Has anyone played the demo yet? What were your impressions? I downloaded and played it the other day and will probably play it a few more times.
This demo throws you into the battle almost right off the bat almost certainly to whet your appetite for the full version. Anyone that has been following the game or that has watched a video or two might recognize the TIE contstruction hanger in which you run around wreaking havoc. With most of your force powers available you run around slicing droids, electrocuting stormtroopers, throwing boxes, and even tossing the occasional TIE fighter like a beach ball. I'm really hoping that this short play through is only the tip of the ice berg, because if it is this game should deliver a lot of fun and a few evil laughs.
The controls are a little odd to get used to at first, however. Moving a box or an unlucky bystander is just like a fps. The left analog is for up, down, left, and right. While the right analog controls the depth of the motion such as to your character and away. Locking onto an object and then controlling in in 3D space with the force is a bit tricky. The tricky part is mostly locking onto the object you want to control, and to do so you have to be looking right at it. This makes it difficult for the TIE fighter you can pick up and throw in the hangar which happens to be suspended from a conveyor above you. Learning how to "fling" whatever I pick up took a little trial and error. To actually throw the object you need to flick the right analog while aiming with the left. With the right angle and a little english you can turn the most fearless stormtrooper into a ragdoll.
Your other force power is lightning which is just an awesome way to have a droid bbq. There really isn't much to this ability other than pure malicious intent. Force lightning can be used on its own, combined with a force grab, or added to a saber strike. You'll definitely find yourself turning unwitting enemies into rotisserie throughout the course of this game.
Lets not forget your lightsaber. There is only one button that controls lightsaber attacks so there won't be any in depth swordplay a la Soul Calibur IV. But you will get a nice array of combos just by using your saber with one or both of your force powers. As your main tool for destruction the lightsaber can be combined with a force grab to execute a saber throw, or as a final blow to an electrocuted enemy. There are many other combinations that I have yet to figure out, so there is a lot of fun to be had in figuring out the powers of this mysterious dark Jedi.
There isn't much in the way of a story introduced in this demo, but what little morsels that are given imply that Starkiller is a conflicted apprentice to the dark Lord. I just hope that the locations and the abilities of the character don't overshadow a game that needs a good story to bind it all together for a good experience. Afterall, this isn't a multiplayer game (unless you have a wii and an extra remote for a friend) where you can go out and play against someone else online if you get bored with the story.
For visuals Star Wars The Force Unleashed has its share of eye catchers, at least enough for a demo. The force push/grab has a nice ripple effect like the bullet wakes in The Matrix, only they're more fluid and organic in the game. However, the level design is still up in the air to me. I've seen clips of the locations from different planets, but the TIE hangar is just too sterile to judge by. The environment is clean and polished, but at the same time very spartan and drab.
Overall, I'm excited about this game and am a little biased due to my inner SW fanboy. If you're a casual fan I have a strong feeling that this game will be at least a solid rent. For me, I'll be picking up shortly after release.