For those of you curious as to whether or not you should purchase this game; I would suggest that you not buy it.
Though this game is not unplayable, it is a watered down version of the original that may by suitable for children who are unfamiliar with the series. To outline the positive features of the game is a trivial task as there are very few, but there are some improvements from the first game.
Pros:
The game has a similar, but simplified version of the combat system and movement system present in the first game. Most of what I have to say about this is negative, but on the positive side of this combat is vastly more consistent and far less likely to cause game-breaking glitches. Enemy models won't have seizures on the ground as often and you're less likely to clip through walls and the ground.
Customization is easier to understand for new players.
Features like grappling and dismemberment are present and provide a certain satisfaction to the otherwise bland combat.
Cons:
The combat and movement are unnatural and mechanical. In the first game we see the main character taking large strides while running, though it is not entirely realistic it is exceedingly better than the strange hobble-run in The Force Unleashed II. Combos and move variation have been either been dramatically reduced or are completely non-existent. The lack of diversity in the chain of attacks cause for a lack of realism and very little immersion into the combat of the game.
The story is poorly written overall as well as presenting dialogue that is awkward and uncharacteristic. Firstly, Darth Vader speaks too frequently and openly in the opening cut-scene which defies his typically solemn and brooding demeanor. General Kota, though not entirely incompetent, was clearly not an effective fighter by the end of the first game and yet is introduced slashing down opponents in an arena; not only is this unnecessary, but it is strange, idealistic and contradicts the first game.
The aesthetic of the game is not very typical of Star Wars. The game doesn't look terrible, but it leaves a bad taste my mouth. The customization provided in this game is reminiscent of a browser game.
The enemies are not something that would be expected in the Star Wars universe, but seem to be fairly random and uninspired. The Sith Acolyte, for one, have ridiculous wing-like protrusions on their back and a Power Rangers sort of design. Sith Acolytes exist in the expanded universe which the story of The Force Unleashed is a part of, but their presence in the Galactic Empire is non-canonical even in term of the expanded universe and their design is just plain ugly. The various robots in the game don't even vaguely resemble those in the Star Wars universe and seem to be a random assortment of junk placed specifically to be interacted with by game-play mechanics and have no appeal or satisfaction whatsoever in engaging or defeating. On top of this, the variety of enemies is lesser than that of the original title in spite of it being a longer game.
The use of the force is one of the most predominant features anyone would expect from a Star Wars game and, though it's better than previous games aside from the first Force Unleashed game, when compared to its predecessor the lazy programming of The Force Unleashed II is extraordinarily evident.
While virtually anything could be interacted with in the first game, there are many objects and character models that aren't effected by the force or have unrealistic physical reaction to the force. In the first game if you Force Gripped an enemy they would latch onto objects and other enemies and if you held them still in a position where they could fire at you they would attempt to do so; this was extremely satisfying and comprehensive, but for some reason isn't present in the Force Unleashed II. Doors that are specifically meant to be opened by the Force Push ability can only be opened with an uncharged Force Push, whereas in the previous title you were given the satisfaction of being able to force the thick, metal doors to be bent outwards from the sheer force of a charged push. This is both disappointing and doesn't make sense; obviously if a weaker push could make a door give a stronger one would, at the very least, be able to produce the same effect.
Targeting in the game is very direct and simplistic; in some ways this is a good thing as there were some frustrating situations in the first game in which targeting didn't seem to function at all, however it heavily downplays the natural feel of combat and the power of attacks (specifically force lightning). When you are targeting an enemy, they are highlighted with a glow on the surface of their character model as opposed to a rectangular target marking the enemy that is targeted. The main problem with this (which also ties back into the lack of interaction with the force abilities) is that base level attacks rarely do area damage; the force push only hits one person most of the time, force lightning only hits one person and it's much more difficult to hit multiple enemies with the light saber as well as none of these knocking enemies around in the way they should. There seems to be one uniform animation for characters getting knocked down and getting back up and hitting them on the ground has almost no visible physical response.
In summation, this game is the worst Star Wars game I have ever had the displeasure of playing. If you want a simple game for the kiddies, get Lego Star Wars, but if you want a good game get the first one (or Battlefront II)