TFU2 is nowhere near the disaster some make it to be. An in-depth look at this entertaining but imperfect game.
I had no expectations for TFU2 other than hoping to have a good time. I did not play the demo, but I had enjoyed TFU1 while it lasted, in spite of some of its flaws. Some were major, like loading times in-between menus and the frustrating force grip targeting system. These last two are no longer in TFU2, and this alone should welcome praises.
The first level sees you on Kamino, the planet that houses cloning centers, a planet we first saw in Attack of the Clones (Episode II). Gorgeous and stunning in its splendor, you are pulled in immediately. There is no doubt in my mind (and I say this as a PC gamer first and foremost who owns a very powerful machine) that TFU2 is one of the most beautiful games I have ever played. The cutscenes are all breathtaking and wonderfully voiced. Intertwined with the iconic William score and the great sound effects we have come to expect from LucasArts games, the production value of TFU2 is sky high.
Things start going downhill when it comes to gameplay. All force powers received graphical overhauls and the same great moves and combos are now doubly elegant. However, the combo purchasing/upgrading system no longer exists. The only available upgrades concern force powers now, which to me, is a disappointment as well. In this day and age, we see developers dumbing systems down. Why? I have no idea. We saw this in Mass Effect 2, we are seeing this happen in Dragon Age 2, and countless other games. If the first game is wildly successful, what makes you think simplifying an already OK system will improve sales on the sequel? It makes no sense. I welcomed the various passive ability upgrades you could buy in TFU1 as well. I miss the customization. The costumes in TFU2 are however just as good. There are no longer any saber power crystals. Instead, various bonuses are embedded within the color crystals. You cannot only use one saber, but you can apply a different crystal to each and mix/match colors and bonuses.
For reasons I neither comprehend or grasp, many people and critics alike bashed the story of the original game. Whereas many thought it was devoid of any soul, I thought it was one of the most enticing and poignant story to be delivered in a Star Wars setting in years. In fact, it was the best story ever since Darth Revan and Malak were introduced in KOTOR in 2003. The birth of the Rebel Alliance isn't some small thing and it was wonderful to see it come to life. TFU2's lacks in that department. It has emotional and appealing moments, but it's much more of a throwaway plot than the first game. While not as good as its predecessor, the storytelling succeeds in pulling you in and serves as a useful accessory to the main point of the game: make you feel like a kick-ass and powerful Jedi.
In the ass kicking department, TFU2 delivers. Sure, the gameplay is repetitive. Yes, it might lack originality at times and you might linger for new bad guys. But it is elegant. It is empowering. And it's freaking cool.
Starkiller's animations are fluid and stylish, even more so than the first game. He makes good use of his second saber and even though you might get tired after many hours, you WILL admire the cool factor of his moves. This is especially true of the finisher moves, which are more varied and even cooler than in the first game.
Force furry is a new power that was introduced in TFU2. Simply put, it feels like the temporary damage upgrade Sith Holocrons provided in TFU1, but times a hundred. You move and slash differently, and you feel ridiculously overpowered when that mode is active. AT-ST will feel like puny little ants when you play in furry mode, and that is a good thing. The game is simply too easy on anything under hard mode though, but the latter will give you a healthy challenge, although some of the tricks your enemies will use will sometimes feel cheap.
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| GAMEPLAY | 5.5
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Much like I felt in inFamous, TFU2 suffers from repetitious gameplay and monotone world designs. There is no doubt this game feels repetitive at times, as you'll basically be unleashing the same combos over and over again. This "flaw", however, is almost inherent to the genre. Some combos are simply extremely cool to perform or watch.
Bosses are more interesting than in TFU1 and the finisher moves even more extravagant. You'll meet more or less the same Stormtrooper types than in the original. Dual lightsabers work well. Force Lightning feels weaker than in the first game, and since it was your bread and butter power, it is slightly disappointing, but just slightly.
In the end though, the combat feels extremely bitter at times. Some of the bosses are just tedious and boring (especially one of them, the Garog) and the tougher enemies are just too tedious to take down to make it fun in the end game.
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| VISUALS | 9.5
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If a 10 should be reserved for revolutionary engines such as we saw in Crysis, then this game EASILY deserves a 9.5. Quality cut scenes the likes of which Blur studios produce are expensive to make and it is obvious a lot of money went into them. The engine is smooth (I did notice a few slowdowns though) and the force powers all received pleasing graphic overhauls. The worlds are wonderfully detailed and overall, this game is jaw-dropping gorgeous. As an avid PC gamer who owns a very powerful watercooled machine, I was very impressed by the visuals of TFU2, and that's saying something.
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| SOUND | 9.0
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Typically good for a LucasArts game. William's score can be heard throughout, the voice acting is simply top notch and the sound effects on par with the best games out there. Not much else to add here, other than with the visuals combined, the quality of TFU2's production is top notch.
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| PRESENTATION | 6.0
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No more loading times in-between menus is already a massive advantage over the first. This was by far the most annoying factor in TFU1 for me. Waiting to upgrade powers or customize your saber was simply unacceptable in this generation of consoles. However, the simplified upgrade system is a shame, as I liked the ability to purchase new combos and passive abilities in TFU1. The menus, although more responsive, feel generic. The saber customization system removed power crystals and rather includes bonuses for each different color. You can have a different crystal on each saber if you so want. The silver crystal that came as a bonus with pre-orders is amazingly cool as well (both in its damage bonus and looks).
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| LASTING VALUE | 5.0
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On my first playthrough on hard mode, as I took my time to absorb the scenery, explore around to find the Holocrons and make sure I didn't miss anything, I beat the game within 7 hours (and I stretched it to its very maximum). There is no doubt that this game is short – way too short, and the lack of multiplayer is unacceptable for a second entry in a series. Lasting appeal is the game's biggest shortcoming. It is much shorter than the first and even though there is plenty of customization to be had with costumes and sabers, the simplification of the upgrade system makes it less desirable to play again. However, any Star Wars fan (or TFU1 fan) who loved replaying the original just to feel badass again will find the same guilty pleasure in this entry.
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| CONCLUSION
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There is no doubt in my mind that TFU2 is a MUST-PLAY game. Whether it is a "must-own" game will depend on how you felt about TFU1. Any Star Wars fan will appreciate the game, that much I can say. A rental might suit you just fine considering the game's length, but since the dev team was dismantled following LucasArt's recent announcement that no more Star Wars game would be produced in the near future, I feel happy and content with my purchase, even if I had to pony up the money for the CE.
It is galaxies away from a perfect game. But as imperfect as The Force Unleashed II is, it's fun and entertaining for the time it lasts and you will not soon forget the feeling of being this powerful of a Jedi. I had the urge to reinstall Jedi Academy or replay TFU1 again.
My opinion of TFU2 is neither biased or prejudicial. I feel it is just as good as inFamous, which in my opinion, suffered from the same repetitiveness as this game and its predecessor. Obviously the critics did not agree with me about inFamous (you can read my review if you want) and they might not agree about this one either, but TFU2 is nowhere near as bad as some reviewers say it is. If you are to be objective in reviewing a game, you should ignore the hype and judge it according to the same standards as any other game, and this is what I have done.
Whether through a rental or a purchase, you should definitely play TFU2.
FINAL MARK: 6.9/10
Good