Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II

Common Sense Media says

Short game with sci-fi action set in a galaxy far, far away.

Age(i)

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Quality(i)

 
(i)
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Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II gallery

What parents need to know

Positive messages

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.

Positive role models

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.

Ease of play

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.

Violence

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.

Sex
Not applicable
Language
Not applicable
Consumerism

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.

Drinking, drugs, & smoking
Not applicable

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.

Parents say

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AGE
12
QUALITY
 
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Kids say

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AGE
11
QUALITY
 
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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?

QUALITY
 

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.

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? 

Game details

Platforms:Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Windows
Price:$59.99
Available online?Not available online
Developer:LucasArts
Release date:October 26, 2010
Genre:Action/Adventure
ESRB rating:T for Violence (PlayStation 3, Windows, Xbox 360)

This review of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II was written by

Marc Saltzman

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.
  • NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids of any age.

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Quality

Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Learning ratings

  • Best: Really engaging, great learning approach.
  • Very Good: Engaging, good learning approach.
  • Good: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
  • Fair: Somewhat engaging, okay learning approach.
  • Not for Learning: Not recommended for learning.
  • Not for Kids: Not age-appropriate for kids; not recommended for learning.

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Kid, 12 years old November 5, 2010
AGE
11
QUALITY
 

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, 11 years old November 13, 2010
AGE
10
QUALITY
 

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.
What other families should know
Too much violence
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Teen, 15 years old Written byXxMuSiCjUnKiEXx December 9, 2010
AGE
11
QUALITY
 

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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