Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast

"The long-awaited sequel arrived, and it was good."

Here we have the sequel to LucasArts' 1997 game Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II, developed by Raven Software. It's been highly anticipated by many, and is a real step forward for LucasArts who, until only a few months ago, has been in a slump as far as videogames go.

Graphics:
One of the main questions on everybody's minds: how much have the graphics improved? Sporting a modified Quake 3 engine, Jedi Outcast makes some serious improvements on Jedi Knights's graphics.

A lot of people want to know if this game is as graphically demanding as other Quake 3-engine-based games like Return to Castle Wolfenstein or Medal of Honor. Thankfully, it is NOT. Here are my specs: AMD K6-2 500Mhz, GeForce 2 MX400 64MB PCI. If you are reading this, there is little doubt in my mind that your specs are superior. But even with these awful specifications, the game still runs smooth as silk. All I needed to do was make a few modifications: Video mode dropped to 640x480; Geometric detail lowered to medium; texture filter down to Bilinear. That's it. On my slow system, Outcast runs near-perfectly with this configuration and still retains the incredible, crisp graphics.

One of the very first things people will notice is the scorch marks the sabre leaves on the walls if you go near them. Your saber casts a glow on the ground and leaves a trail when swung. The characters look more human than before; their movements are faster, yet more realistic and fluid. The weapons are also vastly improved.

Sound:
Old-time Jedi Knight fans will notice the return of some classic sounds that have been re-made, like the force heal and health packs (medkits). New sounds also blend in with the environment and really add to the mood. Your sabre has new sounds that go with its new moves (see gameplay). Multiplayer games have music now, and as in most Star Wars games, the tracks are recongnizeable and easy to listen to.

Gameplay:
Here's where Outcast really begins to shine. Surprisingly, the characters move a little slower now, but the new moves compensate and its slower speed isn't really that noticeable anyway. The saber has different modes that affect the swing speed and strength of your character. Speaking of characters, here's the full multiplayer list: Bespin cop, Chiss, Galak, Gran, Imperial, Imperial worker, Jan, Jedi, Jedi trainer, Kyle, Lando, Luke, Mon, Morgan, Prisoner, Rebel, Reborn jedi, Reelo, Rodian, Shadow trooper, Pilot, Swamp trooper, Tavion, Trandoshan, Ugnaught, and Weequay. There are six sabres to choose from, which are orange, yellow, green, blue, pink (seriously), and red. There are also 11 levels in MP.

The force powers use a new system: there are three levels for all the powers. The higher the level, the more powerful the attack. You can change your powers (and skin) in the middle of a match. You get 75 points to play with, and you give yourself the powers. To get Force Heal level one for example, it takes 1 point away. If you want level two, it will cost you 3 more. For level three, it costs you six more. Every force power has a different requirement for getting a higher level. By popular demand, here is a listing of the powers:

Neutral: Jump, push, pull, speed, sight; Light: Absorb, heal, protect, mindtrick (persuasion); Dark: Grip, drain, lightning, dark rage; Saber: Attack (required for use of sabre), defend, throw. Increasing points for the saber powers increases either its attack, defense, or how far you can throw.

I don't want to oversell it, but Jedi Outcast is an excellent sequel to Jedi Knight, and I give it a 10, despite the Quake 3 engine which I'm really not too find of, but seems to work anyway. I don't like giving out 10s, but I know when a game deserves one.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 03/29/02, Updated 03/29/02