• 23Sep 08

  Comparison review: Force Unleashed

  Long time, no blog. Anyway, I have had a unique opportunity to play three different versions of The Force Unleashed, and while I have not finished the game on any platform, I can certainly give some impressions.

  So far, I have played all three Sony versions of the game. The PS3 version is, of course, markedly different than the PS2 or PSP versions, with unique levels but the same basic storyline. The PS2 and PSP versions are essentially identical, with a few detail changes to the overall story and vastly different level designs.

  All three versions suffer from a "wonky" camera to varying degrees. The PS2 and PS3 camera is controlled by the right thumbstick and seems to alternate between frustratingly slow and ridiculously fast. The PSP camera is more-or-less auto-controlled which can be both good and bad depending on the situation. The camera tries to stay in the "follow me" position directly behind and just above Starkiller, but sometimes turning a corner causes camera confusion and it takes a moment to re-orient. In the meantime Starkiller may very well be getting pummeled by an Imperial Guardsman. The PS3 and PS2 versions of the game suffer from similar camera hangups, although the manual control with the right thumbstick helps to alleviate issues somewhat. All three platforms have issues with the camera getting into a bad spot when Starkiller is up against the wall.

  The rest of the gameplay is quite remarkable on any system. Aside from the frustrating targeting that grabs the little rock and flings it instead of the frightened Stormtrooper, usage of Force powers is simple and relatively fluid. The combo system usually works, although some of the better multi-button Force combos don't always work, and believe it or not, all three versions use different buttons for powers. Yergh!

  Graphics are...well, about what you'd expect on each system with the possible exception of environmental hang ups. Levitating Stormtroopers in the PS2 and PSP versions are quite common, and Starkiller frequently gets blasted backwards into, and then THROUGH, walls. The Digital Molecular Matter in the PS3 version looks great, until the environmental havoc you just wreaked disappears, that is. Blasting down bridges and archways in the PS3 version as Darth Vader on Kashyyyk was fantabulous until the leftover pieces and chunks almost immediately fade. Bodies occasionally disappear before the enemy is even "Dead!" These issues do detract from the experience for me and are really inexcusable for a game in development for as long as this game was.

  The best part of the game, by far, is the story. I'm only halfway through but already I'm completely amazed that we haven't seen this in movie form. Think about this: The storyline in this game shakes the foundation of Star Wars canon in a GOOD way, restores the image we want to see of Darth Vader as the evil, unrepentant force of nature we saw in A New Hope, and really completely shames the prequel trilogies for story. It is a fantastic addition to the Star Wars canon, and I can't wait to read the novel.

  Overall, I have to say I'm pleased by The Force Unleashed, but a bit underwhelmed. Perhaps it was the hype, or the played-to-death conceptual trailer, but I was hoping for much more from this game. Instead, I got what I expected: A Jedi Knight-like game with amped up powers and better graphics. Overall, I give it a 7.5/10, and that's a shame, because this could have easily been a Game of the Year candidate.

  Please remember these are my personal opinions and they may not jibe with your own. If you disagree, I have no problem with that, but I am not an idiot for holding my opinion and I would appreciate intelligent disagreement and not personal attacks. Dboy, et. al., what do you think?

  • Posted Sep 23, 2008 7:21 am GMT
  • Category: Editorial
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• 23Oct 07

  I finished the fight!!!!!! Now what?

  Whew, long time no blog, eh? To say I've been busy would be an understatement, but anyway...

  I finished Halo 3 on Normal difficulty last week. Overall, I'd have to say this was one of the most enjoyable gaming experiences I've had. Presentation and executionare damn near perfect, and the difficulty on Normal was just about what it needed to be for me to get my feet wet in the campaign. Now I've moved on to the campaign on Heroic difficulty with the intention of obtaining all the skulls and terminals, but I'm betting on more frustration than fun this time around. Preliminary impressions indicate the Arbiter has suddenly become a sword-wielding dunderhead and not the vicious warrior he was on Normal. That and I'd like to know when Jackal snipers got to be so BLAM!-ing good! So, I am re-learning the game as I go, since I chose to rely on the Arbiter a great deal during the Normal campaign. That won't work in Heroic, I don't think. God, I can't imagine Tsavo Highway on Heroic...

  So, review coming for Halo 3 sometime soon...but until then I think I know what Bungie is going to make next. I can't tell what I think that will be right now, but if you really want to know PM me. I don't want to spoil anything, and I don't have any word at all on Bungie projects...I just have a hunch.

  So now that I'm effectively done with Halo, what do I do now? Well, besides playing on a higher difficulty, right now I sit patiently and wait for Blacksite: Area 51, Timeshift and Assassin's Creed. They're all paid for, waiting to show up at the store and corrupt my homework time as Halo did.

  Miscellany:

  What else have I done? Well...I bought Transformers the other night; I had to. I watched it and whoa, man, I was overwhelmed! This was much better than I had thought it would be, and any complaints I still have are minor (Like Optimus Prime having a mouth, or the sum total of Starscream's appearance isto be chastised by Megatron). Beyond that, wow...this movie was very, very well written and constructed. Some sequences went on for a bit too long, and John Turturro's character was more distracting than enjoyable, but really there wasn't much to complain about. Well, for us old folks seeing the name Banacek was a bit of a "huh?" moment.

  Ugh...not much else to say right now...I'm tired. Work + School + Family + FREAKIN' BILLS! is starting to wear me down.

  I need sexual healing, too. Currently auditioning for the role.

  • Posted Oct 23, 2007 6:25 pm GMT
  • Category: Opinion
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• 25Sep 07

  I'm Finishing the Fight, and I'm actually IN THE GAME!

  Oh my goodness. The midnight launch of Halo 3 went very well at the store. We had about 150 people there to either pick up the game or just hang out while their friends got in line and we actually had everyone out of there by 1:30am. I picked up my Legendary Edition and was more than pleased to find out the helmet was much bigger than anyone cared to consider. Compared to customer expectations, the helmet is positively huge, and it is very good looking. I'm wondering how long my wife will let it sit on our entertainment center...

  Quickie impression of the game: Absolutely gorgeous in the graphics department and 100% pure Halo. Bungie did an awesome job of jazzing things up without straying too far from the formula that made the franchise an unmitigated success. The BR55 is much better than in Halo 2 and I'm really liking the Brute Spiker and the Gravity Hammer. Oh, and the theater is just dandy fun, too! I'm hoping to play through this week and give a thorough review of the game when I'm done but we'll see. There's still homework to consider.

  OK, so what about my rather bold statement that I'm in the game? Well, it's quite simple, really. Bungie ran a contest not too long ago for players to design a multiplayer logo to be featured in the game. Well, I'm sure I wasn't the only person to come up with this design, the colors and slight flaws in the Spartan Helmet design are definitely all mine. At least I hope they are...if not, don't wake me, I'd like to remain in my delusion, thank you!

  Well, that's it for now. Short blog because I'm in class right now. More as I have time.

  • Posted Sep 25, 2007 4:52 pm GMT
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