Though imperfect, great art, a terrific story, and epic boss battles make it worth at least a rental.
Bad: Glitches, some hit-detection and platforming issues, repetitive combat, cheap deaths, frequent loading screens, unreliable targeting, disappointing level-up system.
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is not a game for everyone. It is a game that will generate lots of angry debate amongst the geekiest of science fiction and gaming fans. On the one hand, its well-written story (an unusual occurrence when dealing with LucasArts), well-designed force engine, and great boss battles will have Star Wars fans flocking to its defense. On the other hand, more casual action gamers who are more detached from the series will condemn it for its grievous glitches, sloppy platforming, and repetitive gameplay. Regardless of any reviewer's individual opinion, both viewpoints are accurate. It is just a matter of what you expect to find yourself in the debate that should determine whether this game is worth shilling out full sticker price to own or a mere fraction just to rent. Either way, any action gamer or Star Wars fan should at least give it a chance.
I don't want to spend a lot of time repeating much of what has already been said, so I'll be somewhat brief. The art direction is fantastic. It immerses you deeply in the Star Wars universe, but is so endearing that even gamers who lack an affinity for the series will be taken in by it. Blasters, explosions, alien words, and detailed characters make it a joy to behold. The story will appeal mostly to fans, as it does not bother to fill in gaps that non-fans will likely have in their understanding of the sequence of events. However, the story is absolutely fantastic. It has character development, intrigue, love, hatred, loyalty, and betrayal. Its canon ending ties the gapes in the series together so well that it's hard to imagine the Star Wars history without it. As for the non-canon ending... well, it may not get the Lucas Seal of Approval, but it does deliver a potential character that easily rivals Darth Vader in mechanistic vileness. As the main character, you will find yourself surrendering to the powers you control as you make playthings of your enemies. The game's best moments come when the player learns to combine multiple force powers and interactions with the environment to create some truly chaotic moments. Never before has the force felt this fluid and powerful. Perhaps the best moments in the combat come from the boss battles, which in contrast to the rest of the in-game combat, require strategy and forethought. Trying to bulldoze through the game's bosses on anything but the easiest difficulty level will quickly have the player tucking his/her proverbial tail between his/her legs and slinking away in shame.
Speaking of shame, the game does have its flaws, as others have stated. Glitches... yes, glitches. Despite millions of dollars, a big team, years of development, at times the game feels more like a beta than a finished product. Hit detection issues (e.g. stormtroopers no longer responding to lightsaber attacks), physics clipping and unusual bugs that may even force a restart can definitely mar the experience. Such problems are intensified by the fact that the environment is so immersive... being jarred out of the fantasy feels even more so of a violation. The gameplay has some flaws as well. Combat can get repetitive, and although bringing down a Rancor is jaw-dropping and riveting the first time you do it, the fifth time begins to feel a tad ho-hum. On top of that, in contrast to the clever strategies required for bosses, fighting regular enemies usually leaves the player relying on a few choice moves over and over again, despite the large repertoire of combos available to player. Enemies can gang up on you and strike you when your down, and considering how long it can take your character to return to a standing position after being felled, this could mean the end of your journey. This cheap gang attack tactic becomes a real issue in the final stage, in which you begin surrounded by a selection of the most difficult foes available. It's during these times when the player is frantically using force power. But these crowded situations usually make the user misaim and use up all of his/her available force energy, leaving the main character vulnerable to inevitable death. Finally, the leveling up system is somewhat underwhelming. Despite the ability to unlock new moves, the actual leveling-up process feels very gradual. Non-existent are those "wow" moments from other games when the player surpasses that invisible threshold and passes from a fleeing victim to an unstoppable killing machine. Especially by the later levels, the player is constantly trying to keep up with the steepening challenge of the game's enemies. Granted, replaying older levels can help place the leveling in perspective and show the player how much power he/she has ascertained, but considering the point of the game is to make the player feel powerful, the development team could have made this point better. I would cite The Darkness as a game that executed the "unstoppable killing machine" theme more effectively.
So yes, the game has both its good points and bad points. Both sides of the incredibly geeky argument over this game have viable support for their claims. Overall however, in this reviewer's opinion, the game is worth at least a look for anyone who considers himself/herself an action gamer. This holds even truer for Star Wars fans, who will be wondering how they were able to close the gaps between the trilogies before this canon chapter of the story came along. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is far from perfect, and it will not gain (nor does it necessarily deserve) universal acclaim, but it is worth at least a moment--or weekend--of your time. Star Wars fans will be able to say that they've added a fun and powerful chapter of their favorite science fiction series to their video game collection. Everyone else will be able to say they flung an electrically-charged Jawa into a stormtrooper and made it explode. And that, my friends, is what geeky action gaming is all about.
Happy Jedi hunting.