Star Wars: The Force Unleashed

Xbox 360, and everything else, ever.
The Force, tethered.
Aiming to blow your mind with the power of the Force™, The Force Unleashed is the latest chapter in the merchandising juggernaut/contemporary mythology know as Star Wars. Bridging the gap between the sucky prequels and the original beauts, it tells the tale of Darth Vader's secret apprentice and his initial mission to rid the universe of the remaining Jedi.
Pitched as an 'awesome' take on the Force, the emphasis is on over-the-top powers that sees the young Sith make all the Jedi in the films look a tad lame while at the same time ramping everything else in the Star Wars universe up to 11.
Playing like a cross between Ninja Gaiden and Psi-Ops, The Force Unleashed is all about getting creative with your Light Sabre and your telekinetic and electric super powers. Combining stunning graphics and audio with some incredible physics and animation systems, it's a spectacle to behold, particularly when you're chucking panicking Stormtroopers around with your Force Grip.
When it works, it works really well, nailing that '30 seconds of fun' gameplay hook that made Halo so great. When it doesn't, it's a painful and tedious experience hampered by the Force Grip's awful auto-targetting, an unwieldy camera and dispiriting 'balancing' features such as Force resistant shielding that ultimately render you only slightly unleashed.
Boss fights too are a lesson in frustration, highlighting how weak the Light Sabre combat is by forcing you to defeat them cinematically through sequences that require the player to mimic on-screen button prompts instead of skilled sword play. The opportunity to destroy a Star Destroyer with your mind should have been one of gaming's greatest moments. Instead it's enough to turn you to the Dark Side thanks to some shocking design.
Considering the convoluted plots of Phantom Menace etc, it's particularly refreshing to admit that while the gameplay can be lacking, The Force Unleashed is at least a good yarn that for once lives up to its heritage. Supported by some excellent voice acting and well rounded characters, it's classic stuff with twists and turns at every step and probably the main reason you'll fight on through to its revelatory end.
7/10