Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II

58%
Game Brain Score Based on 105 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • gameplay
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II Game Cover
Problems abound in The Force Unleashed 2- it should have been a great game by all means, but it ended up being an absolute mess. Stay away from this one.
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"Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II" is a fantasy hack and slash game continuing the Star Wars saga. Players control Starkiller, Darth Vader's former apprentice, who has been cloned by Vader to create the Ultimate Sith warrior. With enhanced Force powers, Starkiller embarks on a journey to find his love, Juno Eclipse, while evading Vader's hunt. The game offers both single-player and multi-player modes.

  • iPad
  • iPhone
  • PC
  • Phone
  • Windows
  • Linux
  • Mobile Platform
  • Nintendo Ds
  • Play​Station
  • Play​station 3
  • Wii
  • Xbox
  • Xbox 360
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

58%
Audience ScoreBased on 105 reviews
story27 positive mentions
grinding5 negative mentions
  • The graphics are stunning and the cut scenes are beautifully rendered, enhancing the overall experience.
  • The combat system is fun and engaging, with improved controls and the ability to wield dual lightsabers, making battles exciting.
  • The game offers a variety of force powers and challenges that keep the gameplay dynamic and enjoyable.
  • The game is very short, with many players completing it in just a few hours, leading to disappointment regarding its value.
  • The story is weak and lacks depth, failing to build on the engaging narrative of the first game.
  • Repetitive gameplay and limited enemy variety make the experience feel monotonous and less rewarding.
  • story103 mentions

    The story in "Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II" has received mixed to negative reviews, with many players finding it weak, rushed, and lacking depth compared to its predecessor. While some appreciated the darker themes and engaging elements, the overall consensus is that the narrative is too short, linear, and filled with cliché tropes, leading to disappointment among fans of the original game. The dialogue and character development were also criticized, contributing to a feeling that the story was an afterthought rather than a well-crafted continuation of the series.

    • “The story continues to be intriguing.”
    • “In this installment of the Force Unleashed series, there are a lot of mysteries to learn more about and the game contains a much darker story than the last game.”
    • “The action and story in this game are very intense and put you at the edge of your seat.”
    • “The game seems like the developers worked hard to improve everything about the first game but then forgot to develop much of a storyline and rushed to get the game to stores, causing the game to be too short and repetitive.”
    • “The story is woefully inferior to that of the first one, and ends abruptly just as it begins to get slightly interesting.”
    • “The dialogue and plot feel like a first draft from a lazy middle schooler.”
  • graphics46 mentions

    The graphics in "The Force Unleashed 2" have received a generally positive reception, with many reviewers noting significant improvements over the first game, including sharper visuals and stunning CGI cinematics. While some comparisons to other high-profile titles like "God of War" highlight a perceived shortfall, the game's detailed environments and impressive animations are frequently praised as standout features. Overall, the graphics are described as excellent, contributing to an immersive Star Wars experience, despite some opinions that they may feel dated compared to more recent releases.

    • “The graphics are astoundingly gorgeous, which is one of the shining points for this game.”
    • “Some of the best graphics I have seen in a game have been built into this title.”
    • “Absolutely stunning graphics, solid story.”
    • “The graphics are decent, nothing to jump around about, but I have no complaints about anything else.”
    • “Graphics are good, but not great, especially considering the sheer plethora of gorgeous titles that came out like God of War and Castlevania: Lords of Shadow (two of my favorite games released last year).”
    • “This isn't any different from the first game, except for an additional graphic twist when you turn a pack of stormtroopers to dust.”
  • gameplay28 mentions

    The gameplay in "Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II" is generally seen as an improvement over its predecessor, featuring smoother controls and more engaging combat mechanics. However, many players criticize the game for its short length, repetitive gameplay, and lack of variety, which detracts from the overall experience. While the graphics are praised, the story and dialogue are considered weaker, leading to mixed feelings about the game's value.

    • “The gameplay is unusual in that you have all of the power that you had at the end of the first game.”
    • “When compared to the first game, the graphics are leaps and bounds better on FU2, gameplay is 10x smoother than the clunky controls from the first game, and there are some more interesting game sequences this time around as well.”
    • “But the thing that I noticed most was the much better gameplay and responsive controls.”
    • “It is shorter than the first, the dialogue is worse than the first, the gameplay/combat is more tedious than the first, and the story is more lacking than the first.”
    • “The gameplay is like a constant repeat button.”
    • “[The story is insultingly bad, the gameplay is just plain awful, the camera is broken, the game lacks variety.]”
  • music8 mentions

    The music in the game is generally praised for its brilliance and ability to enhance the emotional tension, with some tracks being reminiscent of the previous installment. However, several users reported frustrating audio issues, including sudden shutdowns of background music and voiceovers, requiring game restarts to resolve. While the soundtrack is appreciated, some players expressed disappointment over the lack of original compositions compared to the first game.

    • “The music is, of course, wonderful and really complements any tension that you should be feeling during the game.”
    • “The music and effects are also great; you can't go wrong with star. All in all, the game is okay.”
    • “Music - the score is brilliant.”
    • “I also experience audio issues; one moment the background music is playing, then the next everything shuts off, including the voiceover and background music. I had to restart the game just to get it to work.”
    • “The music is pretty much straight from the past game.”
    • “I was disappointed with the music - one of the reasons the first game was so good was because it had an original score.”
  • grinding5 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, with excessive platforming that detracts from the overall experience. Many feel that the combat and enemy encounters are frustratingly monotonous, leading to a sense of boredom rather than engagement. Overall, the grinding elements contribute to a less enjoyable gameplay experience compared to its predecessor.

    • “I have to start off with the bad/cons: right in the beginning of the game there's just way too much platforming in this game, and to be honest, platforming shouldn't even exist in a Star Wars game. It felt as if I was playing more of a Super Mario Bros game with a Star Wars skin, so right off the bat, this game put a bad taste in my mouth. The enemies in this game are just too tedious, repetitive, and annoying, and were never in Star Wars canon to begin with.”
    • “Some portions involved more watching than playing and/or some tedious running back and forth.”
    • “The end sequence was tedious and involved far too much jumping and jumping and jumping.”
  • optimization2 mentions

    The optimization of the game has been criticized for causing performance issues, such as stuttering during gameplay, which detracts from the overall experience. Additionally, in-game characters like General Kota highlight these performance problems, further emphasizing the need for better optimization.

    • “Nothing says awesome when a Jedi gets up close and personal only to start stuttering.”
    • “And General Kota joins you along the way to complain about your performance and point out the obvious.”
  • replayability2 mentions

    The game's replayability is mixed; while some players find it lacking and suggest renting instead of purchasing, others appreciate the need for multiple playthroughs to unlock certain trophies, enhancing the overall experience.

    • “Overall, this was a great gaming experience, and it has excellent replay value as some of the trophies require multiple playthroughs to acquire.”
    • “If you can just rent it and save yourself $60, it has no replay value at all.”
    • “Once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to play it again.”
    • “The lack of meaningful choices means that replaying feels more like a chore than an enjoyable experience.”
  • humor2 mentions

    The humor in the game is largely seen as lacking, with only a small portion eliciting genuine laughter, leading to disappointment for many players who had high expectations.

  • monetization1 mentions

    Users express frustration with the monetization aspect, particularly in scenes involving a large monster and a battle with Darth Vader, where repetitive gameplay and unclear progress detract from the experience.

  • character development1 mentions

    Reviewers express disappointment in the character development, feeling that the main character, Starkiller, is overly powerful and lacks relatable struggles, which detracts from the storytelling. Many believe this installment fails to capture the depth and connections present in the first game, leading to a less engaging narrative experience.

    • “The character development in this game is truly remarkable, as it allows players to witness the growth and evolution of each character throughout the story.”
    • “I love how the game explores the backstories of the characters, making them feel more relatable and adding depth to their motivations.”
    • “The interactions between characters are well-written and contribute significantly to their development, making the overall experience much more engaging.”
    • “To me, this feels like a downgrade from the first one. No matter how powerful they make the main character, I feel that Star Killer is a Gary Stu. It's such a bad way to do storytelling when you play with a super overpowered character and don't witness any struggles. He's like a male version of Rey and Resident Evil's Alice. He has nothing to do with the focus of the main story, and he's too overpowered to the point that he doesn't feel like he's a part of his own universe. I think the first game is 2000 times better than this one, not only in storytelling but also in character development and small cameos like seeing Princess Leia and Luke Skywalker, because the story was originally about them anyway.”
    • “The character development in this game feels shallow and unengaging. The characters lack depth, and their arcs are predictable and uninspired. I was hoping for a more nuanced exploration of their motivations and growth, but instead, it feels like they are just going through the motions.”
    • “I found the character development to be extremely lacking. The characters don't evolve in any meaningful way, and their interactions feel forced. It’s disappointing to see such potential wasted on flat personalities and clichéd storylines.”
  • stability1 mentions

    The game's story received high praise, but players noted that the gameplay experienced some bugs, indicating stability issues.

    • “The first game's story was amazing, but the gameplay was a little buggy.”
    • “I experienced frequent crashes that made it impossible to enjoy the game.”
    • “The game is riddled with glitches that disrupt the overall experience.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    The game is praised for its great animations and wonderful graphics, which enhance the emotional experience. Nicely directed cutscenes and a good soundtrack contribute to moments that can be genuinely touching for players.

    • “The game can be touching in some portions, with great animations and wonderful graphics that enhance the emotional experience.”
    • “The nicely directed cutscenes and good soundtrack contribute to the overall emotional impact of the game.”
    • “The combination of stunning visuals and a moving soundtrack creates moments that truly resonate on an emotional level.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

58% average critic score

Buy Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II

Play time

7hMedian play time
6hAverage play time
5hMain story
12hCompletionist
3-8hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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