Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast
MSRP: $49.99
Number of Players: 1-2
Developer: Raven Software/LucasArts
Publisher: LucasArts
Reviewer: Scott Giles
Kyle Katarn is back in
the Nintendo GameCube port of Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi
Outcast. JK2
is the third installment of the Dark Forces/Jedi Knight series that began a
long time ago on a PC far, far away, and it should not disappoint
fans.
Jedi Outcast takes place around a decade after "Return of the
Jedi." The Imperial Remnant, led by the dark Jedi Dasaan, has found a way to
contain the Force in a physical form in order to manufacture a new army of
synthetic-brand Jedi in his quest to revive the Empire. You take on the
role of Kyle Katarn, a mercenary-for-hire with the New Republic, who vowed
to never even look at a lightsaber again after his bout with the Force in
Dark Forces II: Jedi Knight/Mysteries of the Sith, and must re-familiarize
yourself with the Jedi's weapon of choice, as well as the powers that come
with it after Kyle's partner, Jan Ors is taken prisoner by Dasaan.
This game is the closest you'll ever come to living out the fantasy of being a
Jedi. The graphics are simply amazing and the environments are expansive
and very well-detailed. However, as I said before, in Jedi Knight: Dark
Forces II, Kyle relinquished his weapon and Force abilities, so you don't
start out with a lightsaber or Force powers. You'll have to work for it.
The upside is that this adds such a welcome dimension as you must visit Luke
Skywalker, a now fully-developed Jedi Master, at his Jedi Academy where
you'll be put through a series of tests in order to get your lightsaber and
Force powers back, including push, pull, mind trick, speed, heal, grip, and
lightning. You can even sit back and watch a saber combat-training session
during your visit.
The sound and music
are awesome. You can never go wrong with the trademark Star Wars score. At times, the music will let you
know what's lurking around the corner. It also gets you pumped up and more
determined during heated lightsaber battles with those fake, wannabe Jedi.
The only downside to this game -- which may not even be a downside at all
depending on your level of desired realism -- is the control. There are
plenty of configurations to choose from, but it will still take some getting used to.
This makes the use of the lightsaber with finesse a real daunting task,
but once you master it, the Sith are powerless against you and it only makes
the game even more fulfilling.
The storyline is immersive, but what keeps you playing afterward is Jedi Arena mode, in which you can play different
multiplayer games, including Free-For-All, where it's you and up to 10 other
Jedi battling it out for supremacy. Other match types include Jedi Master,
Capture the Flag, among others.
It's tough to sum this game up with an adjective worthy of the experience. The words satisfying, impressive, and
just plain kick-ass all come to mind. Jedi Outcast will be one of the top
five games available on GameCube for many months to come. LucasArts will have to
pull out all the stops to top this title.
Graphics
8.0
Framerate
is choppy a few times when too much was happening onscreen, but other than that, this game is beautiful and holds true to Star
Wars fashion.
Sound & Music
10
It's Star Wars music by John Williams.
Enough said.
Control
7.5
Takes some getting used to, but the gameplay
and compelling storyline quickly take your mind of the negative.
Replay Value
8.0
There's no online play like the PC version for Jedi Arena mode,
but you can always do what we did in the 80s-late 90s and have friends you
can actually see come over to your house.
Fun Factor
8.5
I can recall
in Nar Shaddaa getting zapped by some kind of ray gun and falling off narrow
ledges quite a number of times, but that didn't take away from the overall
experience. This was an excellent story to carry on the Star Wars saga.
Overall
8.5
One thing that stood out in my mind was the fact that
though there are some elements that other games would use for
cutscenes, Jedi Outcast allowed them to develop as you were actually playing the game.
That stood out big and made me love this game even more.
Kyle Katarn is back in
the Nintendo GameCube port of Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi
Outcast. JK2 
The sound and music
are awesome. You can never go wrong with the trademark Star Wars score. At times, the music will let you
know what's lurking around the corner. It also gets you pumped up and more
determined during heated lightsaber battles with those fake, wannabe Jedi.