 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
- Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2, PSP
- Price: $59.99
- Genre: Action/Adventure
Common Sense Media says
A good -- but not great -- Star Wars adventure.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that much of the gameplay revolves around combat, but there's no blood or gore, and you're fighting primarily against alien creatures or faceless stormtroopers. However, the fighting is relentless, thus garnering the "T" rating and our age recommendation of 12. The game raises interesting moral issues as you must decide whether you are an evil Sith or a good Jedi. Since you are required to play part of your time in the game as an evil Sith, kid-fans of the Star Wars movies may have trouble with the mandatory killing of many of the good characters they have come to love, including Wookies.
What's it about?
STAR WARS: THE FORCE UNLEASHED takes place in between Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope. You play as a lightsaber-wielding apprentice to Darth Vader, but as you unravel more of the story, key players, and locations, you might choose to become a noble Jedi Knight instead of an evil Sith. The game begins on the Wookiee homeworld of Kashyyyk, as seen in Episode III but also takes players to the junk planet of Raxus, the floral world of Felucia, a TIE Fighter construction facility, and more. Players will meet and interact with new characters designed for the game as well as familiar faces from the films (in fact, you get to play as the Sith Lord Vader during part of the game).
Along with its stunning widescreen, high-definition graphics on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, the game excels in how you use your learned Force powers. Specifically, the developers at LucasArts did an extraordinarily good job in making players feel powerful thanks to superhuman abilities, including the ability to push around huge objects without touching them or damage things by emitting lightning blasts through your fingertips. Players can also combine these rewarding powers for a dramatic effect, such as using a Force grip on someone's neck, lifting them in the air and then zapping them silly before tossing them into a nearby tree. The Xbox 360 and PS3 versions of the game play exactly the same, but the Nintendo Wii version lets you swing around the wireless and motion-sensing Wii Remote and nunchuk to pull off the lightsaber moves and force effects.
Is it any good?
One of the key problems with Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, however, is its linearity; players are on a pretty tight leash as they navigate these indoor and outdoor levels and can't veer too far away from your path. How amazing would it be to have some open-ended levels, such as a Grand Theft Auto sandbox game, where you're left to explore your surroundings. This drawback can also hurt the game's replayability. Other issues are the lack of a multiplayer mode and a PC version of the game, plus the third-person camera can sometimes obscure your view instead of providing a cinematic perspective of the action.
If Star Wars: The Force Unleashed was rated by special effects alone, the sci-fi adventure would garner unanimous praise by video game reviewers. But as with some criticisms of the iconic feature films, not everyone will find substance underneath the style. But it sure is a fun ride and one that Star Wars fanatics will revel in as they appreciate its gorgeous graphics and impressive physics effects while turning a blind eye to the game's shortcomings. Visually speaking, the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions are much better (in high-definition) than the PS2, Wii, and handheld versions of the game. An iPhone version is also available at the Apple App Store.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about how you can be good or evil in this game. How did you decide which to become? This game is not unlike many of the Star Wars movies: big on production but light on story. Are we more forgiving of a Star Wars adventure in this regard than other video games based on movie franchises? Or do video games really need depth? Also, what did you think of this game's linear path? Would you have prefered a more open-ended experience?
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- Teens & kids
AGE
Personal killing without mercy makes this game a bad choice for tweens and younger
My problem with this game is the need to relentlessly kill people who are begging for mercy. My son will point out that this happens in the movies too, but in the movies, he is not the person choosing to kill the person in order to advance to the next level. Characters literally beg for their lives and in order to "win" you need to reject these pleas. The deaths are personal and although blood is not a big issue, the morals of it are quite questionable for my 11 year old. Perhaps when he is over 13...
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Kid, 12 years old
January 16, 2011
AGE
it isnt happyland, but its not gorey like its sequel
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Kid, 11 years old
November 10, 2011
AGE
loved it
very good storyline but kind of dark in some parts i recomend younger players dont watch the cutscenes
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Kid, 11 years old
July 20, 2011
AGE
Force Unleashed. Great for Mature Tweens
To start off THE GAME IS VERY VOILENT!!! When you use force choke you can hear bone shattering in the neck of them victim. Also you see the victim yanking and shoving trying to regen use of breathing then dye painfuly. Also there is language in the bakground like: HOW THE H**L..., WHAT THE F**K, ect. Theres a 5 sec.kiss between Juno and Starkiller. The main characters mentor is an achoholic. And to top it off the Twi'lek only wear small rags.
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AGE
The Force truly is Unleashed.
The Force Unleashed is a very violent game. No blood is shown, however this is the only reason the game is has a T rating. That being put aside, this game is excellent. Starkiller (The Apprentice) has many abilities including Lightning, which sends surges of lighting out of his fingertips. Later on he can use both his hands to shock his enemies. There is also the Force Push which allows him to use objects scattered around as weapons, including his own enemies. The Force Choke snaps his foe's neck. The Lightsaber Impale has him impaling his saber into his foe's chest. Finally, Repulse concentrates the force around Starkiller and releases it into a destructive surge. There are much more then just these, you'll see for yourself. You can upgrade the force using points gained from combat. Gameplay is smooth and easy to get used to. The storyline is interesting, but it involves assassinating various Jedi. Overall, the game is not that bad or inappropriate. I recommend this to kids 13 and up, and give it a 4 out of 5.
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Kid, 12 years old
May 29, 2011
AGE
A bit violent, good if you're a Star Wars fan, 11+
I think this game is very good. There's some violence but no blood. The Force powers are very fun! Star Wars fans would probably enjoy this game more than non-Star Wars fans (I'm a Star Wars fan). I recommend it to people who like Star Wars.
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AGE
Great game
This is probably one of the best games I've ever played. While it is a bit violent, there is no blood or gore. The story follows a young Force wielder (17 years old) as he overcomes a violent upbringing to conquer his anger for the sake of those he loves. That in itself is a positive message.
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AGE
Good for ages 11+
Very good game. It is what every kid wants to play, a war game, but there is no blood like in Call of Duty. It is very easy to play, and lets you choose between good and evil. Overall it is a good game, but not good for strict parents.
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AGE
A good but short Star Wars game. You play as a sith, and you kill both good and bad guys. You can slash and stab with a lightsaber and use a variety of Force powers to kill enemies. Some examples of Force powers are: Force Push, Lightning, Choke, Pummel, and using the Force to grab enemies and throw tem at walls, which is very fun. Some enemies, including a witch, may be scary to little kids. Some female characters wear very little clothing.
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| Platforms: | Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2, PSP |
| Available online? | Not available online |
| Genre: | Action/Adventure |
| Developer: | LucasArts |
| Release date: | September 16, 2008 |
| Price: | $59.99 |
| ESRB rating: | T for Violence |
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