Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 2

So yeah... This wasn't what most of us thought of when we heard we where getting a sequel to the hit Force Unleashed. The first game had hours of fun, a long campaign filled with long-to level force powers, combos, and a (bit exaggerated) million costumes to wear for your character. The only thing really wrong was a semi-bad combat camera, repetitive kill keys (Quick Time Events for finishing off a character).

The second one, however, they didn't quite listen to some of the flak they got. They changed the saber crystal system (in most our minds) a step backwards. Instead of having independent color and ability crystals, its all combined, meaning its more a functional choice then an aesthetic choice. Minor gripe really. The kill events are less varied - one event for every type of that bad guy (the past Unleashed had at least two or three per enemy type) that can be killed in such a manner. The bad guys are fewer in type, but more specific in their roles. The only real new force power is Mind Trick - sure, it leads to a few fun moments, but its fundamentally flawed in the fact that whomever you trick seems to be, well, incredibly weaker than their compatriots.

Yeah, the graphics are a step up, especially noticeable on stages like Kamino, where its always raining (when your outdoors anyways). On the flip side of this coin, there are only (IRRC) four stages, and two of them are kamino. This means variety is pretty low.

However, the biggest problem is the overall play time. You're looking at 10 hours on normal mode, and that's if you factor in all the "challenges". Of course, the challenges are the only thing linked to the leaderboards, and their real only purpose is to unlock extras, or costumes, or earn a few XP points to upgrade your force abilities. The hardcore fan will appreciate some of the little voiced-over comics it adds by doing these, as they go into the whole "luke starkiller" storyboards - something I never knew about, but have a decent understanding off thanks to a friend who is big into the Star Wars fiction.

So really, it controls fine, it plays fine, and any problems you may have experienced playing the first are still there. The real set back is a weak playtime amount, and the story itself can seem pretty shabby at times (considering how nicely it wrapped up the first, they did a pretty good job all considering.

Really though, rent this one before you buy it, unless your a real devoted fan, because there isn't much too it.