The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions, powered by the Ronin engine, utilize high-definition graphics and advanced dynamic destruction effects.
The Force Unleashed has different features across platforms. The enemies, which number over 50, have various strengths and weaknesses developers faced the difficulty of effectively placing them throughout the game's varied environments. Additionally, enemies learn from the player's character's attacks using the same attack on different characters can sometimes lead to the player's character doing less damage. The game includes enemies that are easy to overcome game difficulty arises from presenting these enemies in large numbers that can wear down the player's character. Players can casually run and gun through the game, but the game rewards those who take a stealthy, more tactical approach. The gameplay is intended to be easy to learn the development team included "horrible" gamers to help ensure the game's accessibility. Experience points earned by killing enemies and finding artifacts can be used to increase Starkiller's powers and traits. The game has a combo system for stringing lightsaber attacks and for combining lightsaber attacks with Force powers. Developers treated the main character's lightsaber like another Force power, and wanted to ensure "something visceral and cool" happened with each button-push. The Force Unleashed is a third-person action game in which the player's character's weapons are the Force and a lightsaber.