Having given up the life of a Jedi Knight, you realise you must re-learn the ways of the Force and the second your lightsaber arrives in your hand is the exact point that Jedi Knight II is transformed from a mediocre first-person shooter to an immensely pleasurable action adventure. Had the game continued in the same vein as it started it would have been mightily disappointing, yet once you get the lightsaber and string a couple of moves and Force powers together, the game is no longer a simple shooter, for by selecting the Jedi weapon of choice the game automatically switches to a third-person perspective.
Nothing new there, the original had a manual option to do the same, but here it feels infinitely more polished and natural. You also occasionally meet up with friendly guards and even team up with Lando Calrissian and Luke Skywalker for brief moments of intense action.
There is one mission in particular that sticks in the mind, a small portion of which sees you escorting a droid across an open ramp raked by laser fire and pitted with trip mines. If the droid survives it will open the doors for you. The way stealth has been handled is rather underwhelming, not that it is impossible to play the game in such a way, just that it never becomes necessary to do so unless you play the game on the hardest difficulty setting. When you acquire the Force power to heal yourself, you can just hunker down after a firefight and press the required key and wait for your health to max out and continue on your way.
As you can probably tell by now, we actually rather like Jedi Knight II. To our eternal shame we did have doubts, especially since from start to finish JKII has only been in development for about 18 months. In places it shows, the levels are sometimes too big and the way out from them too well hidden. At times you'll be literally bashing your head against the wall trying to jump across a chasm, only to chance across a hidden grate in another room. But even though the game is incredibly frustrating, it is also very rewarding: the dissatisfaction of the first few levels is definitely made up for when you get your lightsaber; as the puzzles get harder; as you meet more characters and then as the story opens up.
Plus, to make up for the predictable and sometimes static Al, the game throws the enemy at you in even greater numbers and gives you more ingenious ways to kill them off. Following the simple principal that you must reward people for their efforts, Jedi Knight II pays out so very, very handsomely.
Far more so than its predecessor, the sequel manages to capture the essence of what makes Star Wars such an exciting and mindless matinee adventure. Not only has Raven done the original game justice, they have by some unseen force bettered it. It is simply a fantastic game that is great entertainment. After a generation of disappointment, Star Wars fans were given a new hope with the emergence of the excellent Galactic Battlegrounds.
Of the 11 weapons on offer, Graham keenly informs us that the lightsabre excites him the most. However, the control has been kept simple. You will also be able to throw the sabre at enemies, then use the Force to pull it back, and use it to cut open gates, open passages, etc.
Sounds like a dumper truckload of thought has gone into the weapons, but what about the vehicles? Bye then. After cancelling Obi-Wan late last year, the chances of a sequel to Jedi Knight seemed thin.
However, while at E3, we found Obi-Wan alive and well and happily living on Xbox. So, rather than Ben Kenobi, we again get to control Kyle Katarn. Powered by the Quake 3 Arena engine, Jedi Outcast is being co-developed by Raven software, maker of Soldier Of Fortune and Elite Force Voyager, and although having only been in development since February, from what we saw at E3, the game looks set to eclipse its four-year-old predecessor.
One new force effect on show was the Force Throw, where our hero can hurl his light saber at his enemies safe in the knowledge that it will come back, boomerang-style. Dan also demonstrated a sniper rifle weapon, zooming into a crowd of Stormtroopers and showing off amazing detail. As was the case with Raven's Elite Force Voyager, the plan is to introduce intelligent allies who will fight alongside you against the Empire. Asked about the possibility of driveable vehicles Dan remained tight-lipped.
Of course, with the latest Quake 3 Team Arena code powering the game, we can expect a wealth of hot and multiplayer options, from straight and team Deathmatch, to Capture The Flag. We asked that considering the popularity of Counter-Strike, whether there might be a Rebels vs.
Stormtroopers equivalent, perhaps where one side must rescue or capture druids. Choosing a good school is tough, especially when you desire classes like Lightsabers and Intro to the Force. Jedi Academy covers these subjects and more, yet the material isn't always presented in the best manner possible. This latest game in the Jedi Knight series thrusts you into the role of a Padawan learner jetsetting across the galaxy to hone your skills.
Luckily, your training offers tons of varied thrills across a multitude of missions--you'll rescue prisoners from a man-eating rancor monster, defuse bombs while evading Boba Fett, and even explore the murky depths of Darth Vader's castle.
Since when did Darth Vader have a castle? Sounds like another can't-miss Star Wars game for Xbox, right? Well, not quite. Lightsaber battles now take precedence over first-person shooting, which in turn makes combat a rote, button-mashing experience. Also, cycling through Force powers via the directional pad while hackin' away at the enemy is a terrible hassle. Unfortunately, the graphics don't do much to help the cause. These visuals are mediocre at best and not up to par with today's Xbox standards.
Even the most die-hard fans are better off renting this one for the weekend. It's got brutal Force powers, tauntauns and speeders to ride, guest appearances by Wars stars Luke, Chewie, and Boba Fett, and stellar mission variety everything from luring Jedi away from the dark side to visiting Casa de Vader.
But despite that hell of a syllabus, this Jedi Academy sometimes barely packs the excitement of a business-school mixer. Blame the lightsaber combat, which although flashy, is clunky and imprecise. A few missions especially a snow-blind trek across Hoth and a crash-and-burn speederbike level nearly push the game to the dark side.
Fortunately, addictive online modes will keep you playing if you get sick of the single-player stuff. You can always make a great game As Kyle Katarn, agent of the New Republic, use your Lightsaber and the full power of the Force to combat a new evil plaguing the galaxy. Kyle has retired from being a Jedi fearing consequences from the Dark Side of the Power found within himself during his chase of the foul Sith-Lord Jerec into the lost.
Overall, Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast is a rare game that pulls in a solid story line, great control system, and does a fantastic job using the Star Wars license. Although the game does start out on the slow side, don't give up too soon because when it starts to pick up, your biggest concern may become getting to bed at a decent time.
The universe is still struggling between the New Republic and the Empire. Communication Force is the only extensive addition to the game. You can switch between first and third person at any time. A single storyline runs through all levels. As a Jedi you can use the Force to repel enemies or lift them into the air.
You will not only have a lightsaber, but a lot of additional weapons you can find in the locations. The protagonist uses drones, machine-guns as allies, etc. Equipment includes a night vision device and binoculars.
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