Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast: Web Wombat: Games

Letting gamers go nuts in the Star Wars universe is one thing, but giving them Force powers and a light sabre is a totally different concept altogether.

Perhaps that's why Jedi Knight: Dark Forces 2 was so popular?

It, also, was a great game, but it did lack in certain areas, such as light sabre control, which made multiplayer duels a little snap and hiss, if you'll excuse the pun.

Since Jedi1 was released, Lucasarts hasn't exactly set the world on fire with it's games and while the die-hards may moan and groan, the fact that Jedi2's development was carried out by Raven Software is, in retrospect, a very good thing.

Since the events in Jedi Knight, which involved the fiasco at the Valley of the Jedi, where the evil dark Jedi Jerec was defeated, Kyle Katarn vowed never to use the Force again. Afraid of being seduced by the power of the dark side, he turfed his light sabre and became just another Rebel operative.

The game is set after the events of Episode VI, so Luke Skywalker is hitting getting older, wiser and more powerful, training new Jedi Knights at his academy, while the Empire is fragmented - or is it?

At the start of the game, you check out a weird interception on a remote planet, with direct orders from Mon Mothma. You quickly find out that Empire remnants are secretly using republic prisoners as guinea pigs and, with help from Mara Jade - a character taken from the Star Wars novels - you must get to the bottom of what could be a threat to the New Republic.

Look, it's a Jango Fett clone. There's another!

The plot is excellent and is what will initially get your pulse pounding. About four missions into the game you meet up with Luke Skywalker - son of bad-boy Anakin - and he will help you get both your force powers and your laser sword back.

This happens at the Jedi Academy on Yavin 4, which will be a bit of a buzz for the die-hards. Also, you'll come across Lando Calrissian, voiced by Billy Dee Williams, which is a nice touch.

For me though, checking out the underbelly of Nar Shaddaa, the smuggler planet owned by the mafia-like Hutts, was a highlight, as was slicing my way through the majestic Cloud City on planet Bespin.

While the guns and weapons in JK2 are very cool, the light sabre is the piece de resistance. And this time, with a little help from the suave Quake III: Team Arena engine, the sword-fighting mechanics are much improved.

This not only makes the single-player game a monumental experience, but the multiplayer duels are now much improved over JK1. Most weapons have a secondary fire and new inclusions, like the controllable seeker drones and trip wire mines, are particularly cool too.

Weapons:

Bryar Pistol - low power shot, or can be charged for more damage
E-11 Blaster Rifle - Storm trooper weapons - slow or rapid fire. The workhorse weapon
Destructive Electro-Magnetic Pulse 2 Gun - anti-droid/mechanical weapon
Heavy Repeater - the M16 of the future - extreme rapid-fire capability, plus grenade launcher mounted under the barrel
Bowcaster - Wookie weapons - powerful shot, can be charged for spread or bounce off walls
Tenloss Disruptor Rifle - the sniper rifle of the future. Can also be charged up for devastating head shots
Golan Arms FC-1 - shotgun of the future. Good damage, poor range - funky secondardy explosive fire
Light sabre - three different stances, can deflect enemy fire and makes for a groovin' disco tool!

Throughout the course of the game, you actually learn different techniques with the light sabre, or stances, if you will. This gives the player more control over the moves and style of sword-play you want to employ.

Lightsabre duels are excellent to watch

Of course, Force powers have a made a triumphant comeback too - and call me a sadist, but there's nothing better than using force grip to pick up a Storm trooper from ten paces away and watch him squirm as you invisibly strangle him. Hey, the dark side's more powerful: if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

Progression through the game is aided by little cut-sequences, but unlike JK1, most use the game engine, as opposed to filmed actors, which is a shame, but not a tragedy. Like most Star Wars games, the plot is really awesome - but then I'm a Star Wars geek from way back, so my view may be tarnished somewhat.

Level design varies from amazing to plain old good, and there's nary a point when you look at something and go: "That looks shit." At the same time, there are sections in the game that rely too much on button pushing and puzzle solving and, for me, these really sucked. I don't mind admitting that at a certain points I had to turn to the walkthrough websites for help, but such is the games appeal, you'll really want to finish it, regardless of annoying puzzles and finicky backtracking.

Graphically, Jedi Outcast is real purty, though I did think the Storm troopers looked a bit thin. I guess the remnants of the Empire don't have a much of a foodstuffs budget.

Weapon's fire is great, explosions could have been better and the way the game switches from first person perspective to third person when you ignite your light sabre makes hacking your way through enemies all the easier. This option can be turned off, too.

There are numerous levels where the Team Arena engine is used to great effect, such as when Twin Ion Engine fighters (TIE) and other spacecraft fly by overhead, or when you have to take on massive AT-ST (aka chicken walkers).

Huge levels characterise the Jedi game-world

The texture detail is of a very high quality and the motion capture used on humanoid models is impressive too. But the best thing would have to be the light sabre effects - kudos to Raven for adding the cool after-effect.

Gameplay ranges from amazing to tedious, with the aforementioned puzzle sections really getting on this reviewer's nerves. On the whole, though, JK2 is a joy to play and the controls are set up just like any other Half-Life or Quake III game - all hail WASD!

At least once on every level you'll go 'oooh' when something cool happens, the Force powers make you even more powerful and the weapons are still very handy in dispatching baddies. Apart from the 'find-a-switch' sections, Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast really doesn't have any glaring problems. Even the multiplayer aspect has been highly polished, which, at the end of the day, makes JK2 a brilliant game.

Raven seems to be doing the goods for everyone in their "developer-for-hire" role. Soldier of Fortune 2 (review soon) is a ripper and Jedi Knight 2 has more fun bits than your average first person shooter. Raven has done an excellent job in taking all the info about the Star Wars universe and translating into something tangible.

The game moves at a fair clip on most above-average PCs (let's say 500Mhz +), the story is ultra-juicy, the gameplay highly addictive and, last of all, it's got that soundtrack. Star Wars fans will get a real buzz out of Jedi Knight 2, while for everyone it still offers some of the best story-driven gaming around.

Game: Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast
System: PC
Players: 1-32
Online: Yes
Developer: Ravensoft
Distributor: Activision

Rating: 90%

(Ratings Key/Explantion)

Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast is on the shelves now.

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