roster. Classics from the original trilogy and new characters from The Force Unleashed are all present – and the mode works well for what it is.
The Force Unleashed is an example of what happens when a third party developer cares about what they produce. The motion controls in the game make the experience of The Force Unleashed on Wii a ton of fun and the production value in the presentation is there to back it up. Where the game falls down is in that final layer of polish that, if the game had the same development schedule as the HD versions, it probably would have have received. Krome have got to be commended for making one of the best action games on the Wii (of which, there are few), but sadly it’s very short and there is not much to do once it is finished. If this is what the Star War experience on Wii is like first time around, and with no 1:1 motion, I cant wait for the next iteration.
