Tactics Unleashed

Published September 22, 2008

Darth Vader's secret Apprentice treads a lonely and dangerous path, one where even veteran gamers could use the occasional tip or nudge in the right direction. Consider the following tips and tricks and let the Force guide you to victory!

Chaining lightning works wonders.

Consider the Points
For every enemy you kill, points are earned toward increasing your own level and getting a high score for the chapter you're playing. The trick here is that the more mundane the kill, the fewer points you earn. If you want to post high scores and earn the Frenzy, Sith Frenzy, and Sith Lord Frenzy achievements, you really need to get creative with how you dispose of your enemies.

The game also tracks your power use and rewards you based on variety as much as execution. Use as many saber combos and Force powers as possible in every encounter to generate points.

For example, if you spot a group of Stormtroopers nearby, grab an object, charge it with lightning, and toss it into the group. This should net you a few good points but still leave a few enemies alive. Dash forward, pause, lift one enemy into the air, and use your Saber Toss to impale him. Then, jump into the midst of the fray and charge up a Force Repulse to clean up the rest. Still one remaining? Grab them with a grapple combo (X+A) to finish him off. That's four distinct techniques for one group of baddies.

Whatever you do, always attack a cluster of enemies in the most explosive, varied way possible. You'll be rewarded for your efforts.

Brackets
Accurate use of your Force Abilities depends entirely on whether or not your desired target is highlighted by grey "brackets." If they are, hold down RT to Force Grip them, Y to tag them with Force Lightning and so on, and you'll have great success.

Light him up and toss him into his buddies.

If you're having trouble locking onto a target, don't try angling the camera towards them with the right thumbstick. Instead, adjust the angle of the Apprentice with the left thumbstick to highlight your chosen target.

Ground Level Grip
Force Unleashed does a good job of zeroing in on nearby enemies when you fling an object at them, but you can further stack the odds in your favor by lowering the canister, rock or other deadly blunt object all the way to the ground before flinging it at a group. This way, you don't run the risk of tossing it over their heads.

Deflection Blocking
Blocking with LT helps you avoid damage from nearly any kind of attack, whether it's an irksome Jedi tossing crates at you, a standard melee attack, a Force Push, or blaster fire. Your chances increase at deflecting blaster bolts back at your enemy when you're actively blocking. This is particularly useful against turret guns.

Bubble Toss
Occasionally, you'll encounter EVO Troopers sporting anti-Force bubbles protecting them from any Force-based attack. While you can temporarily eliminate the bubble with a melee attack, throwing your lightsaber works just as well, while allowing you to maintain your distance.

Aerial Assault
Whenever you're engaged in melee combat against a lightsaber-wielding foe (bosses, Imperial Guards), make constant use of the Aerial Assault combo (X, X, X, X, B (hold), X, X). The extra airborne attacks do more damage, and your enemy ends up sprawled on the ground afterward. At this point, you can rush (use the LB dash if necessary) over to them, and inflict massive damage by stabbing them (X) before they have a chance to get up.

Poor kid's got a lot on his mind.

Lightning Sub-Bosses
Whether it's an AT-ST, AT-KT, or Rancor, your best bet for success is prolonged use of Force Lightning. Lure them away from other enemies so it's just you and them, and then lay on the Force Lightning (Y). This will damage and paralyze them, so you don't have to worry about any of their normally powerful attacks.

Usually, it will take two full charges of your Force Meter to reduce their health enough to land the killing blow. Make sure you're close to them when their health reaches roughly the one-third mark, so you can trigger the mini-game for an easy and spectacular kill.

Stat Persistence
Whether it's the amount of points you've accrued throughout a specific level or general stat-tracking, every statistic remains as it was even through death and replayed levels.

Let's say you cleared out a room of ten enemies with Force Push but fell off a ledge and died. No worries, those ten kills still count toward your Force Push Mastery achievement. If you earned fifty thousand points in a room but died before you reached the save point, those fifty thousand points are still there.

This even works if you replay a mission. For example, if you finished the TIE Fighter Factory level with 10 Holocrons and 350,000 points, you'll find yourself with 10 Holocrons and 350,000 points the moment you choose to replay the level from the Mission Select menu.

Lightning, lightning, and more lightning.

Let it Play Out
You'll find warring factions (such as the Stormtroopers versus Felucians) going at it tooth and nail throughout your Force Unleashed campaign. When you do, let them fight it out a bit before you enter the fray. They should thin each other's ranks out, granting you much better odds when you go on the attack.

Move On
If you don't care too much about earning massive Force Points for increasing your level or setting high scores, you can often move beyond areas without defeating every last enemy. Try fighting to the area's exit point and see whether it's accessible.

Mini-map Holocrons
If you intend on hunting Holocrons throughout the game, and you should, make sure to consult your mini-map at all times. This will help you see a small alcove or side hallway that might not be immediately obvious otherwise.

A number of Holocrons are secreted away high above, so make sure to scan each area for out of the way platforms well above you.

With the Force on your side, these tips and your own bag of tactical tricks should ensure that no Imperial or Jedi will stand against you!

Article by Ryan Treit