Star Wars: Force Unleashed on iPhone Review

The company I’m currently working for bought a new iPhone 3G a couple of weeks ago. Of course, as expected, we downloaded all the cool stuff we can find from the app store. One of our programmers came across the iPhone version of Star Wars: Force Unleashed and downloaded the game. Being an avid fan of the franchise, I took a break from excreting creative juices and played the game.

Now Force Unleashed for the iPhone has already been in the market for a good 5 months now, but I just can’t help myself but write about it after I’ve played through the thing. There are a lot of reviews already out there and chances are you’ve already read at least one of them (that is if 1: you own an iPhone 2: you’re interested in the game). But I’ll write my own review nonetheless (you may not like what I’m going to say).

To start things off, Star Wars: Force Unleashed for the iPhone can be summed up in one sentence; It’s an interactive movie that makes you focus more on what you’re doing or going to do rather than focusing on the game, oh, and it’s a shame that you control a Sith with a lightsaber because you won’t even realize you’re actually controlling a sith with a lightsaber. I’ll break down my review in a more traditional approach.

Star Wars: Force Unleashed

Graphics:
Being on the iPhone, it’s understandable that the game doesn’t feature top-notch 3D graphics. Still, the developers made great work on the game’s backgrounds; they’re all pre-rendered works of art. The feel of the Star Wars universe was really captured in the 2D backgrounds throughout the whole game. That being said, the game uses scene-by-scene transitions (much like how the first Resident Evil works) to deliver the story and to progress through the game. Now, with the characters, they’re 3D quality is (most of the time) tolerable except for a few notable characters whose heads are a bit larger than usual. Take for example Darth Vader, whose looks as if Krang (from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) was shoved up into his helmet. His head is just out of proportion. I find this particularly funny, and disturbing (not at the same time).

Sounds:
The sounds in Force Unleashed are unmistakeably Star Wars. You’ll hear blaster fire, lightsaber deflecting blaster fire, familiar force power sounds, licensed Star Wars music as well as music that was made for the game. You’ll realize it’s a Star Wars game even if you close your eyes.

Gameplay:
Here’s the good part. The gameplay in Force Unleashed on the iPhone uses an innovative use of the touch screen controls. You’ll use force grip and throw enemies off the sides of walkways, deflect blaster fire back to the shooter, use force heal on yourself, and the like, all by drawing lines on the touch screen. The bad part, the innovation fades around 10 minutes of playing. Aside from having no direct control over Galen Marek (no directional movement, no forward or backward, no attack this attack that, no lightsaber throw, no lightsaber swing, no control at all), the touch screen mechanics will grow a bit old too fast, it will eventually become repetitive and frustrating. There will be a point where you will encounter a Jedi Master in the person of Master Kota, both of you will end up force throwing crates instead of swinging lightsabers frantically. Imagine facing a Jedi Master and just standing there waiting for him to lift crates so you can throw a crate in his face -> boring. Where are the sparks from two lightsabers clashing? Nowhere..

Fight with Master Kota

Story:
The story of Force Unleashed is short, period. It spans 6 chapters and about 1 hour worth of playtime. The story feels summarized and it’s over sooner than you’d think. It’s even shorter than Yoda’s lightsaber. It’s quite expected considering it’s for a mobile phone.

Overall, Star Wars: Force Unleahsed for the iPhone feels rushed and incomplete. It costs $5.99. Go buy Pacman. It’s the same price but twice more addictive and will last your iPhone’s lifetime.