Cult Star Wars game is going free-to-play, but move fast

Amazon's Prime Gaming is giving players a cult Star Wars game for free, as Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II swings a lightsaber in August 2023.

01st Aug 2023 11:03

Obsidian Entertainment | LucasArts

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Much like the video game to live-action adaptations, Star Wars is enjoying something of a renaissance right now. Respawn's Jedi games have restored faith in the Force, while upcoming projects like Star Wars Outlaws and Amy Hennig's heist game give us a 'new hope' for the series.

Still, it's important to remember your roots, with some great games from the past of Wookiees and Wampas deserving to be studied like the Sacred Jedi Texts. We'll admit not all of them are great (we're looking at you Kinect Star Wars), while others have become cult classics over the years. Now, you can grab one for free.

Amazon is giving you a cult Star Wars game for free

Galen Marek Star Wars Force Unleashed II

While most of us use Amazon Prime for those last-minute Christmas gifts or watching episodes of The Boys, there's been a recent push into gaming. It's easy to forget that Prime Gaming is part of your subscription and to be fair, there are some pretty impressive freebies on offer.

In August, the Prime Gaming deal is giving you Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II for absolutely nothing. The first game is currently available, and soon, you'll be able to nab its 2008 sequel. For those unfamiliar, Force Unleashed picked up the story of Darth Vader's apprentice, Galen Marek - better known as Starkiller.

Force Unleashed II got a bit of a rough ride when it was released, with the Nintendo DS port being held as one of the worst Star Wars games ever. Even though Force Unleashed II was praised for its visuals, its repetitive gameplay and short length led to disappointing reviews. A sequel was also cancelled.

You can't grab Force Unleashed II just yet, as Amazon is rolling out its August games across the month. For example, Payday 2 and "The Gage Mod Courier" DLC are available from August 3, Farming Simulator 19 from August 10, and Force Unleashed II from August 17. If you haven't given it a go, jump in soon.

Could we see Starkiller in live-action?

Starkiller armour Andor Season 1

Given the obscure placement of the Force Unleashed canonically, they might not seem like the easiest titles to weave into the ever-growing world of Star Wars shows and movies. With choice paths letting you kill Darth Vader and have Luke Skywalker turn to the Dark Side, the Force Unleashed games were never bothered about being part of this world.

Still, the character of Galen Marek could easily be slotted in as the apprentice of Vader. It just so happens that the Starkiller armour appeared in the background of Andor Season 1, while there are wild theories he could face off against Rosario Dawson's Ahsoka in her upcoming series.

Despite Disney's purchase of Lucasfilm nixing the old Legend canon, we've seen major additions like Grand Admiral Thrawn and Boba Fett's survival become official canon. Bringing Galen Marek into the family would hardly be the weirdest Star Wars arc we've seen come back from the dead.

Tom Chapman

About The Author

Tom Chapman

Tom is Trending News Editor at GGRecon, with an NCTJ qualification in Broadcast Journalism and over seven years of experience writing about film, gaming, and television. With bylines at IGN, Digital Spy, Den of Geek, and more, Tom’s love of horror means he's well-versed in all things Resident Evil, with aspirations to be the next Chris Redfield.

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