Metascore
61 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 59 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 59
  2. Negative: 6 out of 59
  1. Dec 22, 2010
    42
    What you get here will take you no time at all to complete, and it's hard to feel like there's not a sizable amount of content missing from this particular game.
  2. Jan 7, 2011
    73
    Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 2 doesn't live up to the expectations. The graphics are stunning, but the story as well as the atmosphere are disappointing and do not justify a fully priced game. Still, it's a must have for true Star Wars fans.
  3. Dec 22, 2010
    60
    This should have been a superior sequel, but there's not enough here to make it anything than a mildly enjoyable but ultimately underwhelming action game.
  4. Oct 26, 2010
    65
    It's disappointing that The Force Unleashed 2 not only fails to tell an interesting yarn, but also somehow manages to make the cool combat mechanics feel relatively pedestrian by failing to have enough variation in combat, or enough outside of combat to break up the pacing.
  5. Dec 22, 2010
    65
    Shallow but entertaining gameplay tied to a staggeringly disappointing plot renders The Force Unleashed II a weekend's worth of popcorn entertainment.
  6. Oct 25, 2010
    60
    Anyone looking to turn off their brain for several hours and spam some buttons as a ridiculously powerful Force user will do fine. Those who respected the first game for its story, or are looking for quality presentation, combat variety and the feeling like they didn't just get two-thirds of a full-priced product can find better games now in a galaxy much, much closer.
  7. Dec 22, 2010
    50
    Although this fixes many of the problems with the original it then undoes all the things it got right, in one of the most inexcusably brief games ever.
  8. Jan 11, 2011
    70
    The new Star Wars games shines for its awesome graphics and refined controls, but it's not enough to overcome a boring and short story and very repetitive gameplay.
  9. Dec 17, 2010
    70
    Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II is, for the most part, an enjoyable action game that is sadly short lived due to its overall length and un-realised, poorly crafted story.
  10. Jan 7, 2011
    75
    Star Wars Unleashed 2 is a good game which manages to improve over its predecessor's shortcomings. It's still too short and samey as a whole. Fans will enjoy it for sure.
  11. 75
    "Quotation Forthcoming"
  12. 60
    When Unleashed 2 is good, it's really good. The stage-long, multi-tiered showdown against the skyscraper-high Gorog, though mechanically uninspired, is guaranteed to take your breath away. But the contrived and insignificant plot undoes the majority of the improved gameplay's good work, and the whole absolutely fails to live up to LucasArts' earlier promises of Empire-grade grandeur.
  13. Dec 22, 2010
    78
    While The Force Unleashed II doesn't push new boundaries in enemy confrontations or replay value, it's still a fun weekend romp, with plenty of enemies to kill and a great cliffhanger ending to wash it all down with. Let's just hope that the next chapter in the saga uses more development Force.
  14. Dec 17, 2010
    50
    Whilst this sequel may improve some of the technical aspects of The Force Unleashed, the all important narrative is non-existent.
  15. Jan 15, 2011
    70
    Star Wars the Force Unleashed II makes up for most of its predecessor flaws, and delivers some terrific action sequences. It's a shame though that the story is simply non existent and the whole adventure lasts some 5 hours. It really seems like the developers can't make this saga right, leaves us waiting for a new hope.
  16. Dec 22, 2010
    85
    With precious few of those quality gameplay moments and a plot that limps along in need of focus, unfortunately Force Unleashed 2 ultimately fails to live up to the interest of its broken but far more compelling predecessor.
  17. Dec 22, 2010
    40
    How disappointing to see such potential wasted. What a shame to see a developer so clearly uninterested in their own project. Such is the lack of invention and variety on offer, The Force Unleashed II can't help feel like a cursory cash-grab, more akin to DLC than a fully fledged retail product.
  18. Dec 22, 2010
    67
    The Force Unleashed only just barely won us over. Holding back this late in the game is an epic misstep.
  19. Dec 22, 2010
    40
    In a year beholden to console gaming's finest offerings, this is impossible to recommend.
  20. Dec 22, 2010
    50
    While the original Force Unleashed managed to surprise us with something that was more stimulating then the tech demo we feared and nicely introduced a new plotline, the sequel fails at virtually everything it attempts. The plot feels like a cheap way to extend the series and never delivers any twists, while the game itself is mediocre at the very best of times. A hugely disappointing experience that even the most ardent Star Wars fan will have a tough time enjoying.
  21. Jan 15, 2011
    68
    There were high expectations for this game, however it is inferior to the first one, shorter, more monotonous, not replayable and with a really forgetable story.
  22. Dec 22, 2010
    60
    It's not a bad game by a long stretch - just a game that's over in a flash and almost entirely devoid of any memorable moments.
  23. Oct 28, 2010
    85
    A good sequel with superior controls, some new features, a steady pace and a lot more action compared to the first game. With its short playing time of roughly five hours it fails to create as much atmosphere as The Force Unleashed 1 though and there are still some technical issues, e.g. the mediocre collision detection. Overall The Force Unleashed 2 will satisfy both Star Wars-Fans and those who enjoyed the first game.
  24. Dec 24, 2010
    60
    With its core gameplay kept from the original, this sequel makes no attempt to reinvent any wheels. Enjoyable, yet unfulfilling. [Issue#66, p.82]
  25. A total non-event throughout. [Jan 2011, p.80]
  26. 65
    It really should have come as an add-on for the original game, and not as a full priced, stand alone product.
  27. 62
    The Force Unleashed II never really gets to the same heights as its predecessor and it almost feels like a sequel was rushed out just for the sake of it, as the story and combat never really feels that fleshed out. There is still some fun to be had, but it's almost inevitable that you'll become bored of the game by the time you finish it, which says something considering it only lasts a few hours.
  28. Oct 27, 2010
    75
    As we wrap up our adventure through the Star Wars Universe, it's important to note that this game has some amazing aspects to it, but in the end, it's the core story that disappoints most.
  29. Jan 5, 2011
    55
    Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II unfortunately did not become what many people hoped. The graphics are beautiful, but in almost all other areas the game fails to impress.
User Score

Mixed or average reviews- based on 123 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 46
  2. Negative: 17 out of 46
  1. This is an awful, disgraceful game. While the graphics are great and the control of the action is refined compared to its predecessor, the story is merely passable, and the game itself quickly devolves into repetition before ending abruptly. It's defeat enemy X with strategy Y, and after watching the same QTE a dozen times in a row, the experience starts to hollow.

    In fact, there was a sense of disconnect from the Star Wars universe throughout the game. The enemies are a good example. Robots abound, with designs that seem lazy (i.e. they look stupid) and lack in number and variety, and attacks that often feel cheap. The sense of wonder from exploring different planets in the first game is replaced by a feeling of constriction from the limited set of environments in this one. Hint to developers: big metal rooms connected by big metal hallways are NOT interesting.

    Meanwhile, the inclusion of major characters in cutscenes that never make an appearance in the gameplay, combined with the brevity of the game itself with its seemingly amputated plot, leads to suspicion that a DLC is forthcoming, to awkwardly fill in the gap while cynically milking gamers for more money. Beyond that, bugs were encountered during the final fight that either prevented the game from progressing or managed to kill the player. Such sloppy testing for such a short game is unacceptable.

    The first game had its faults, but it's a masterpiece compared to this sorry excuse for a sequel, which barely merits a rental.
    Full Review »
  2. This is a simple review for anyone interested in buying this game. The first game was an amazing story and fun, but sometimes glitchy gameplay. This game does a little bit of a flip. The story is a little weaker this time around, but the gameplay is much improved. It's simply a much more fun game to play, despite the weaker story. Other improvements include MUCH faster loading times and MUCH cleaner graphics. Seriously, if you play The Force Unleashed 1 right before #2 you will see that the improvement are actually rather impressive. The world is a crazy place when games like this and Enslaved get average reviews, and broken games like Fallout New Vegas get stellar reviews. If you like Star Wars this is a must buy. If you like good action games with an above average story, definitely give it a shot. Full Review »
  3. 1
    This game is a complete disaster. The force powers were diminished, lacking the visual appealing of the last game.
    One of the cool things abou
    t the previous game was that you could slowly learn the combos, and get a feeling that your skills were truly progressing. This time, you start the game with all the combos, but there is no combo list available ! You have to check a partial list in one of the challenges !
    The double saber upgrades are a shame. You are stuck with the saber color, depending on the upgrade you choose, which is a bad thing if you are into customization.
    This game is also very buggy. If you try to grab an opponent in the ledge of a platform, you end up falling when the animation ends !
    The storyline is simply lame an uninteresting. Both endings can be assumed as canonical. I guess the producers think there will be no one interested in DLC´s this time ...
    Full Review »