Star Wars: The Force Unleashed

by LucasArts

Product Features

• Confront and associate with familiar faces from the Star Wars films, including Darth Vader in addition to new adversaries such as fugitive Jedi and Force-sensitive Felucians
• Unleash and upgrade the Secret Apprentice's four core Force powers - Force push, grip, repulse and lightning - throughout the course of the game, and combine them for ultra-destructive, never-before-seen combos.
• Examples of unleashing the Force in ways never thought possible: Secret Apprentice won't just Force push enemies into walls - he'll Force push enemies through walls, and will Force grip them in midair, zap them with lightning, then drop them to the ground
• Visit locations such as Episode III's Wookiee homeworld Kashyyyk and the floral Felucia, the junk planet Raxus Prime, plus an Imperial TIE fighter construction facility
• Decisions made by players throughout the game will determine the path of the story, including multiple endings that will rock Star Wars continuity as they know it.

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B00113X7YQ
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4 x 0.5 inches ; 3.5 ounces
• Media: Video Game
• Release Date: September 16, 2008
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (43 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,408 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)

Product Description

Platform: Sony PSP | Edition: Standard

Amazon.com

The Star Wars saga will continue in Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, a videogame developed by LucasArts, which casts players as Darth Vader's "Secret Apprentice" and promises to unveil new revelations about the Star Wars galaxy. The expansive story, created under direction from George Lucas, is set during the largely unexplored era between Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope. In it, players will assist the iconic villain in his quest to rid the universe of Jedi - and face decisions that could change the course of their destiny.

Join the Dark Side

You are Darth Vader's Secret Apprentice View larger.

Use the Force to disable your enemies View larger.

Artwork of the Jedi "Maris" View larger.

As its name implies, The Force Unleashed completely re-imagines the scope and scale of the Force. The PSP version will not only give you a solid story-line developed by LucasArts involving the Darth Vader's secret apprentice, but you'll experience fun mobile gameplay only the PSP can offer. With graphics comparable to PS2 you'll be able to easily immerse yourself into the game and battle your way through enemies utilizing your Lightsaber attacks and Force powers. You can also try your Jedi skills against a friend in the PSP's "Battle Mode." Joining the Dark Side doesn't seem like such a bad idea after all.

Game Features:

• During the period between Episodes III and IV, players hunt Jedi in the role of Darth Vader's Secret Apprentice.
• Unleash and upgrade the Secret Apprentice's four core Force powers - Force push, grip, repulse and lightning - throughout the course of the game, and combine them for ultra-destructive, never-before-seen combos.
• Examples of unleashing the Force in ways never thought possible:
  • The Secret Apprentice won't just Force push enemies into walls - he'll Force push enemies through walls.
  • The Secret Apprentice won't just Force grip foes to throw them aside - he'll Force grip them in midair, zap them with lightning, then drop them to the ground to explode like a bomb.
• In addition to new adversaries created just for the game, such as fugitive Jedi and Force-sensitive Felucians, players will also confront and associate with familiar faces from the Star Wars films, including Darth Vader.
• Visit locations such as Episode III's Wookiee homeworld Kashyyyk and the floral Felucia, the junk planet Raxus Prime, plus an Imperial TIE fighter construction facility.
• The PSP game system's "Battle Mode," a one on one fighting arena similar to the classic game, Star Wars: Masters of Teräs Käsi.
• LucasArts is preparing an unprecedented promotional effort around the launch of The Force Unleashed, encompassing a full line of toys and game-based action figures from Hasbro, as well as a full publishing program from Dark Horse, Del Rey and Palace Press.

Meet the Cast
The Star Wars Saga will continue in 2008 with LucasArts' biggest-ever video game event. Set during the "dark times" between Episodes III and IV, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed portrays the previously untold story of Darth Vader's Secret Apprentice -- and now you can put a face to that mysterious character as well as the major supporting cast members as LucasArts unveils the actors set to star in The Force Unleashed.

The Technology of The Force Unleashed
With The Force Unleashed, LucasArts not only introduces a new chapter in the Star Wars saga, but also pushes the PSP's game engine to deliver amazing detail and realism only found in a Star Wars title. You will experience gameplay and the Force like you never had before.

Product Description

The next chapter in the Star Wars saga, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, tells the story of Darth Vader's Secret Apprentice, a mysterious figure trained by the menacing Sith Lord, to hunt down the last of the Jedi. Set in the dark times between Episodes III and IV, the story is both a continuation of the prequel trilogy -- exploring the aftermath of Order 66, which called for the immediate execution of all Jedi, and focusing on the continued rise of Darth Vader -- and a direct bridge to the Original Trilogy. The Force Unleashed will forever change the fate of the Galaxy and explain key plot points that directly lead into events in Star Wars: A New Hope. With The Force Unleashed , LucasArts not only introduces a new chapter in the Star Wars saga, but also two completely new and innovative technologies -- Digital Molecular Matter by Pixelux Entertainment and euphoria by NaturalMotion Ltd. These groundbreaking technologies combine with Havoc physics to create true next-gen game play and the Force like it's never been seen or experienced before.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good but flawed, September 17, 2008

By 

M. burns - See all my reviews

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (Video Game)

The Force Unleashed is a fun game that suffers from a variety of technical problems and programming short cuts that obviously indicate that the game was pushed out the door.


Pros:
+ The Graphics are great for a PSP game.
+ The game is fairly long and has a lot of replay value with the main story, Force Duels, Order 66 (survival mode), and Historical missions.
+ Lots of unlockables. Unlockable characters/costumes for both Force Duel and Main story, arenas, upgradable force powers, lightsaber colors and hilts, and art galleries.
+ 1 on 1, 1 on 2, and 1 on 3 battles with Jedi are awesome. Probably the best part of the game.
+ Force powers are fun to use.

Cons:
- Programming short cuts appear throughout the game. To mention a couple, some menus you can use both the analog and d-pad while others you can only use the analog stick. Another was that you can unlock various characters to use in story mode but all cutscenes are unviewable if you choose to use them. 2 issues with this. One, cutscene are rendered real-time so to put these characters into the cutscene it only requires a couple of lines of code to switch the character image. Two, at least they could have defaulted back to the apprentice instead of killing the cutscenes altogether.
- Camera is bad. You cannot move the camera at all and it is slow to readjust to your movements.
- Lightsaber combat is a little weak. Limited Hack and slash similar to Core Crisis. Force powers make up for this but it would have been nice for a little deeper lightsaber combat.
- The game freezes A LOT during both gameplay and cutscenes. This is either due to amateur programmers or a lack of QC. It is really unforgivable to produce a game for a console that freezes this often. While it doesn't kill the gameplay, it can get really annoying at times. The worst is that it lags during the opening when the Title appears on the screne (I have a PSP SLIM).

Overall, when it works it is great. While the camera problems and the constant freezing to load (it really does get bad) hurt the game, it never really kills to fun. If you can get by that it is really an enjoyable game. Hopefully Krome/LA will release a patch to at least take care of the freezing problem.

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The New Star Wars Movie is an Awesome PSP Game!, September 18, 2008

By 

Scott A. Riddle - See all my reviews

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (Video Game)

A great epic adventure more on par with movies IV though VI. A God of War inspired Star Wars expansion to the movie franchise, That is every bit as good a game as GoW:Chains of Olympus, and while this may not be the system seller GoW was, because of multiplatform availablity, it is a definite must own for anyone who games with the psp. This version of TFU rivals that of the more powerful consols with regards to fun and in many ways it surpasses those versions, throw in a slew of PSP exclusive game modes and this may just be the one to own.

If you outright do not like Sci-fi or Star Wars specifically, you'd probably still enjoy this well put together, beautiful nonstop action adventure title, sure some of the appeal of being a lightsaber wielding jedi knight/sith and how eloquently this ties the two trilogies together may be lost if you're not a fan but it's still a intense action/adventure with great gameplay. You do not have to be a rabid Star Wars fan to think this game is great fun, for example I enjoy the movies but I do not own a single one.

I have played some of the xbox360 version and it is visually superior in every way but for pure gameplay adrenaline I prefer this version. The cut scenes have suffered some due to the limitations of the technology but a fully functional and complete version of the story is here, just not with the lavishly detailed movie quality of the ps3 and xbox360 versions.

The level designs for this version are unique, while the settings are the same as it's big brothers what is found here isn't a shortened experience but a completely individual take on the environments. Another additional psp exclusive is the Jedi Temple levels. (some of these exclusives may appear in the other versions of the game created by Krome Studio for the wii and ps2 but it's my understanding most of them do not.)

This is an excellent package and a great game, nearly everything that's in the other versions is here plus more, 10 different hilts, 16 color crystals, and 7 power crystals for your lightsaber, 10 different outfits a total of 280 hidden extras scattered throughout the main game to discover only adds to the replayablity of a game already possessing a higher replayablity than most games in the genre. There is also the ability to increase your force powers 4x each throughout the game making you much more powerful and deadly, and with 20 powers including throwing your lightsaber like a boomerang and shooting lightning from your fingers you'll feel like a total bada$$ whether you're choosing to use the force to crush the throat of stormtroopers or toss a Wookie off a cliff.

There are three bonus single player modes on the psp version including Historic missions where you get to play 2 famous scenes from Return of the Jedi and 2 from Revenge of the Sith. Another psp exclusive bonus feature is getting to play the Order 66 event that prequels The Force Unleashed. The third extra can be played single or multi and it's a battle mode called Force Out where you can choose form a multitude of Unlockable Jedi and Sith characters from both trilogies and TFU. There are also numerous unlockable arenas and other specials available.

In addition to the force out battle mode there are two other multiplayer modes I haven't had a chance to play as of writing this.

An amazing campaign and a ton of bonus features should make this superbly made game a candidate for psp game of the year.

Graphics: A (cut scenes B)

Sound: A+

Control: B (I only experienced significant camera difficulties during 1 boss battle in one of the bonus History Missions, not part of the main game.)

Fun and Enjoyment: A

Overall: A-

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Force is on the PSP, February 27, 2009

By 

Matthew A. Thompson "mtShopper" (Satellite Beach, FL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (Video Game)

All I can say is that reviewer from 1UP is completely off his rocker to give this game such low marks. I jumped from the Nintendo DS to the PSP because of this game. IT ROCKS!

Yes its not going to be as good as the XBOX 360 or PS3 version BUT it is 100 times better than the DS version. Not to say the DS version was bad either, but when I compared the graphics on the DS version (which I originally owned) I decided to go out and by a PSP and get this game. The controls were fun on the DS, and the 3D rendering was good compared to some other DS games but still it looked pretty bland overall but when you see that the PSP graphics rival the graphics on the PS2 I had no choice and make the jump and I"m glad I did. I have played the story game over 4 times. I have no problem with cutscenes. I thought they were great actually. Once again its not XBOX 360 but it is worlds better than what the DS had for their cut scenes. Plus the PSP had an exclusive DUEL mode and Historic missions mode where you could play Luke Skywalker, Count Doku, Mace Windu, Darth Vader, and the Emperor. You don't have that on the XBOX 360 versions.

I'm sure I love this game more than others because I'm a Star Wars fans, but I can't stand it when these elitist frauds called video game critics trash a good game just because they claim camera issues or lack of originality or some other BS. I had no problems with the camera nor did I get bored of using the force powers or the lightsaber.

Bottom line. If you love Star Wars, love a good adventure game, and own a PSP its a no brainer.

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