For as great as Jedi: Survivor is, The Force Unleashed was pacing a trail long before Cal Kestus hit the scene.
When we look back at some of the best Star Wars games, The Force Unleashed is one of the biggest names that come to mind. The 2008 action title from LucasArts was the first big step forward into delivering on the Jedi Knight fantasy since the Dark Forces series, and it did it all through a new character detached from the baggage of the existing series: Starkiller.
What made The Force Unleashed so special all those years ago was the amount of player freedom that it offered. Unlike the Jedi Knight series, this game was all about delivering on the brutality of a Dark Side Force wielder. That’s because, unlike Jedi: Survivor’s Cal Kestis, Starkiller is no Jedi, but the adopted apprentice of Darth Vader himself. It’s one of the few times that the series ever let loose and fully let you experience what taking a darker path could be like, and it was incredible.
Even for a game released in 2008, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed wasn’t exactly leading in the visuals or environmental design departments. If you’re used to the polish of the likes of Jedi: Fallen Order, then diving back into this one might make for a rough experience. However, the developers how to utilize the Ronin engine effectively, which meant that what it lacked in details made up for in environmental destructibility and interaction. Starkiller was able to manipulate his surroundings in ways that made you feel truly powerful.
Where Respawn’s Star Wars: Jedi series is more concerned with delivering stunning cinematic visuals and emotional storytelling, The Force Unleashed was more straightforward in what it gave you.
