There have been a lot of "Star Wars" games over the years. Some have been great, many not.

"Star Wars: The Force Unleashed" lies somewhere in the middle. It's not a great game, but it's certainly fun, and it has one heck of a story to tell.

"The Force Unleashed" is set between the events of "Episode III" and "Episode IV" (the original movie). The story is canon, meaning it's an official part of the "Star Wars" storyline.

You play as Darth's Vader's apprentice, whom he's kept a secret and trains to wipe out both the Jedi and the empire. As the game progresses, the apprentice (who goes by the name Starkiller) grows more powerful in the Force.

Unfortunately, Starkiller never feels as all-powerful as he should. At first, he's able to take out enemies with powerful Force pushes and lightning, but later in the game even lesser characters seem resistant, which is inconsistent with what the game tries to do.

It's also often difficult to target what you want, as the auto-targeting system sometimes will skip over a close object in favor of something farther away. This is frustrating, especially when you're low on health and surrounded by attacking enemies.

Still, tossing Stormtroopers around like rag dolls with just your mind can be insanely fun, and when the game gets into a groove, it's really something.

The story really is the best thing about "The Force Unleashed," especially if you're a "Star Wars" fan. There are a few twists that will delight knowledgeable fans, and the game plays like a movie. Starkiller is a fantastic character of whom I quickly grew fond despite his penchant for using the Dark Side.

"The Force Unleashed" has some problems, but it's still a more-than-adequate "Star Wars" game, and fans will want to play through it just for the story.

"Star Wars: The Force Unleashed"

By: LucasArts, for Xbox 360 (also for PlayStation 3 and Wii)

Rated: Teen

Cost: $59.99

Score: 7.5/10