Star Wars: Force Unleashed
- Thread starter John Reynolds
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Just got done with the demo with about 3 run throughs. An amazingly horrible use of Quick time events. You'll wonder how they managed. There is no transition at all. Once second you're in full combat and next thing you know you're having to hit the sequence. I'm not a fan of QTE's to start with thus a poor implementation certainly doesn't help.
The camera is Ninja Gaiden 2 is actually better. You'll fight the camera more than the NPC's.
The graphics are just ok. Same for sound. No wow effect anywhere in the demo.
The AI is properly retraded even on Sith difficulty. Expect them to run past you and get into place and then start shooting (scripted). If you get them turned, they'll often just stay in that position. Haven't seem them try to dodge, block or do any sort of team work.
Combat isn't at NG/DMC level. The horrible camera takes a lot away from the combat actually.
If you're a fan, then I guess you can see past some of the issues but amongst all the great games coming out this holiday season, this will take a very long back seat.
The camera is Ninja Gaiden 2 is actually better. You'll fight the camera more than the NPC's.
The graphics are just ok. Same for sound. No wow effect anywhere in the demo.
The AI is properly retraded even on Sith difficulty. Expect them to run past you and get into place and then start shooting (scripted). If you get them turned, they'll often just stay in that position. Haven't seem them try to dodge, block or do any sort of team work.
Combat isn't at NG/DMC level. The horrible camera takes a lot away from the combat actually.
If you're a fan, then I guess you can see past some of the issues but amongst all the great games coming out this holiday season, this will take a very long back seat.
Ars seemed to enjoy it, or someone at Ars did. Won't have time to try it tonight, but probably will tomorrow:
http://arstechnica.com/journals/thu...s-to-do-in-the-star-wars-force-unleashed-demo
http://arstechnica.com/journals/thu...s-to-do-in-the-star-wars-force-unleashed-demo
It's up on PSN. PSN was late updating today.
I loathe QTEs..... just say NO to QTE's.... of course I'll still check out the demo.
It's a massive two button sequence to finish one enemy.
So hows the physics? Is it impressive and a showcase or was it all just hype?
Those are God of War style finishing QTEs. Pretty common stuff.
The demo graphics are poor, it's typical blend Star Wars environment. I'm sure Wii version looks similar, with jag fest and all (PS3).
And instantly disappearing bodies, seriously?
I'm fairly disappointed the game ended up being a God of War clone. Though it's nice to have that kind of game in SW universe with force combos and all, I was looking for a Jedi Knight with 3rd person camera. Why would anyone not implement force speed and take away all the fun of light saber?
The demo wasn't fun, but there were some nice touches here and there so I'll reserve my judgment for the time being.
woundingchaney
Regular
I personally very much enjoyed the title. I found the graphics to be well done through extraordinary. The environment was somewhat bland although the amount of action occurring all around the player more than made up for it. The character models are well done with detail showcased in each one. The animations are also well done. The physics respond nicely with quite a bit of catastrophy capable at any given time. The throw/hit detection and ricochet are the best I have seen this gen.
I found it to be similar to GoW although not something I would consider a clone. The force powers were varied enough to keep the action up beat and I found enough instances to for each power to have a specific purpose.
I agree the camera is a bit hard to manage but nothing impossible.
I very much enjoyed the demo and at this point I am readily considering a purchase.
I played the 360 version.
I found it to be similar to GoW although not something I would consider a clone. The force powers were varied enough to keep the action up beat and I found enough instances to for each power to have a specific purpose.
I agree the camera is a bit hard to manage but nothing impossible.
I very much enjoyed the demo and at this point I am readily considering a purchase.
I played the 360 version.
I thought this would look like "heaven and back" after the 5000$ comment, huh.
Had a few minutes to try it out. I think the graphics are pretty good. It looks nice enough and runs smoothly. There is nothing in the demo that I thought was really bad, or bad enough that it wouldn't be fun. That said, I don't like that if you attack while jumping you hang up in the air. The targeting for force grip doesn't feel right to me. It seems like sometimes there's something right in front of me and I can't grip it, or I'll grip an object behind or beside the one I want. And when you end up throwing something there's a bit of autotargeting which is necessary, but sometimes it doesn't pick the target you expect. Otherwise it seems like a solid product and it will stay on my radar. There are a lot of games competing for my dollars this fall.
The auto-targeting seems to pinpoint enemies rather than objects. At one point, I was facing a highlighted box, and when I pushed the auto-target, it switched to the stormtrooper a few feet to one side.
I'll agree that the jump-attack needs some work. If you hit RT/R2 (your Force button) right as you hit the Attack button, he'll do a slam attack, which is good for taking out groups of enemies. The problem is that it doesn't always work. Sometimes it'll work great, and other times, it seems to miss the Force bit and he'll sit there in the air waving his lightsaber at nothing. Might be a timing thing.. if so, I haven't figured out what exactly it's looking for.
The instantly-disappearing enemies and objects is disappointing. I'm guessing it's there to lighten the load on the physics engine. But you miss some good stuff that way. At one point, when you Force your way through one of the blast doors, it shatters a huge amount of glass from something on the other side. But by the time you walk through the door, it's gone. DMM was one of the things I really wanted to play with, but it's effects (in the case of glass) disappear too fast to enjoy.
I kind of like the cinematic camera, where it switches to follow an enemy flying through the air when you do something awful to them. At one point, it even followed a droid that I threw out of the window. It's neat to throw stuff out of the window, and watch the decompression for a few seconds. Your clothing whips around in the wind (cleverly pointed at the exit, rather than waving around randomly, kudos for that), and objects near the window (including droids, and I'm assuming enemies as well) get sucked out into space before the bulkheads close.
The graphics were about what I expected. I think they look a bit bland in this level because it's the classic spaceship-corridors environment. But there's a lot of little stuff going on if you look closely. Most of the walls are DMM, and can be bent and deformed if you Force-push them or throw something at them. The floor has some of the best reflection effects I've seen on a console, and you even kick up little puffs of dust as you walk around.
Comparing the two consoles graphically, I think I'm leaning towards the PS3. The X360 seems a lot softer, almost blurry. The PS3 is sharper and clearer, but the jaggies are more noticeable. That could be the X360's upscaler at work, since it's bumping it up internally to 1080p, while the PS3 is spitting out 720p and my TV is doing the scaling. From a gameplay standpoint, I personally prefer the PS3 controller for this type of third-person action/adventure game. So at the moment, that's the version I'm likely to pick up.
All in all, I really enjoyed it. I don't think I'll ever tire of the sound of stormtroopers screaming in vain in 5.1 surround as I casually toss them behind me like a sack of garbage.
My only gripe is the Force meter. For a game called "Force Unleashed", I'm almost surprised they had a Force meter at all. Yes, it replenishes quickly, but it seems to give out right when I'm feeling like a supreme badass.
I'll agree that the jump-attack needs some work. If you hit RT/R2 (your Force button) right as you hit the Attack button, he'll do a slam attack, which is good for taking out groups of enemies. The problem is that it doesn't always work. Sometimes it'll work great, and other times, it seems to miss the Force bit and he'll sit there in the air waving his lightsaber at nothing. Might be a timing thing.. if so, I haven't figured out what exactly it's looking for.
The instantly-disappearing enemies and objects is disappointing. I'm guessing it's there to lighten the load on the physics engine. But you miss some good stuff that way. At one point, when you Force your way through one of the blast doors, it shatters a huge amount of glass from something on the other side. But by the time you walk through the door, it's gone. DMM was one of the things I really wanted to play with, but it's effects (in the case of glass) disappear too fast to enjoy.
I kind of like the cinematic camera, where it switches to follow an enemy flying through the air when you do something awful to them. At one point, it even followed a droid that I threw out of the window. It's neat to throw stuff out of the window, and watch the decompression for a few seconds. Your clothing whips around in the wind (cleverly pointed at the exit, rather than waving around randomly, kudos for that), and objects near the window (including droids, and I'm assuming enemies as well) get sucked out into space before the bulkheads close.
The graphics were about what I expected. I think they look a bit bland in this level because it's the classic spaceship-corridors environment. But there's a lot of little stuff going on if you look closely. Most of the walls are DMM, and can be bent and deformed if you Force-push them or throw something at them. The floor has some of the best reflection effects I've seen on a console, and you even kick up little puffs of dust as you walk around.
Comparing the two consoles graphically, I think I'm leaning towards the PS3. The X360 seems a lot softer, almost blurry. The PS3 is sharper and clearer, but the jaggies are more noticeable. That could be the X360's upscaler at work, since it's bumping it up internally to 1080p, while the PS3 is spitting out 720p and my TV is doing the scaling. From a gameplay standpoint, I personally prefer the PS3 controller for this type of third-person action/adventure game. So at the moment, that's the version I'm likely to pick up.
All in all, I really enjoyed it. I don't think I'll ever tire of the sound of stormtroopers screaming in vain in 5.1 surround as I casually toss them behind me like a sack of garbage.
My only gripe is the Force meter. For a game called "Force Unleashed", I'm almost surprised they had a Force meter at all. Yes, it replenishes quickly, but it seems to give out right when I'm feeling like a supreme badass.
I will have to agree with this. From the title, I should have unlimited power to throw around but instead I am limited in what I can do so I have to carefully plan my attacks to keep the meter energized. All in all, I had tons of fun with the game and I plan to pick it up!
RenegadeRocks
Legend
Will check it out tonight ! I am no fan of the Star Wars universe, but I am curious about the gameplay.
After all the interesting stuff in pre-release tech-demos, it's definitely a disappointment. Yes, DMM is there allowing for destructible stuff, but it's only doors and the rare bit of glass. Everything else is very solid, and a lightsabre swipe only leaves a scar texture. Endorphin is in too, but it's only applied to flying characters trying to grab hold of stuff. The Apprentice's motions are very ordinary. The soldier behaviour is ordinary to the point of being typically dumb (I stood back and watched a rebel 2 foot from a storm-tropper just stand there and get repeatedly shot). Blocking is a joke - the 'jedi' just waves his sabre back and forth! There's no deliberately placement of the blade of defelcting back to the enemy.
IMO Star Wars Eipsode 1 on PS1 was the best SW game. You had to time blocks, and develop skill to time it just right and deflect them back to the shooter. It improved my reactions considerably while I played it and had a noticeable benefit to my Badminton game at the time. This just seems a pretty average game let down by the pre-release hype and tech demos, which haven't formed the core of the game, only a light sprinkling of flavouring on the top. It also suffers from Post-Episode 1 moronicism in the technology. Here we see soldiers with mini-gun laser blasters, but a few years later the best anyone can manage is a single-shot blaster rifle...
IMO Star Wars Eipsode 1 on PS1 was the best SW game. You had to time blocks, and develop skill to time it just right and deflect them back to the shooter. It improved my reactions considerably while I played it and had a noticeable benefit to my Badminton game at the time. This just seems a pretty average game let down by the pre-release hype and tech demos, which haven't formed the core of the game, only a light sprinkling of flavouring on the top. It also suffers from Post-Episode 1 moronicism in the technology. Here we see soldiers with mini-gun laser blasters, but a few years later the best anyone can manage is a single-shot blaster rifle...
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