91
The Onion (A.V. Club)
The Force Unleashed is simply the best thing to happen to the Star Wars franchise in decades.
88
Game Informer
The gameplay is electric and fun, and the plethora of awesome new enemy types will make Star Wars action figure collectors salivate.
85
Pelit (Finland)
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed takes the use of the force to a new level. Sometimes all the overpowering abilities can make the game feel a bit too easy, but luckily the balance is usually well preserved. It would've been fun to see a bit more lightsaber action, but Force Unleashed is still entertainingly fast and furious ride where you finally get to do something real with force. Throwing stormtroopers to chasms with force grip just never gets old. [Sept 2008]
85
WonderwallWeb
Force Unleashed is one of the finest Star Wars games to hit consoles yet. A must buy for Star Wars fans the world over.
80
DailyGame
As a Star Wars video game, The Force Unleashed just takes too many missteps to be a masterpiece. But as Star Wars canon, The Force Unleashed does very little wrong.
80
GamingTrend
While the Force Unleashed might not completely live up to the incredible hype befitting a Star Wars title, it is still a worthy entry into the Universe.
80
Official Xbox Magazine UK
This isn't just another franchise game: it's the closest thing that you'll ever get to a sequel to the movies. It's not the cleverest game ever made, but there's certainly enough excitement, intrigue and massive explosions to keep you interested. [Oct 2008, p.74]
79
3DJuegos
Despite of being repetitive, The Force Unleashed is a really interesting action title. The AI defects and the reiterative form of resolving combats are aspects which should not distract us from the fact that the videogame is attractive, ambitious and full of action.
76
Xbox World 360 Magazine UK
The Force Unleashed is more of a highly impressive tech demo with a great narrative tagged on, with any actual game present inserted only as an afterthought.
75
GameSpot
When the game caters to its strengths, it soars; when it deviates, it flounders. Regardless, it's still a more than worthy entry in a long line of licensed Star Wars games, and a good action game in its own right.
75
Official Xbox Magazine
With its non-branching storyline and no multiplayer, Force Unleashed is certainly less ambitious than the classic "Jedi Knight" games - and ultimately, its design makes it feel more videogame-y and less of an all-engrossing Star Wars experience than Xbox entries like "Jedi Knight II" or "Jedi Academy." But when the game is on, it's on. [Oct 2008, p.70]
73
IGN
Uninspired level design and some tedious enemy battles mar an experience that gives you power over the Force like we've never really seen before. While it's far from perfect, Star Wars fans will find that it's worth playing through simply for its story and the ability to use the Force in fairly awesome ways.
70
GamePro
Make no mistake: you can have a lot of fun with The Force Unleashed. [Oct 2008, p.88]
70
games(TM)
By even allowing the choice between simple hack-and-slash gameplay and the more complex mix-up combos, LucusArrts has ensured that many will never view the title’s full potential. [Oct 2008, p.104]
70
EuroGamer
As a fan you will want to experience what The Force Unleashed has to offer. It's just a shame that while there are occasional moments of brilliance when everything falls into place, they're not quite enough to back up the game's delusions of grandeur.
70
X360 Magazine UK
The combat is fun and visually rewarding, if a little glitchy, but at the end of the day it's Star Wars, you probably already know if you're going to enjoy this game. [Issue#37, p.80]
70
GameDaily
The fancy technology powering the experience is impressive, as is the performance by actors who lent their voices and likenesses to the game's pivotal characters. That's mixed with rote game mechanics -- hack, slash, fight big boss, level ends -- that can easily grow tiresome, and a leveling up system that's more distraction than a way to create a customized character.
69
GameTrailers
It initially delivers on its promise, but it erodes over time due to the monotony and meager difficulty that discourages exploring the combat’s complexity.
56
Electronic Gaming Monthly
An ambitious--yet ultimately dissatisfying--effort. [Oct 2008, p.82]
50
1UP
A more appropriate name would've been "Star Wars: The Force Mildly Contained" -- rarely does the Force truly feel like the ultimate weapon, something that separates you (Darth Vader's not-so-secret apprentice) from the rabble of stormtroopers, Rodians, and Felucians.
50
Wired
It's all the more disappointing because you can see, mired in the boring levels and bad cameras, glimpses of fun ideas.
