Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II

 Review

Common Sense Media says

Short game with sci-fi action set in a galaxy far, far away.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

Not yet rated

Kids say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II is rated "Teen" for players 13 years of age or older because of its violence. However, the action takes place in the Star Wars universe rather than real-world locations and there is no blood or gore. Plus, the story clearly puts players on the side of good in a fight between the Dark and Light sides of the Force. Note that as with most Star Wars products there's a good chance this game could lead players to pine for additional Star Wars paraphernalia.

  • The message here is simply that we should fight evil. However, it's handled in a violent way. Players use weapons and Force powers with abandon to kill stormtroopers and aggressive fantasy creatures.
  • While the game's protagonist, Starkiller, was Darth Vader's apprentice in the first game, in this game he turns on the Sith Lord and becomes a fugitive on the run. Starkiller makes for an unlikely hero for the Light side of the Force, as violence is his primary means of conflict resolution.
  • This game is quite easy to pick up and play -- especially if you played the original game. The console controller's dual analog sticks are used for character movement, and the face buttons for attacks, such as Force powers.
  • The focus of this Star Wars game is combat. Players fight against stormtroopers using a light saber and "Force powers" that let them pull or push enemies through the air. Limbs can be cut off and foes can be impaled, but there is no blood or gore.
  • Not applicable.
  • Not applicable.
  • This game is based on the successful Star Wars universe, with many references to familiar characters and locations. Thousands of products, such as toys and games, are based on this intellectual property.

What's it about?

What do you do after selling roughly seven million copies of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed? You create a sequel, of course. In STAR WARS: THE FORCE UNLEASHED II we're reintroduced to Darth Vader’s now fugitive apprentice, Starkiller, who ventures out to discover his identity and destiny. What's that, you say? Didn't Starkiller die at the end of the first game? Yes. Now you're a clone of Starkiller created by Darth Vader. Unfortunately for the Sith lord, the new Starkiller fights back against the Empire, resists his training, and vows reunite with his true love and former co-pilot, Juno Eclipse. The game's story is one of its greatest strengths.


Is it any good?

 

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II excels in its fiction and art direction. Plus, new Force powers and dual light saber wielding make the player feel like an extremely powerful warrior. However,  the game's combat is repetitive, its boss characters are way too easy to defeat, and there are technical glitches that make it feel rushed to retail.

Compounding matters, this single-player game is much shorter than the original (only about 5 hours long on Normal setting) and just as linear. There's little replayability. It makes for a better weekend rental -- you should have no problem finishing it within that time -- than a $60 purchase.

Note: The Nintendo Wii and DS versions are not the same game, nor were they created by the same developer.


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What families can talk about

  • Families can talk about the commercial juggernaut that is Star Wars. The franchise has made billions off of multiple generations of sci-fi enthusiasts. Do you actively seek to collect Star Wars goods? Do you think that licensed Star Wars products are generally of good quality? Have you ever purchased something simply because it was associated with Star Wars and later regretted it?

  • Families can also discuss fantastical sci-fi violence versus violence set in the real world. Is there a difference between the two? Is fantasy violence somehow less disturbing? Why or why not? 


This review was written by Marc Saltzman
Kid, 12 years old
November 13, 2010
 
If there was a drop of blood in each kill it would be M.
People don't realize that just because this a Star Wars game doesnt mean its going to be happy land. There is chopping limbs and even heads off of stormtroopers. If there was even a little bit of blood every time you killed a stormtrooper it would easily get a M rating.

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Teen, 14 years old
November 5, 2010
 
The Force Unleashed 2
I have waited months for this to come out. It is very much like the first game where you can choose either the light or dark side. This game can be very violent with intense action sequences which might be scary for younger kids. This game also has amazing graphics. Overall it is a great game that i would recommend buying for anyone over the age of ten.

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Kid, 10 years old
November 1, 2010
 
The Graphics Are Amazing.I Played The Demo Only.The Story Is Okay.There Is Some $exy Stuff Like The Whole Story Is About Saving The Heroine.Its Fantastic For Ages Eight And Up.

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Teen, 16 years old
December 9, 2010
 
good if you are a mature kid (can handle a lot of violence)
Fun, but short, beat it the day i got it on the unleashed difficulty

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Kid, 13 years old
March 8, 2011
 
Good For Tweens!
I like this game and to the kid that said if there was a drop of blood it would be M you are SO wrong I have M rated games and they include lots of language and sexual content this does not and to every parent worried about that but still want a fun game for their kids this is it if you are willing to pay the price the games is kinda short but you get a lot out of it Get It!

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Teen, 15 years old
November 4, 2010
 
Ahhhhhhhh its so good
this game is boss

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Kid, 13 years old
January 21, 2011
 

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Kid, 12 years old
December 1, 2010
 
pretty fun
well the game has no blood or gore in it but the violence is pretty intense i think ages 12 and up should be able to handle it

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Teen, 14 years old
November 4, 2010
 
love it

Flag as inappropriate 
Teen, 15 years old
October 30, 2010
 
the best
Aswome. Didn't have that much level varity. But over all pretty cool-star wars die hard fan.

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This review was written by Marc Saltzman
Platforms:Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Windows
Available online?Not available online
Genre:Action/Adventure
Developer:LucasArts
Release date:October 26, 2010
Price:$59.99
ESRB rating:T for Violence

This review was written by Marc Saltzman

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About our rating system
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.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.

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