Fantastic game, possibly hurt by the hype however.
It has met and exceeded my expectations. I have been excited about this game since I first saw the 'Force Power Pre-Viz' video back in '05(think it was summer of 05 right?)
Many glitches, yes, but I have yet to encounter any to render the game unplayable. Stupid AI glitches where some NPCs will get stuck in the geometry of the level, or caught between two boxes. A few cases where enemies will turn their back to me and simply ignore the fact I am right there. Some boss fights can be ridiculously difficult, to the point where you feel their onslaught is outright cheap; they will knock you off your feet, and wait for the very moment you are about to get back up, to step on you and keep you down again.
The graphics are stunning, to truly appreciate the beautiful artwork put into this game, you really need a high-def TV capable of 1080i. Playing on a 50" plasma, I am still in awe when I see the subtle touches put into the character models. From the scars across Starkiller's back and chest, to pattern of the fabric of his pants and shirt. The textures of the faces could use some work however, the eyes look cloudy and lifeless. The facial mapping and motion capture of the muscles in the face do add a bit more believability and immersion.
The level design, while linear, is very good. The palettes and textures borrowed directly from ILM give the environments a very Star Warsy feel. The huge backdrops when looking out a window, or at the skyline, give the levels a feel of epic proportion.
LA's access to the Star Wars sound library, makes every blaster shot, hum of a lighsaber, screech of a TIE, yell of a stormie, sound absolutely authentic, practically pulled straight out of the movies. Dolby 5.1 surround with bass cranked way up is totally heart stopping. Borrowing pieces composed by John Williams, (and a few new compositions) makes the soundtrack an instant classic.
Given all the technology being employed all at once, it is a marvel this game runs at all. There are plenty of times where there may be too many physics calculations going on at once, for the framerate to keep up, but it barely dips under 30fps, noticeable yes, but not game stopping. I've got it for 360, and just from reports I've read, the PS3 handles the game only slightly worse. (<- if somebody can prove or debunk that with reference, I'd be appreciative)
On to the core gameplay. Has a feel about it like the Jedi Knight games had, and that is a good thing. (while we are on the topic of JK)There are obvious reasons while dismemberment was left out, to balance the gameplay, and to keep a T rating, thus selling more copies to a wider audience. The lightsaber does feel like a glowing wiffle bat; to make the saber a one-hit kill weapon would render combos redundant, and make the gameplay TOO easy.
The force powers work (and look) great, when you can use them on what you intend. The aiming reticule is non-existent and instead you will lock on to what Starkiller is facing, NOT what is in the center of the screen. If there are too many objects around, and you are trying to pick up that one guy and throw him, you may sometimes feel like force-pushing your TV through the wall.
The hack and slash gameplay is very familiar to God of War and Devil May Cry fans. Speaking of GOW, the quick-time events used to finish off bosses are ripped off and copied into TFU. While not very creative, the result is definitely fun and satisfying to watch.
My only REAL gripe, is the fact menus have to load for a few seconds everytime you open them up (even just for general options, ***?!) No clue why, but it could have and SHOULD have been fixed. The short wait is not that bad, but only slightly annoying.
All in all, not perfect, but not bad by any means. Certainly fun and entertaining. And with two separate endings, should last you a good 13+ hours.
love and we were not that impressed, though I admit after waiting around for a few years, it was bit anti-climatic, I guess.
