Review The Game "Star Wars: The Force Unleashed"

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is a LucasArts action-adventure video game and part of the The Force Unleashed project. It was initially developed for the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Wii, and Xbox 360 consoles and on the iOS, second-generation N-Gage, Nintendo DS, PlayStation Portable, and Java-equipped mobile phone handhelds.^[1]

The game was released in North America on September 16, 2008, in Australia and Southeast Asia on September 17, and in Europe on September 19. LucasArts released downloadable content for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles.^[2] AnUltimate Sith
Edition of the game, containing new and all previously released expanded content, was released in November 2009,^[3] which also came out on Mac OS and Microsoft Windows.

The project bridges the first two Star Wars trilogies, acting as an origin story for both the united Rebel Alliance and the Galactic Civil War depicted in the Original Trilogy. The game introduces a new protagonist, "Starkiller", as Darth Vader's secret apprentice, who is tasked with hunting down Jedi while killing rebels and Imperials alike in order to hide his existence from the Emperor, but soon starts to slowly redeem himself to the light side of the Force.

Reviews offered fairly positive response, praising The Force Unleashed for its compelling story, robust physics, impressive art and soundtrack, while some more negative reviews cited frustrating gameplay. Despite this, the game was a bestsellerin the United States and Australia, with over one million copies sold its debut month. As of February 2010, the game has sold over seven million copies, and it is the fastest-selling Star Wars video game.^[4] A sequel, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II, was released in October 2010.^[5]

Plot[edit]

Set in between Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, Darth Vader is sent by Emperor Palpatine to destroy a Jedi who survived Palpatine's Jedi purge and is hiding on the Wookiee homeworld, Kashyyyk.The Force Unleashed begins with the player controlling Darth Vader as he searches Kashyyyk for the Jedi.^[11][12] After defeating the Jedi in battle, Vader discovers a child who is strong in the Force and raises him to become his apprentice, unknown to the Emperor for several years. When the apprentice (known in the game as "Starkiller", and whom the player now controls) reaches adulthood, Vader sends him to kill the remaining Jedi as training for his ultimate goal: assassinating the Emperor so Vader and Starkiller can rule the galaxy together.

However, the Emperor discovers Starkiller's existence and forces Vader to kill the apprentice; Vader hurls Starkiller into space, but secretly dispatches droids to retrieve and revive him. Vader sends his apprentice to foster a rebellion among those who resist theEmpire, distracting the Emperor so Vader can make his move. Breaking into various Imperial facilities, Starkiller rescues Rogue Shadow pilot Juno Eclipse, Jedi Master Rahm Kota, Princess Leia Organa, and Senator Bail Organa. In the process, Starkiller learns from Kota about the Jedi way, ultimately sparing Jedi apprentice Maris Brood, who had succumbed to corruption by the dark side after Starkiller murdered her master Shaak Ti. Starkiller travels between missions aboard the Rogue Shadow, developing a close relationship with his crew.^[13]

Senators Organa, Mon Mothma, and Garm Bel Iblis meet to plan a rebellion against the Empire, but are interrupted when Darth Vader arrests them and Kota. Vader attacks Starkiller and reveals that Starkiller was never meant to overthrow the Emperor; from the beginning, he was the Emperor's tool to expose his enemies, and that Vader's plans to overthrow the Emperor did not include Starkiller. Surviving Vader's attack, Starkiller uses the Force to ascertain the senators' and Kota's location: the Death Star. Inside the station, Starkiller duels Darth Vader. Kota attempts to fight the Emperor, but is wounded by the Emperor's Force lightning.

At this point, the player chooses to either seek revenge on Vader or save Kota from Emperor Palpatine:

• If the player attacks and kills Vader, the Emperor offers to let Starkiller take Vader's place as his apprentice if Starkiller proves himself by killing Kota. Starkiller instead attacks the Emperor, who crushes Starkiller with the Rogue Shadow and kills Kota and all his allies. The story ends with Starkiller's broken body being grafted with armor so he can serve as the Emperor's assassin until Palpatine finds a new apprentice. The game ends with Palpatine assuring Starkiller that he, like Vader, will be cast aside when he finds a new apprentice. The Infinities expansion content builds on this ending.^[14]
• If the player attacks and defeats Emperor Palpatine, Kota prevents Starkiller from killing Palpatine in hatred. Starkiller dies while absorbing the Emperor's renewed attack, but Kota and the senators escape. The Emperor and Vader look over Starkiller's corpse, concerned that he has become a martyr to inspire the newly formed Rebel Alliance. Senator Organa and the others agree to proceed with their rebellion and Leia decides to use Starkiller's family crest as the Rebellion's symbol. Outside, Juno talks to Kota, who tells her that among Starkiller's dark thoughts, Juno herself was one bright spot that he held onto right until his death.^[15] This is the ending depicted in the novelization and this was the canonical ending until Disney rebranded the extended universe into the non-canon "Star Wars Legends".