Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II is an
action-adventure platform video game developed and published by
LucasArts. It is the second installment of
The Force Unleashed multimedia project, and the sequel to
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (2008). The game was released in the United States on October 26, 2010, and throughout Europe on October 29 for the
PlayStation 3,
Xbox 360, and
Nintendo Wii consoles, as well as
Windows and the
Nintendo DS and
iOS portable devices.
The game takes place approximately six months after the events of the first game,
[2] and a year before the film
A New Hope.
[3][4] The Force Unleashed II is described as the "dark entry" in the series,
[4] and a more personal story for the game's protagonist than the first game.
[2] Players control a clone of
Starkiller, the first game's protagonist and
Darth Vader's secret apprentice who sacrificed himself after helping to form the
Rebel Alliance. Vader's attempts to breed a perfect apprentice from the original Starkiller's
DNA leads to the creation of the clone who, possessing his predecessor's memories and realizing he will similarly be betrayed, escapes Vader. While on a quest across the galaxy to understand his identity and escape from Vader's influence, Starkiller becomes caught in the war between the Alliance and the
Galactic Empire.
Production for
The Force Unleashed II transpired over an approximate period of nine months; while it possesses some similarities to the previous game, producers modified several aspects such as the sound effects and gameplay.
Sam Witwer again provides the voice and likeness for Starkiller, and several cast members return to voice and provide likeness to their respective roles.
The Force Unleashed II received mixed reviews from critics who praised the graphics and sound design, but criticized the repetitive gameplay, short length, and underwhelming story. During the first few weeks after its release it placed fifth or higher in sales for several regions. A sequel, entitled
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed III, was planned, but it was ultimately scrapped following
Disney's acquisition of
Lucasfilm in 2012. As a result of the acquisition,
The Force Unleashed project became part of the non-canonical
Star Wars Expanded Universe (also known as
Star Wars Legends) and never received a proper conclusion.