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Review by alienmastermind
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Well, I must say that a lot has kept me from writing about video games. Namely, writing and drawing Dipswitch for the site. But, I digress. The latest in the Star Wars branded video games, The Force Unleashed, is a masterpiece. I've wanted to dismember this damned game. But each time I play, it reminds me what happens when George Lucas just oversees his stories being put together NOT in the director's chair.
I did a comic on this not too long ago, asking what the hell is wrong with both Shigeru Miyamoto and Georgie Boy. The answer is what Yahtzee at Zero Punctuation calls 'Auteur Syndrome'. And both of these men have a terminal case of it. The Force Unleashed IS Star Wars done exactly right. There are nits to be picked, of course, but the game doesn't play fair with your emotions if you're a Star Wars fan.
To begin with, the game starts you off as Darth Vader. He's not unlockable, and he's not kidding around, either. Darth Vader opens a massive can of whoop-ass on Kashyyk, and you get a good, hard look at the reason why people are terrified of the Dark Lord of the Sith in Episode IV. And, everything you've heard about flinging Wookiees to their deaths is absolutely true.
The main character is a sullen, brooding and abused Force user code-named 'Starkiller', a nod to the original name of Luke and Leia's original surname. He's also called the Hidden Apprentice, which is more accurate a description of this character. The boy has been 'raised' by Darth Vader, and is covered in the wounds to prove it, giving you the idea that maybe it's for the best Padme and Obi-Wan hid the kids from this guy.
The story is fantastic, and the reason I'd compare this game to God of War is that its style and tone are similar, as well as the character you play being an engine of destruction. I won't go on to describe the fine details, as it's like spoiling a movie. Instead let's talk about gameplay. 
Gameplay
See that?
This is just the first level. You're flinging guys around using the Force like they stole your blue milk money.
The controls are fairly simple: Right stick controls the camera, and the left controls movement. Both sticks are employed to move a Force controlled object around in three dimensional space. The game utilizes an upgrade system to both your lightsaber and your Force abilities and combos, much like God of War, and playing through a second time is MUCH more fun once you've unlocked the powers and abilities of the Apprentice.
There are also costume changes available for your character, as well as cosmetic AND power crystal options for your lightsaber. The gameplay could be better in terms of spaz-play. If you have ADHD, and are looking to just run in and slaughter a bunch of Stormtroopers, you'll be pleased mostly. You'd probably give this game an 8.5, since spazzing out and running through the game causes the AI to do strange things. Also, if you spazz out and don't direct your Force grab ability, you set the AI to a neutral state after grabbing them, at which point they try to get their bearings, but this takes a long time. I can see how people would see it as 'just standing there'.
But! Most grabs on an opponent, once you've flung them, they're brown bread. They will hit stuff, bounce off it, and send to you green orbs of health.
There are segments that are sort of 'jump puzzles' but these are only to obtain extra items or the collectible Holocrons. Which, I might add, are MUCH easier to get than the version 1 Holocrons in Galaxies. (Shout out to all my O.G. Scout, Miner, Bounty Hunters out there).
And, there's a lot of griping about the Star Destroyer sequence. With a good reason. It's broken. But if you're going to let one thing keep you from this game, let me let YOU in on a little secret. The last command for bringing down the Star Destroyer is the opposite of what you actually have to do. Trust your instinct to keep the ship level and it will work out fine. It's only anti-climactic if you don't attempt to Force Grab stuff and be a badass. If you scuttle behind debris and hide, yeah, it's a little boring.
Graphics and Sound
The LucasArts team had access to all of the ILM goodies from the recent Star Wars films. The sound is brilliant, and the score for the game is exactly what you'd expect from a team that worships the Star Wars franchise. It's as good as the incidental music from KotOR, and that's high praise.
The graphics are phenomenal, with the exception of the occasional lip-synch idiosyncracies, and everything looks like a concept painting come to glorious ILM enriched life.
Overall 
This is the game that Star Wars fans are looking for. It's fun, it's well-told, and it has characters that everyone will care about. Most of all...IT'S CANON. This is the actual bridge between the prequels and original films. So, if you have a hankering to wield the Force, pick this game up. Download the Demo if you don't believe me. Though, understand that you're VERY powered up in the demo, which is about half the first level, with a few chopped cutscenes.
Great game.
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You make it sound like they were expecting too much, and not enjoying the game for what it is. I believe I just moved it back onto my buy list - altho I may wait until the price drops a little, considering there are so many other great games to play right now!