Star Wars unleashes the dark side

OTHER Star Wars games have been based on an existing canon or set so far back in the past that new histories are needed, but the latest instalment, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, sits between the movie trilogies during the great Jedi purge.

Rather than playing through this third-person action game as a Jedi on the side of light, the epic takes a dark turn, casting you as Darth Vader's secret apprentice.

Under the dark lord's tutelage you embark on a mission to rid the galaxy of Jedis, using nothing but your trusty light saber and the destructive power of the Dark Side.

Unleashing the Force is without question the highlight of the game. Whether you're ripping out weighted objects to use as missiles or flinging hapless stormtroopers around like rag dolls, the full power of the Force has never been more satisfying.

Force powers are gained progressively through the game and range in power through a system of upgrades that can be applied to both your dark powers and your light saber. As you fine-tune your symbiosis with the Dark Side you'll eventually have the power to bend bridges, crush columns and electrify whole swathes of rebel scum with the slightest motion of your hand.

Although it's incredibly liberating to get in touch with your dark side, the novelty of the powers wanes quickly as the game progresses -- especially as you come to realise that the story line's linear structure is flatter than Anakin Skywalker's personality.

SPECIFICATIONS
• Publisher: Activision
• Price: $99.95
• Rating: 7.5/10