Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast

"Buy this game if you like Star Wars (or haven't seen Star Wars)"

JK2 is one of my favourite games ever (except the first 4 levels). Here are reasons why I like it.

GRAPHICS: 10

Never, ever update the Quake III engine unless you have a very good excuse (the Quake IV engine?). Everyone looks pleasing, except for the teeth showing through their mouths sometimes. The lightsaber glows are very nice, the environments are spot on. But it would mean nothing without...

SOUND: 10

Oh my god, they've blown me away. The music is the same as the film, used intelligently and constantly changing. It really make a difference when you're saber-fighting a Dark Jedi that the old fighting music is playing, or when you're exploring an ''abandoned'' mining world the imperial march is slowly repeating. If you're exploring, sometimes the old love theme plays (like when Leia and Luke meet on the bridge in Return of the Jedi).

GAMEPLAY: 9

Not perfect, but intelligent. It has got many thing I like. For example, the saber-fighting which stays interesting. The saber-lock is a very good system, where you repeatedly bash the Attack button. And your acrobatic manouevres are very nice: a roll, a ''run-along-a-wall'', and more.

MULTIPLAYER: 8 when it works

If I had a (decent) modem, I'd be able to tell you. But Botmatches are fun, especially Jedi Master. There are different modes: Free for all and teams, which are normal. You can set the teams to Lightside vs Dark Side, which is fun. Capture the Flag does exactly what it says on the tin. Capture the Ysalamari (spelling?) is CTF with a flag making you unable to use force-powers, or something. Jedi Master is when people unite to destroy the guy with the Saber and all the force powers. Then they become that guy and saber some ass.

PLOT: 8

Its all star-wars-esque. Kyle and mate Jan go off to investigate soemthing, Jan gets killed, Kyle wants to avenge her (dark side influences) and becomes a Jedi, beats up big bad imperials, and wins the game. A bit average.

THE GOOD:

Sound
Music rocks
Graphics
Lightsabers
Characters
Replayability
''Being There'' feel
You meet Lando and Luke

THE BAD:

First four levels without much action except repeated stormtrooper blasting
Saber combat sometimes won by buttonbashing
Kyle's ghost dad? WTF?
My modem sucking

One last thing. I don't promote illegal activities, but if you unzip ''Assets0.pk3'' you can listen to some nice Star Wars music. Stick it on an MP3 player and you've saved yourself the cost of buying the ''Star Wars Soundtrack'' CD!

OVERALL 10

MY SCORE: 10 (except the first four levels)

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 06/15/02, Updated 06/15/02