Star Wars: The Force Unleashedis revolutionary in its representation of the dark side and the powers associated with it. It offers its fans an opportunity to experience the more sinister aspects ofStar Warsand forces one to question if the dark side is truly more powerful than the light.
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The player is given endless opportunities to experience what it is to be a Sith under the direct control of Darth Vader, and it is ruthless.Star Wars: The Force Unleashedrefuses to pull its punches, in favor of conveying this terrible evil through its melancholy narrative, brutal combat, and unique collectibles.
10Clashes Between Jedi And Sith
Starkiller spends the majority of the game’s narrative making enemies. The opening segment sets the tone withStarkiller locking blades with Jedi MasterRahm Kota before besting him and launching him through a window to what appears to be his death. He later goes on the defeat Jedi Master Shaak Ti, though she refuses to die by his saber and chooses to go out on her terms.
Starkiller eventually has a change of heart and decides to abandon the Sith to pursue a life without Vader. As if he did not have enough enemies in the galaxy, he has now doubled them, evident through his encounters with fallen Jedi Padawan Maris Brood and, ultimately, Darth Vader. Starkiller persistently treads the line between light and darkness.
9Purge Troopers
Purge Troopers have been depicted inRogue One: A Star Wars Story,The Mandalorian, and evenStar Wars Jedi: Fallen Order,however, their depiction inStar Wars: The Force Unleashedis perhaps the unique. Starkiller encounters these troopers while attempting to escape from Vader’s clutches, rendering his escape especially more difficult.
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These Purge Troopers are incredibly large with a great deal more firepower than their peers. To defeat one, Starkiller must avoid the numerous projectiles it throws his way, all while dealingas much damage as he canto the dense metallic shells they call armor. Though encounters with Purge Troopers can be challenging, there is no denying the relief felt by the player once they have bested one.
8The Ultimate Sith Lord
Though the player spends the majority of the game playing as Starkiller, its opening allows you to play as Darth Vader. This level is brief and serves only to set up the beginning of the story while showcasing the immense powers allocated to those who pursue the path of hate.
Vader is shown to be aforce to be reckoned withas he cuts through Wookies and tears down forestry to locate a rogue Jedi in hiding. Upon reaching his target he uses his powers in the dark side to make a mockery of him by throwing him into numerous trees and structures before eventually ending his life.
7Playing With Your Food
Starkiller is incredibly powerful, and this game intends to show it. The player can utilize his combat abilities as well as his tremendous Force powers to make quick work of many of the enemies encountered throughout the game’s story. Though these abilities are nothing to be laughed at, if executed correctly, they can become quite comical.
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Starkiller can grab and push opponents through the Force. These opponents can be dangled in midair or projected at a great speed in any direction the player chooses. Though this ability is selective and only works on certain enemies,the early segments of the gameallow the player to utilize this power regularly on both Wookies and Stormtroopers.
6A Phantom Menace
Given the setting ofStar Wars: The Force Unleashed, it seems unlikely that the prequel trilogy would receive many mentions. As this game is set before the events ofStar Wars: A New Hope, it is safe to assume that the characters included have been chosen from appropriate timelines, but this is not the case.
PROXY,a holodroid that assisted Starkillerin his training, takes on the appearance of Darth Maul while on Raxus Prime. The droid then becomes hostile, allowing the player to challenge this iconic villain in a duel to the death, a welcome addition to lovers of the prequel trilogy.
5A Black Saber
Starkiller starts offwielding a red lightsaberbefore ditching it in favor of a blue one. It is a visual transition that symbolizes his shift in allegiances. Though these two lightsaber colors seem to be appropriate in terms of the plot, they are not the only ones available to the player.
Multiple lightsaber colors can be found in the form of collectibles, but the most unique of these is the Black Crystal used to makethe black lightsaber. Though it does not incorporate its blade-like shape, the black lightsaber is almost identical to that of the Darksaber, an ancient blade constructed by Tarra Viszla, the first Mandalorian to join the Jedi Order. It can be found in the Convergence Array area in the Death Star.
4The Bull Rancor
Upon returning to Fulucia, Starkiller is forced to face a Bull Rancor. This beast is a far cry from its friendlier cousin beneath Jabba’s Palace as it has formed a bond with Maris Brood who, after the loss of her master Shaak Ti, has succumbed to the dark side. The role of this connection is evident in the Rancor’s appearance.
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The Rancor, like the world around it, has withered due to the influence of the dark side. The fight takes place in what resembles a graveyard, abounding in skeletons and dying plant life. Though the Rancor’s moveset is predictable, it is difficult to maintain an advantage when Brood appears to assist the beast using her newly found dark side abilities. The battle ends witha quick time eventin which Starkiller lodges his saber into the head of the Rancor before electrocuting it.
3Unleashing The Force
Starkiller’s greatest display of power is seen when hetakes down an Imperial Star Destroyerduring the events of his second visit to Raxus Prime. Through the utilization of his Force Lightning and Force Pull abilities, Starkiller exerts all of his energy into bringing the Empire to its knees.
The struggle exhibited by Starkiller makes it clear to the player that it is no easy feat, which would explain how it is a rare occurrence in theStar Warsfranchise. It also highlights the power required to do this, which would make him one of the most powerful Jedi in the Expanded Universe.
2Alternate Endings
During the final events of the game, Starkiller is given a choice betweenpursuing revenge by killing Vaderor assisting his friends by confronting Palpatine. With the plot ofStar Warsalready having a fixed trajectory, it is unusual that multiple endings were included.Star Wars: The Force Unleasheddisregards this norm and allows the player to choose either the dark side or the light.
If the player chooses revenge, Starkiller will viscerally slaughter Vader in favor of saving his friends. If the player chooses justice, Starkiller will die while protecting his companions from the Emperor’s wrathful force lightning. Both choices result in bittersweet outcomes, so it is up to the player to choose what they believe to be the lesser evil.
1A Sith Stalker
If the player decides togive in to their lust for revenge, Starkiller will be rewarded with the Emperor force throwing the Rogue Shadow, Starkiller’s starship, onto his defenseless body. The Emperor will then reconstruct Starkiller’s presumably deformed body, as he did with Vader, thus enslaving him.
The player can then choose to fully embrace the dark side by sporting Starkiller’s new “Sith Stalker armor,” a robotic suit similar to Vaders in terms of function. In this non-canon ending, this armor is necessary to keep Starkiller alive, further emphasizing his downfall. It is a dark end for the character if this is what the player chooses.
Star Wars: The Force Unleashedis available for Playstation 3, Xbox 360, PC, and Nintendo Switch.
