Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is a good game although it definitely has its issues. The gameplay can be a lot of fun, the graphics are absolutely gorgeous and the Force Power mechanic is quite fun to use when it works correctly. The ability to take on the role of a conflicted Sith apprentice and battle enemies with a light saber also make the game a blast to play. The storyline is engaging and far more interesting than the last three movies put together. Where the game fallows though is in the simple aspects: camera, targeting and graphical glitches. In other word, the basics. It seems that the crew at Lucas Arts spent so much time on the admittedly fantastic physics of the game that they failed to pay attention to the simple things that all games need to have to function smoothly.

Where Star Wars: The Force Unleashed really shines is in the physics and Force powers. The act of exploding a TIE fighter in mid-air, picking up a Stormtrooper and tossing him over a cliff or tearing doors from their hinges is deeply satisfying especially for anyone who has played Star Wars in their back yard as a kid. You can finally become the Jedi master you always wanted to be. However, a great mechanic is offset by basic issues. The targeting of the Force powers could be described as "loose" at best. There are so many things that you can pick up or move that you often find you are grabbing the wrong thing. Targeting an enemy to throw things at can be equally as frustrating: such as watching the object you just threw careen towards an enemy only to make a sharp turn at the last second and run into a wall.

The game has a slight RPG type element that allows you to upgrade your Force powers, purchase combos and improve your health, etc. The currency for these items are glowing cubes that are found scattered around the levels, some easy to find, others not so easy. In addition to the upgrades, you can also find unlockable costumes and crystals that will change the color and style of your lightsaber. Maxing out your powers makes it fun to go back to some of the early levels and just blast your way through with your newly acquired strength. There are also some upgrade cubes that can only be gotten by going back and redoing some of the levels over again.

The visual style of the game is fantastic. The environments have depth and the character models are exactly what you would want from a Star Wars game. Unfortunately, this is counterbalanced by frequent poor frame rates, popping textures, and disappearing walls. Several times enemies froze in place in the middle of the battlefield after defeat, standing around like neglected statues. There were also a couple instances where certain visual cues (health bars, visual control guides) disappeared completely making me have to restart the game to complete the level. The camera has some issues as well, working great when you are in a wide open space, but get caught in a corner or in small space and you may find yourself looking at the top of your head and the tip of your lightsaber rather than the battle at hand.

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is definitely a mixed bag. It's a bit like that child in the old saying "When she was good she was very, very good but when she was bad she was horrid." I liked the game a great deal and I would definitely recommend giving it a play through, but the short game time (about 8 - 10 hours) and frequent basic issues (camera, graphic glitches, poor targeting) make this title more worthy of a rental than a purchase.

7 out of 10