Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast

"More fun than you can swing a lightsaber at."

I shouldn't have to tell you this, but you shouldn't even bother reading this review. Seriously. If you are at all a fan of either Star Wars or FPS, it is you duty as a human being to run right out and purchase this game. If, for some unfathomable reason, you need convincing, read on.

It's been 10 years since we last saw Kyle Katarn. He's severed his ties to the Force for fear of being lost to the Dark Side (events chronicled in Mysteries of the Sith). Continuing their service to the New Republic, Kyle and Jan are sent to a supposedly abandoned Remnant (what's left of the Empire) base to see if it really is as empty as reported. Naturally, when the duo lands, they find it crawling with Imperials. While exploring the base, Kyle learns of experiments that involve fusing crystals with living tissue to create beings with strong ties to the Force. From there the story continues on a roller-coaster ride that will take you to several familiar locations throughout the Star Wars Universe before you finally confront the evil behind this latest, twisted scheme…

Based on the Quake III engine, Jedi Outcast is almost every bit as beautiful as you would expect. While not the prettiest game around, it's built on a solid engine with few glitches. Yes- there are glitches. There is the occasional artifact warping (i.e. textures don't cover the models the way they should) and every once in a while, a wall will disappear if you stand next to it just right. Sure, you see this sort of thing in a lot of games, but it's still depressing nonetheless when it happens. Another minus (depending on your point of view) is the lack of support for VooDoo- based chipsets. Okay, so the company's been dead for over two years, but this is the first game that I've actually had a problem playing on the old Banshee. On the other hand, the game looks extra crispy on GeForce cards; so if you're looking for that excuse to upgrade…All in all, top-notch visuals worthy of the Star Wars name.

Sure you already know what the music is going to sound like, but for once I'm glad it's the same old Star Wars music. Why? For once in a Star Wars game on the PC (Factor 5 has been doing this in the Nintendo 64 and GameCube), the music is script-based, meaning that when certain things happen, the music changes to a more appropriate tune. It makes it feel more like the movies since John Williams' scores are character- and event-driven. The sound effects are, of course, top-notch (big surprise there) and sound even better with a toasty sound system hooked up to your computer and full environmental surround sound. Ah…good times.

I cannot stress this point enough- the controls are perfect. Using Force powers have been simplified in this sequel, giving them a more natural feel and using everything from the blaster to the lightsaber (the preferred weapon once you acquire it) becomes second nature. Lightsaber combat has been drastically improved, to the point where lightsaber battle are much more enjoyable. Okay, it isn't Soul Caliber perfect, but when you're fighting two Reborn (Dark Jedi) at once and you've just flipped over one of them, killing him on the downward arc while spinning around as you land to parry another attack from his friend, you'll feel like a Jedi. Then there are new moves like running along walls that really add a unique style to combat. There's so much more to talk about here, but I'll let you discover things for yourself.

Everything about this game has the Star Wars feel to it. I don't know how else to describe it except with that sentence. Since there isn't much visual reference for some of the items and areas in the game, the design team at Raven did a wonderful job of creating and crafting something from practically nothing. Like I said, it has the feel. If I have one complaint, it is the five level wait to obtain your lightsaber. I realize the only way Raven could plausibly make the game as difficult and story- driven as it is would be to start the character fresh with no Force powers, but I should have to wait so damn long to use the primary tool of a Jedi when the freakin' game has the word Jedi mentioned twice in the freakin' title! Ahem. I'm done now. Anyway, good job Raven.

There are a couple of cool extras in the game (like Darth Maul's lightsaber in multi-player) but the biggest bonus is Raven's support for mods, maps and skins. It is incredibly easy to create your own characters and levels using readily available tools found practically anywhere on the web. Don't feel like doing the work? Don't worry; someone out there probably has what you want. If you can snag the collector's version of the game, you'll be treated to a tin case, a lightsaber key chain (that lights up) and copies of Kyle's past two adventures (Dark Forces and Jedi Knight). Not too shabby for a PC game.

Let me break down the math for you: Raven + Star Wars = Fun. Even Einstein couldn't formulate a better mathematical equation.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 08/10/09

Game Release: Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast (US, 03/26/02)