Star Wars The Force Unleashed Review

Anannya Sen’s Review

Etch a Sketch Star Wars anyone?

I've heard that Star Wars: The Force Unleashed isn't that great on console. It's still sitting on my table while I try and finish Everybody's Golf so I wouldn't be able to comment on that, But I can comment on the mobile version, and from what I played of it, it's not that great.

Sure, I know George Lucas has actually sanctioned the story for the game but at the end of the day if the game doesn't live up to the story, then what's the point. According to the manufacturers blurb the new Cellweaver control system lets you really feel and use the Force. Errm, no.

Basically you have to draw shapes using your keypad. And that about sums up the whole game. Ok, I'll go into a bit more detail, but that's really it. The Cellweaver system is 9 points which correspond to the 9 keys on your phone. You press the keys to draw lines and shapes kind of like that game where you have a grid of dots and have to draw boxes to win.

So let's say you want to draw a vertical line, well, you need to press 2 then 8 or 8 then 2, it doesn't matter. Once you have drawn the correct line, press 0 to confirm it. The shapes vary quite a bit, and start off simple but get complex. You have V shapes, sigma shapes, diamonds and various other more complex things to draw.

Why am I talking about drawing when this is a Star Wars game? Well this is how you use the Force and this is all you have to do. Each level is stationary so you never move. Enemies come towards you and will fire at you. You should deflect most shots automatically with your lightsaber. But to get rid of the enemy you have to draw the shape above their head. Yep, above their head will be a line, tick or sigma shape or some other such thing.

The green shapes are to get rid of enemies and the blue shapes are to use the Force on them. To use the Force you have to store it, which means making more shapes. Again. The Force abilities marry up to the game, so there is a force push, objects flying at them, lightning and even the jedi mind trick. Once you have made the shapes if you use the Force shape (remember, blue shape above enemies head, not green), then you will use the maximum of the Force ability you have stored.

There are boss battles too, where the bosses will try and attack you. How do you defend? You make shapes. AGAIN. That's right, you will see red shapes floating towards you, make the shape before they get to you or you will get hit. If you're thinking that what if I have to make the same shape twice as there are 2 of the same one on the screen, well at least the game isn't that bad. If you make a shape, then all the same shapes on the screen are affected. Once you have blocked the boss' attacks, and got rid of his defenses (making shapes again), you can attack him by making another shape and using your Force powers.

Some of the levels try to mix it up and you have to free Wookies and blast rocks, but these still all involve making shapes. After a while you will get used to the repetitiveness of the shapes you are making and your fingers will fly over your keypad faster than Clark Kent can type.

In between each level the story chugs along at a merry pace and some familiar characters make an appearance. The cellweaver thing is ok, but a few incorrect button presses and you have to start again as there is no back or delete button. This is annoying when I pressed the wrong buttons for the shape, in this instance you have to press 0 to submit it, then as it's wrong it gets wiped and you start again a microsecond later.

With all this shape making going on, you never really get time to enjoy what's going on in the game. Using the Force is cool, especially lifting people in the air (and watching them squirm), throwing down lightning at them or making them shoot each other. Graphics are pretty good, but nothing spectacular and the sound has a Star Wars sounding tune, but apart from the intro, is not that recognisable.

This could have been a great game if maybe you could move around and only have to make the shapes for the big boss battles. Or if you had first person view of the boss battles and the shapes resulted in you seeing you fight with your lightsaber in slow motion.

But nope, you don't move at all and even at the end, you are still making shapes. Could I have said the word shapes any more times in this review? This wasn't for me.