In the world of video games, there's a notion that bigger is better, with many modern AAA titles boasting epic stories spanning hours upon hours, or potentially even days' worth of playtime. And while games like this can be incredible and rewarding experiences for those who can put in the time, recent years have seen an increased demand -- particularly on social media -- for games that are actually shorter.
It's not exactly hard to see why, either. While video games have a massive audience of children, teenagers and even elderly players, the majority of gamers are working adults who don't necessarily have the spare time and energy to invest in super-long games. With that in mind, it seems an appropriate time to reassess a certain AAA game that was initially criticized and dismissed as being "too short" following its initial launch: Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II.
The sequel to 2008's Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, The Force Unleashed II released in October of 2010. However, while The Force Unleashed was met with mostly positive reviews and maintains a respectable following, its sequel wound up being more controversial among fans and critics alike.
One of the major reasons The Force Unleashed II was met with mixed reception at launch was that its main story is pretty short, both in comparison to its predecessor and in general. It moves at a breakneck pace, and playing it from beginning to end should only take most players around four to five hours at most -- especially if they've already played the first game. Even those with less experience probably won't have too much trouble finishing it in well under 10 hours.
The first Force Unleashed isn't really that much longer in the grand scheme of things, with the average completion time hovering around eight hours. But with the once-anticipated sequel noticeably cutting that down, some fans were left unimpressed. And, to be fair, there are valid reasons for that.
2010 falls smack in the middle of the era where demand for longer epics really started to surge. That year alone saw the release of critically-acclaimed games like Red Dead Redemption, Mass Effect 2, Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood and Fallout: New Vegas. It's understandable why someone who paid $60 for a game they could start after lunch and potentially finish by sundown might feel like they were shortchanged. With the culture surrounding game length shifting, however, we can look back at The Force Unleashed II and admit that, for what it is, it's pretty good.
The first Force Unleashed is definitely the better game in terms of having a fleshed-out narrative and a wider variety of environments to explore. But on a technical level, The Force Unleashed II is an improvement in just about every way. It runs better, movement and combat are smoother and more intuitive, and the menus are far less sluggish to navigate. The Force Unleashed II also looks significantly better than its predecessor, and its visuals really don't show their age all that much. Even at 10 years old, the game still looks pretty crisp -- nowhere near Jedi: Fallen Order levels of crisp, but certainly nothing to sneeze at.
Of course, the game's length isn't the only reason it's faced criticism. Many fans have also taken issue with The Force Unleashed II's plot, saying it steps on the toes of that of the original game. And, in some ways, it does. Still, the sequel has an exceptionally fun and interesting Star Wars story to tell, even if it doesn't get all that much room to breathe.
Plus, while main protagonist Starkiller can be comically overpowered at times, the character and his journey are still elevated by a delightfully aggressive performance from Sam Witwer -- the guy behind Clone Wars' Darth Maul. Also, the game's not even canon anymore, so it's not really hurting anything there.
On top of that, while $60 for a five-hour game may have initially been a deal-breaker for some, The Force Unleashed II is much cheaper to get your hands on these days. If you initially passed on the title due to its price or just need that little extra dose of Star Wars in your life, it's a great time to give the game a shot. At this stage, it's just a fun and fairly inexpensive interactive journey set in the galaxy far, far away that you can knock out in an afternoon or two.
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II isn't perfect. The first game remains superior overall, and there's definitely still a conversation to be had about how shorter AAA games should be priced. But considering the fact that there are still some fans out there holding out hope that the scrapped third game will finally see the light of day, the team over at LucasArts clearly did something right with the sequel.
Of course, The Force Unleashed III is little more than a pipe dream at this point. So, in keeping with the holiday season, it's important to remind ourselves of what we already have -- and what we have is a Force Unleashed sequel that, while flawed, is still a great time in its own right. Plus, in terms of its length, the game is arguably more tailored to what players want today versus what they wanted 10 years ago. It's short but definitely sweet -- and more than deserving of a second chance.