"A long time ago in a galaxy
far, far away there was a
game called Jedi Knight."
far, far away there was a
game called Jedi Knight."
Game Play
Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast is set nine years after Jedi Knight, Kyle has forsworn his lightsabre and the Force. The story has it that with his partner Jan Ors now works for the New Republic. You join him as he is sent to investigate remaining Imperial forces (now called the Remnant) on a remote outpost. Unfortunately you begin only with a poor excuse for a blaster which makes for a very boring start. In Jedi Knight, you obtained your weapons and Jedi powers, so why the hell can’t you start with at least a light saber. I can think of only one reason and that is to make you play the game, and not to have all the fun at the start and get bored. Umm. Doesn’t really work. By the end of the first level the whole game gets a bit repetitive. Walk forward. Open Door. Kill whatever moves. Open next door. Kill what moves, flick switch. Not very interesting is it."Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast
is better than the original "
is better than the original "
Not to put a damper on things I have to say that Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast is better than the original by quite a margin. After the first level or two you really start to get into the whole Star wars thing again, and can see what an effort Raven Software have put into it. Throughout the game you know you’re in Star wars territory. You notice things that are unique to Star wars, for example you get to meet and shoot a whole array of popular characters that are instantly recognizable from the films. For example you even get a few chance encounters with Mr. Skywalker himself, and the droid probe things (sorry for not knowing their real name, I should the amount of times I’ve watched the films) especially sound and look fantastic.
Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast basically revolves around shooting all things Star Wars, solving puzzles and gradually unraveling the plot with the single player campaign is split up into eight missions spanning 24 levels on seven worlds including Nar Shaddaa, Yavin and the Cloud City of Bespin
"the best and much improved aspect of
the game involves your light saber"
the game involves your light saber"
Now if that’s all the game was about, maybe we would think it’s just another first person shooter. But as in the original the best and much improved aspect of the game involves your light saber. Unlike in the original you can block, smash boxes and even throw your weapon and watch it return to your hand thought your Jedi powers.
During the light saber battles the camera automatically changes to a third-person view, which makes it easier to see what your doing. The use of the light saber is very intuitive and really looks fantastic in third person. There is just something about a light saber that immediately makes you forget about the bad boring parts of the game. I know it’s just a glowing sword, but….Its just fantastic. You can almost feel the force when you’re in one of the many battles you will encounter with a light saber. It’s a shame though; I still have in the back of my mind that the really long light saber battles could have been ended much more swiftly by one grenade or few blasts. But we are in the Star Wars universe where light saber is king.
"you also get force powers"
As well as the trusty light saber you also get force powers, initially only pull, push, jump and speed, but later missions see you increase this repertoire to Force Lightning, Force Grip and the Jedi Mind Trick, all of which are essential to master if you are to win at this game. You see as well as the puzzles to solve, and illogical levels to traverse, you are confronted with a huge array of dark side buddies to shoot. To be honest the AI is again poor. As an example in the very first level a whole gang of storm troopers came out, I shot all of them bar one. This one trooper ran a bit then stopped knelt down with his back to me. Stupid, and easy to kill. Also if you are spotted and you find yourself low on health, you can run around them and they make very little attempt to follow between rooms. Thus you can find some health, of which there is not a lot, and then confront the enemy who will be in the same place you left them. I have also found on easy you can walk by certain enemy and they won’t even shoot. Having said that, the game is very hard, even on easy, which is a bit of a trade mark of Raven Software. I thing they are so good at the games their level of easy isn’t the average players level.
The levels are pretty difficult and some of the puzzles are not logical (to me anyway). You can find that some levels are fantastically designed, intricate, and yet easy to follow, and other are just plain evil. For example I got bored on the very first level because I was in the common state of “I think I have done everything and been everywhere”. Only to find the place where you pick up the light amplification goggles is where you need to use them. Handy that, but you need them to find a passage way which is hidden by darkness. OK some people may find it logical that the item you pick up has to be used in or around where you got it, but first person shooters were first designed as no brainers quick shoot fun. Unfortunately demand for the thinker’s shooter has developed and I believe this is the biggest downfall of the genre. The game is supposed to be fun, not boring you to tears because you haven’t found that one thing that will lead you to complete the mission.
"Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast
is just one of those
games you must have "
is just one of those
games you must have "
However the bad aspects aside, the game runs pretty well because it uses the popular Quake III engine. A powerful machine is needed if Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast is to be run at any pace on Windows XP in high resolutions. I have a 1.3 GHz with 512mb Ram, and a Geforce II 64 Mb card and it still gets a bit jerky at times which is unusual for the Quake III engine because I suffered no such problems with Medal of Honor or Quake III itself. Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast is just one of those games you must have just for its Star Wars appeal, it might just be worth upgrading for.
The multiplayer aspect of the game is possibly the most perfect multiplayer first person shooter I have every played. Coupled with the blistering fast paced action you get to play characters from the films and have light saber battles with all your mates. Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast single player may be good but it really is nothing if you can’t play the game with you friends in the fantastic multiplayer modes.
Graphics
Typical of all Quake III games the graphics are astonishing. Lighting effects are near perfect and the light saber battles in third person really know how to test you graphics are to the very limit. Just take a look at the many screen shots on this page, and you can see how much the detail and feel for the game has improved since the original."settings and locations
all look instantly recognizable
from the films"
all look instantly recognizable
from the films"
The settings and locations all look instantly recognizable from the films, and you know you’re in a Star Wars world. The level of detail was so high, that even on my machine I had to turn some down to get the game to run more smoothly. I have to warn you though that if you have one of the many 3DFX voodoo cards, even if you have 16mb, the minimum specified by the game, you may find Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast won’t work. Reports from people on the internet state there is little or no support for 3DFX cards in the game. Obviously I would confirm this for yourself, but as I understand it, they are correct.
Those with a powerful enough graphics card are in for a real eye candy treat while you play Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast. Being a fan of Star Wars is not essential because the graphics just get better and better the more you play.
Sound
Music, music music. The main aspect of the sound and immersive sound effects of a Star Wars game is its music. The traditional John Williams score is played throughout, which the music changing dynamically dependant upon the action on screen. This plays well and at the right moment, unlike Serious Sam the music doesn’t give away the location of bad guys hiding near by."The traditional John Williams
score is played throughout"
score is played throughout"
The sound effects of the light saber hitting light saber are wickedly faithful to the film, and every swish sounds electric. The smaller blasters in the game sound a bit too puny, but again similar to the film.
Overall
Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast isn’t the best first person shooter I have ever played, but it is the best Star Wars shooter. Improving on the original in every way, Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast looks and feels true to the Star Wars universe.The graphics thanks to the Quake III engine are highly detailed if a little slow at points. The AI is poor as you would expect for the run of the mill first person shooter, but disappointing in what should have been THE best first person shooter. Multiplayer aspects, music, and light saber action all add up to rub away any of the bad parts of the game. Be warned you have been. This game is difficult both in puzzles and dark force action. You definitely will need the force with you in this one.