Recent reviews by Big Tuna

Before Jedi: Fallen Order came out last year, this was one of the most recent single-player Star Wars games; it was made in 2008. Despite its age, it holds up quite well as an immersive force experience. It's not without its issues--some of which are compounded by this advanced age--but it's still as fun as I remember when I played the Wii version a decade ago.

Story: Uniquely Star Wars-esque

This game explores the period between the third and fourth Star Wars movies; the player is Darth Vader's secret appearance, groomed by the fallen Jedi from birth. I won't spoil the intricacies of the story, but it's solid overall. In ways I can't quite put into words, it has a very Star Wars-y feel to it.

Gameplay: A Masterclass in The Force

TFU undoubtedly lives up to its billing as a force-guided beat-em-up. The different force powers feel satisfying to use and resonate a real sense of power. Combat, especially on lower difficulties, can be rather simple, but mowing down hordes of stormtroopers and other enemies will always be satisfying. Lightsaber combat does leave a little to be desired--it basically consists of a few combos that can be supplemented by force powers and that's it--but this is the force unleashed, not the lightsaber unleashed. The repetitive lightsaber combos aren't egregious enough to be a major problem, though, and are often excused by the extensive applications of the force to gameplay.

Quicktime sections often conclude duels with bosses and larger enemies. The visuals of these cutscenes are fantastic, and their grandeur only grows as the game progresses. I do wish that the character was capable of such feats in normal game combat, but Starkiller is overpowered as it is. Boss fights do feel repetitive at times, and a surprising number of enemies can be cheesed to death with Force Lighting, but the pacing of the game remains solid in spite of this.

Graphics: Well, it's Better Than the Wii

This is one department in which the game really shows its age. A 1920x1080 resolution is as far as this game will go without modification, and it's capped at 30 FPS. This works alright in cutscenes--it almost gives off a more cinematic feel--but fluidity in gameplay is king in games like this. There are fixes, so you can play at 60 FPS, although the last two levels remain locked at 30. There are also some audio issues in those last two levels, which require an additional download to repair. Steam also has no achievements for this game, despite there being some on console. Ultimately, the game is somewhat poorly optimized; it's glaringly obvious that this game was built with a primary focus on console gaming. The resolution/FPS/audio issues may have been par for the course in 2008 for a PC port, but now they're nuisances.

Small Things I Loved

Even with its shortcomings, the general attention to detail raises TFU above mediocrity. The voice acting is stellar; Sam Witwer is fantastic as the protagonist (and the Emperor) and Matt Sloan gives us a convincing Vader in the absence of James Earl Jones. The score is far from a Williams masterpiece, but elements of his music ring throughout the game and complete the Star Wars environment.

The Ultimate Sith Edition includes DLC costumes and levels that can be accessed from the beginning of the game. The costumes are a fantastic cosmetic addition and are a blast to experiment with. C3PO as a Sith Lord, for example, is nothing short of priceless.

The levels are neat too. Playing as an amped-up, fully evil Starkiller and facing some of the most legendary Star Wars characters is a truly great experience. If you didn't before, these levels definitely make you feel as if you're in a Star Wars movie.

Small Things I Disliked

In addition to progressing through the main story, collectibles--which take the form of Holocrons and Lightsaber Crystals--are scattered throughout the various worlds. I enjoyed collecting most of them, which came as rewards for exploring smaller parts of the map, but there is very little incentive to collecting all of them. Obtaining all of a level's collectibles results in some small bonuses, but there is no reward for 100% completing the game. Because of this, replayability is almost nonexistent. I went back through a second time to collect the items I missed and see the other ending, but the game is not worth more than two playthroughs.

Having played the Wii version, which includes another four or so levels, I do feel like this story teeters on the short side. I wouldn't have minded a few more unique level environments--two are effectively re-used with texture changes later on--in addition to some extra levels. The levels we did get, however, are solid.

Overall: Solidly an A-Tier Game

This game often finds itself on Top 10 lists for the best Star Wars games; it is not the best--far from it in fact--but it is quite good. The usual $20 sticker price seems a little steep for the game you get, but it's a must buy when it goes on sale. The gameplay is rewarding and is complemented by a story that feels unique and details that make this game distinctly Star Wars. Don't expect perfection, but well worth checking out!

After playing a few months ago, physics have improved significantly. Funny little game with comically extreme ragdoll and interesting levels. A few are definitely borrowed partially, if not entirely, from Super Monkey Ball 2, but this is a different variety of platformer than that game--the experience revolves around walking and jumping rather than rolling in a ball, making even the most similar levels have a significantly different feel than the likely source material.

Don't let the critics fool you--this is an excellent game. In its current state, a few bugs and glitches persist as of day 2, but nothing that can't be fixed. The game was panned by reviewers because they felt that it did little to alter the original BfBB formula. Perhaps for that very same reason, I love this game. The graphics are nothing short of stunning; the controls, while not quite up to snuff with the original, are reasonably fleshed-out and smooth; and the remastered tracks are excellent.

As mentioned above, this game is not without its issues--camera and cruise missile controls are inconsistent and the degree of required shiny object grinding is absurd--but they're far too insubstantial to dissuade me from enjoying the game overall.

Those gripes aside, this game is just what I expected and more. Phenomenal value for less than $30, packed full of nostalgia. While not an industry-altering AAA title, BfBB: Rehydrated does well to satisfy those that played the original almost two decades ago and, with any luck, will draw a new, younger audience so that they too may enjoy a proper Spongebob video game.