Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II is a 1997first-person shootervideo game developed and published by LucasArts for Microsoft Windows. It was later re-released on Steam in September 2009,[1][2] and again in 2015 on GOG.com. The game is set in the Star Wars fictional universe and is a sequel to the 1995 game Star Wars: Dark Forces. Jedi Knight was very well-received by critics.
The storyline in Jedi Knight follows Kyle Katarn, who first appeared in Dark Forces. Katarn's father had been murdered by a Dark Jedi over the location of 'The Valley of the Jedi' and the game follows Katarn's attempts to find the Valley and confront his father's killers. Jedi Knight adds some technical and gameplay improvements over its predecessor. It uses a more powerful game engine that supports 3D acceleration using Direct3D 5.0. Jedi Knight also includes a multiplayer mode that allows players to compete over the internet or a local area network. On January 31, 1998, Star Wars Jedi Knight: Mysteries of the Sith was released as an expansion to Dark Forces II. The game was a large success and as a result, the next game in the series followed in 2002, Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast.
Gameplay[edit]Single-player[edit]
Jedi Knight is primarily a first-person shooter, although it does offer the choice of a third-person view.[3] The game consists of twenty-one levels with objectives which the player must complete before being able to continue to the next level. There are weapons available in each level and after level three, the player has the use of a lightsaber, along with the Force.[4] In addition to being an effective weapon, the lightsaber is also a useful tool for the player, providing light in dark areas,[5] deflecting incoming blaster fire and cutting through some obstacles.
A battle with Imperial stormtroopers
There are three types of Force powers; light, dark and neutral. Light Force powers provide nonviolent advantages such as being able to restore health or persuade enemies to ignore the player. Dark Force powers are violent and give the ability to throw objects or choke enemies. Neutral powers enhance athletic abilities such as being able to jump higher or run faster.[6] There are fourteen powers in total, four of each type and a bonus power in each light and dark if the Jedi stays true to that path.[7] Players earn stars to allocate toward Force powers by completing specific levels. By finding all the secrets in a level, players can also gain one bonus star to use. Between levels, the player can choose which Force powers to enhance by allocating stars to that power. Stars cannot be reclaimed from powers later on.[8][9]
Some levels contain puzzles that may require use of the Force to overcome, or by locating certain objects in the level.[3] There are a variety of hostile and non-hostile NPCs within each level with whom the player can interact. Other enemies include monsters and vehicles.[3] There are two endings to Jedi Knight, depending on how the player plays the game. If the player does not harm non-hostile NPCs and focuses on collecting light Force powers, the player will get the light side ending. Conversely if the player harms non-hostile NPCs and collects dark Force powers, the game will end with the dark side ending.[10]
Multiplayer[edit]
Jedi Knight includes a multiplayer mode that allows up to eight people to compete with one another on a local area network and up to thirty two people online.[3][4] Online gaming was hosted by the MSN Gaming Zone.[11] The player creates an avatar within Jedi Knight and selects a ranking, with higher rankings having access to more Force powers. The player can also edit their avatar's 'skin' and lightsaber color. There are two types of game in Jedi Knight's multiplayer mode, 'Capture the flag' and 'Jedi Training', similar to deathmatch. The players can customize the settings to play a deathmatch the way they desire; for example, by limiting the use of Force powers or playing on teams.[3]
Plot[edit]
The game is set one year after the events of Return of the Jedi. The player controls Kyle Katarn, who made his first appearance as a mercenary in Dark Forces. On Nar Shaddaa, Katarn meets with an information brokerdroid named 8t88 who tells Katarn that his father, Morgan Katarn, was killed by a Dark Jedi named Jerec, who also intends to rebuild the Empire under his rule. After a lengthy firefight, Kyle retrieves a disk from 8t88 that can only be read by WeeGee, the Katarn's family droid. The disk's message, coupled with WeeGee giving Kyle a lightsaber, compel Kyle to undertake a journey to confront his father's murderers and discover his own latent Force abilities. While on this journey, Kyle learns that seven Dark Jedi are intent on finding the 'Valley of the Jedi', a focal point for the Force and sacred ground for the Jedi. Guided by Jedi Master Qu Rahn, who was recently cut down by Jerec, but who lived on as a force spirit, Kyle must defeat Jerec's Seven Dark Jedi in order to stop Jerec from gaining infinite power.
Katarn retrieves the Valley's location and travels with Rebel Alliance agent and close friend Jan Ors to Ruusan, the planet on which the Valley is located. Jerec captures Ors and offers Katarn the choice to execute her or die. The decision Katarn makes here depends on the player's actions within the game up to this point. If Katarn has remained true to the light path he spares Ors, but if he has fallen to the dark side he kills her. With both paths, Katarn has a final confrontation with Jerec in the Valley of the Jedi's core. If the player chose the light side, the game concludes with Katarn being reunited with Ors and carving a monument to Rahn and his dead father; if the player chose the dark path, the game ends with Katarn becoming the new Emperor.
Development[edit]
Development of Jedi Knight was led by Justin Chin, who had also worked on the previous game.[5] The most significant developments for Jedi Knight are the use of The Force and the lightsaber. The Force plays an integral role in how the player plays the game and shapes the way the game is played.[6] The method of allocating credits to Force powers was designed with a role-playing video game style in mind, allowing the player the choice of which powers to improve. Chin said in an early interview that progress in the game is based upon the abilities the player develops.[12]
Jedi Knight uses both 3D graphics and surround sound. It is one of the early games to adopt the use of 3D graphics hardware acceleration using Microsoft Direct3D.[13] The 3D sound technology was tweaked extensively to give an immersive feel to the game. This was achieved by experimentation using many different sound effects and playback styles.[14] Between levels Jedi Knight features full motion video cutscenes. The characters are represented by live actors while the backgrounds are pre-rendered graphics.[15] The cutscenes included the first lightsaber footage filmed since Return of the Jedi in 1983.[16]
Mysteries of the Sith[edit]
After the release of Jedi Knight, LucasArts developed Star Wars Jedi Knight: Mysteries of the Sith as an expansion pack. It was released on January 31, 1998 and received positive reviews from critics.[17][18] The expansion includes a single-player mode and fifteen multiplayer maps. There are also technical improvements over Jedi Knight, including colored lighting, new textures and models, and developments to the artificial intelligence.[19]
The single-player story in Mysteries of the Sith is set five years after the events of Jedi Knight. The player once more takes control of Kyle Katarn, but later in the game is given control of Mara Jade, one of the most popular Star Wars expanded universe characters.[20]
Reception[edit]Sales[edit]
In the United States, Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II debuted at #3 on PC Data's monthly computer game sales chart for October 1997.[21] It secured sixth place in November;[22] by the 30th, the game had sold 155,060 copies and earned $7.36 million in the United States alone.[23] After a 14th-place finish in December,[24]Jedi Knight reached lifetime sales of 247,036 units in the country and became its 21st-best-selling computer game of 1997.[25]
In 1998, Jedi Knight placed 20th in January and 16th in February.[26] It was absent from March's top 20.[27]
Critical reviews[edit]
Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II was well received. The game holds an aggregate score of 91 out of 100 on Metacritic, based on ten reviews.[28] The combination of puzzles and gameplay drew praise from critics, who indicated that the game builds upon the qualities found in Dark Forces.[6] The user control of the game was praised,[10] especially the control of the lightsaber.[8] The game was compared positively with Doom, a significant game in the first-person shooter genre.[10][33]
The gameplay did not escape criticism, however, with Tom Chick of IGN criticising the layout of the levels: 'The levels can be awfully linear, throwing you up against some frustrating brick walls where you don't know where to go or what you're supposed to do next. There are some bald key hunts.'[5] The artificial intelligence of hostile NPCs received mixed reactions. GameSpot's Ron Dulin praised the AI, saying that they help the suspension of disbelief.[10] Chi Kong Lui of Gamecritics.com, however, gave the opposite view: 'Enemy artificial intelligence is still pretty mindless and blasting them doesn't require much skill.'[33]
Jedi Knight's graphics received mixed reviews. Critics stated the non-3D accelerated version of the game looks poor.[6][10]Game Revolution's Calvin Hubble argued that the game only really looks good if played on a system with a powerful 3D card.[30] Other graphical aspects received praise. The character animations were considered more detailed than similar games.[10] The graphical presentation of the levels received specific praise from IGN: 'No other first person shooter has come close to Jedi Knight's dizzying sense of scale and its vast levels.'[5] The full-motion video sequences between levels received both praise and criticism.[8][10]
Next Generation reviewed the PC version of the game, rating it five stars out of five, and stated that 'The game has little to no faults; one could nitpick about the overacting or the rushed look of the menu interface, but in the end, Jedi Knight is to first-person shooters what sliced bread is to wheat products.'[31]
The use of John Williams' soundtrack from the Star Wars films was met with praise,[5][10] though one reviewer believed that the music is overused in Star Wars video games.[33] The sound effects were also lauded, and seen as providing a good atmosphere for the game,[5] in particular the lightsaber sound and its implementation.[10][30]
The addition of a multiplayer mode to Jedi Knight was met positively,[4] but questions arose to why there are so few multiplayer maps and why single-player maps cannot be used in the multiplayer mode.[10] Tom Chick of IGN believes this was corrected with the release of Mysteries of the Sith.[5]
The editors of Computer Games Strategy Plus named Jedi Knight the best first-person action game of 1997.[34]Jedi Knight won Computer Gaming World's 1997 'Game of the Year' award. The editors wrote, 'As did Diablo the year before, Jedi rose above the crowd in appealing to gamers across all genres. The Force was definitely with LucasArts when they made Jedi Knight, Dark Forces II.' The magazine nominated Jedi Knight as the best action game of 1997, but it lost to Quake II.[35]
In 1998, PC Gamer declared it the best computer game ever released, and the editors called it 'such a class act from start to finish that even people who know nothing about PC games can tell they're looking at greatness. It's a fantastic game, and one we never hesitate to recommend to any kind of gamer'.[36]
References[edit]
External links[edit]
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Star_Wars_Jedi_Knight:_Dark_Forces_II&oldid=904132333'
Save the galaxy or destroy it yourself.
As a completely story-driven game featuring some neat lightsaber battles, large maps and the ability to become either a Light or Dark Jedi, it’s no surprise that Dark Forces II gets hailed as one of the best Star Wars games. While it stays a little too close to the conventions of the genre and feels a little bit too much like an improved Dark Forces rather than a product with its own unique identity, it’s still a beautifully designed game with some genuinely creative twists.
The story takes place in the Star Wars universe but makes no direct references to the movies, instead continuing from the events that concluded the first Dark Forces game. You play a vengeful Kyle Katarn, who learns that seven Dark Jedi plan to unlock the powers of a secret hidden Jedi burial ground. Along the way, Kyle learns more about the Force, and will have a chance to cross-over to the Light or Dark side based on both his actions during the game (if you shoot innocent civilians, you’re evil) and how you distribute the “Force points” that are awarded after completing levels.
Unlike most first person shooters at the time, the story is what drives the levels in Dark Forces 2 and not the other way around. Each one is tightly embedded in an unfolding plot, usually consisting of several objectives needing completion. The end of most levels are interrupted by cutscenes played by real actors, wrapping up whatever just happened and setting the scene for what’s to come. The acting in only so-so, but a few characters, like the protagonist, are enjoyable to watch.
The actual design of each of the levels is what ultimately sets Jedi Knight apart from its competitors. The first two levels feature what perhaps is the best representation of a working environment ever—they take place in the bowels of a space station. You’ll be running around amidst a series of conveyor belts and what appear to be garbage containers. Even from minute one you’ll notice just how impossibly giant everything looks – if there’s one game to inspire a sense of vertigo, it’s this one.
Other levels are less impressive visually, but include other interesting features. Level 15—”The Falling Ship”—takes place on, duh, a ship as it falls to the ground. It’s a timed level, the only one you’ll encounter during the game, and what makes it so brilliant is that each of the rooms is sideways or twisting. You’ll jump on the ceiling and slide down the floor—boxes explode with no warning, and the only way you’ll be able to survive is to follow the arrows to the exit. It’s an exhilarating dash, easily one of the best moments of the game.
Other levels, like an Imperial tower that cuts through the skyline or a suspended aqueduct system, inspire plenty of nauseating vertigo. The levels themselves are logically built and often feel self-sustaining thanks to all the elevators, switches and equipment everywhere.
Jedi Knight’s starring feature consists of one-on-one lightsaber duels with other Jedi. These are arguably the best part of the game and they offer some tense distractions from shooting stormtroopers. There are several such battles that take place against key characters – Dark Jedi out to fight on their master’s behalf, and their saber fighting prowess is good enough to keep such duels interesting. You get the lightsaber as early as level three, and you can even complete most of the game with it.
The addition of Force Powers that become available as you progress through the game is another point of interest. There are a total of twelve such powers, some of which will becomes available depending on which side you choose to play as – be it Dark or Light – with a set of secondary Neutral powers unlocked on the side. There will be a middle point in the game where, depending on your actions, you’ll either switch to being a good or evil Jedi, a decision that will have a profound effect on how the rest of the story unfolds (the two possible endings are diametrically opposed, so it’s worth playing the game twice just for this aspect as well as the new Force Powers). It’s strange how the game assumes that every bystander I kill is done with malice, but that’s how the system works. Slaughtering every civilian will definitely land you on the Dark Side, while saving and sparing them will turn you more benevolent.
The Force Power system has some issues. You have to shift through these powers and activate them manually, much like an inventory system. The rate at which points are awarded for upgrading your Powers are skewed, which might leave you defenseless against more powerful one-on-one Jedi standoffs.
The visuals in JK are somewhere between good and merely okay-ishl. LucasArts developed their very own engine as part of their entry into true 3D (its prequel made use of sprites and 2.5D levels). Every character model and weapon in JK is made up of actual textured models. By and large, the textures are probably the best part of this game from a visual perspective. The game supports 3D accelerators through Direct3D, although it is poorly implemented and remains indistinguishable from its software-rendered counterpart.
What else is there to say? Jedi Knight is a simple, straightforward and ultimately worthwhile shooter that brings to light some of the best Star Wars can offer – immense futuristic environments, cool lightsaber battles, usually good acting and ultimately great fun.
System Requirements: Pentium 90 Mhz, 16 MB RAM, Windows 95
IMPORTANT: This is a download button.
Please READ THIS before downloading!
Tags: Free Download Star Wars Jedi Knight Dark Forces 2 Full PC Game Review
Key points
General information
Availability[edit]
Downloadable content (DLC) and expansions
Version differences[edit]
Essential improvements[edit]
In-game gameplay settings.
Alternate installer[edit]
Patches[edit]Latest official patch[edit]
Unofficial patch[edit]
Remove CD check[edit]
Skip intro videos[edit]
Higher quality music[edit]
Replace the music tracks with higher quality ones ripped from the original CD.
Higher quality graphics[edit]
Before and after the High Detail Mod.
Make the game always use the highest quality textures and models, instead of using lower qualities the further away they are (and leading to unsightly transitions).
Game data[edit]
In-game general settings.
Configuration file(s) location[edit]
Save game data location[edit]
Save game cloud syncing[edit]
Video settings[edit]
In-game video settings.
In-game advanced video settings (only accessible via the
-displayconfig command line argument).
Field of view (FOV)[edit]
Input settings[edit]
In-game general control settings.
In-game keyboard settings.
In-game mouse settings.
In-game joystick settings.
Mouse Wheel Rebinding[edit]
Audio settings[edit]
In-game audio settings.
Localizations
Network[edit]Multiplayer types
Connection types
Ports
Issues fixed[edit]Game crashes at launch[edit]
3D acceleration issues[edit]
Running the game with 3D acceleration turned on may cause crashes or graphics problems (ex. black screens) on some modern machines.
Can't start new game on AMD GPUs[edit]
This issue is present in the original CD release and may also apply to releases patched with the Unofficial Patch.
Black screen during menu[edit]
Seemingly low framerate or stuttering[edit]
The game updates camera movement at only 30 FPS, even though the game runs at 60 FPS. This gives the appearance of poor performance and can be improved by capping the framerate below 48.
HUD is missing or screen has black border[edit]
Music issues[edit]
{{Fixbox|description=Add/replace music wrapper|ref=[citation needed]|fix=
Miscellaneous fixes[edit]
Other information[edit]API[edit]
Middleware[edit]
Access advanced display settings menu[edit]
Texture/model enhancements[edit]Jedi Knight Enhanced[edit]
Jedi Knight Retexture Pack[edit]
Jedi Knight Neural Upscale Texture Pack[edit]
JK HUD Revamp[edit]
System requirements[edit]
Notes
References
Please consider supporting The Cutting Room Floor on Patreon. Thanks for all your support!
Sometimes called Jedi Knight, other times, Dark Forces 2: Jedi Knight, but officially, it's Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II.
Unused Modelrepv.3do repp.3do - Sniper Rifle
A cut weapon! Many user-made mods use this weapon, although the internal name of the view model is 'srifle'.
Potentially an early Concussion Rifle, since it has a sniper-esque secondary fire.
Unused Soundsscore1.wav
Sorry, your browser either has JavaScript disabled or does not have any supported player.
You can download the clip or download a player to play the clip in your browser.
An alarm! Or a buzzer, probably meant to be used in Capture The Flag.
score2.wav
Sorry, your browser either has JavaScript disabled or does not have any supported player.
You can download the clip or download a player to play the clip in your browser.
A short jingle. Also meant to be used in Capture The Flag?
i00mn03z.wav
Sorry, your browser either has JavaScript disabled or does not have any supported player.
You can download the clip or download a player to play the clip in your browser.
An unused line for the generic male NPC? Probably meant for either the first, fourth, or fifth levels.
bikeacl1.wav & biketrn1.wav
Sorry, your browser either has JavaScript disabled or does not have any supported player.
You can download the clip or download a player to play the clip in your browser.
Sorry, your browser either has JavaScript disabled or does not have any supported player.
You can download the clip or download a player to play the clip in your browser.
Sounds of a bike accelerating and turning(?). There are no NPCs that use bikes, nor any bike models to be seen. Perhaps there was gonna be speeders at one point in development?
Star Wars Jedi Knight Dark Forces 2 Demo DownloadUnused Animationskysnap3.key
A third standing strike. When standing still, Kyle swipes left and right. It seems that a third strike was intended to be there, but was removed. This animation has a first person counterpart. Also, this animation has attack flags set, meaning it will deal damage to enemies.
kystab.key and kystab2.key
A pair of animations for models that use Kyle Katarn's hierarchy (which include multiplayer models). The first is winding up for a stab, another for thrusting the saber forward. There is no lower-body movement, suggesting these were meant to be used while moving, likely. These animations do not have attack flags set.
Unused AbilityForce Saber Throw
Defined in the world templates is a projectile referenced as +force_saber. This projectile makes uses of two other unused pieces of content. Its model, sab0.3do, and its animation, sab0.key. There is no leftover force power code that would trigger this ability, so the only way to see this projectile in action is to modify a weapon to fire Lightsabers instead. This projectile is capable of harming enemies, though it vanishes on impact with one, enemies with Lightsabers can also deflect this projectile.
This ability would return in the game's expansion, Jedi Knight: Mysteries of The Sith.
Hidden Text
ctf_main.cog, in the JK1MP.GOB file contains a version history of the game's Capture The Flag gamemode. Would you believe the retail version of this gamemode was 1.9?
Retrieved from 'https://tcrf.net/index.php?title=Star_Wars:_Jedi_Knight:_Dark_Forces_II&oldid=609352'
(Redirected from Jedi Knight 2)
Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast is a first and third-personaction game in the Star Wars: Jedi Knight series released in 2002. The Microsoft Windows and OS X versions were developed by Raven Software, and the Xbox and GameCube versions by Vicarious Visions and published by LucasArts with the OS X version was published by Aspyr. Powered by the id Tech 3game engine, the game primarily revolves around ranged and melee combat, with the player capable of wielding classic Star Wars weapons such as blasters, lightsabers and Force powers.[8]
The game features both single-player and multiplayer modes. The story-driven single-player campaign is set in the Star Wars expanded universe two years after the events of Mysteries of the Sith. The plot follows Kyle Katarn as he fights against the Dark JediDesann and his followers.[9] The game was critically well-received on all platforms, with scores on Metacritic of 89 out of 100 for the PC version,[10] 81 out of 100 for the Xbox version,[11] and 75 out of 100 for the GameCube version.[12]
In 2003, a sequel titled Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy was released for the Xbox, Mac OS and PC.[13] In 2006, the PC version of Jedi Outcast was re-released with four other Star Wars games in a pack entitled Star Wars: The Best of PC.[14] On September 16, 2009, the game was re-released with the other Jedi Knight games (Star Wars: Dark Forces, Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II, Mysteries of the Sith and Jedi Academy) onto Steam and Direct2Drive.[7]
Gameplay[edit]
Kyle Katarn fighting a saber-wielding Reborn
Jedi Outcast allows the player to wield a variety of firearms from the Star Wars franchise, as well as lightsabers and Force powers. The player can choose whether to use first or third-person perspective for each weapon, including the lightsaber. Combat is standard for the shooter genre, offering players an array of energy and projectile weapons, plus a variety of explosives. Players have health and shield meters, each of which is replenished separately.
Jedi Outcast places a strong emphasis on lightsaber combat. As in the films, lightsabers can be used to deflect shots from blasters. The game offers three lightsaber styles; fast, medium and strong, with each style differing from the others in terms of the speed of attacks and damage dealt. There are also a number of combos, many of which are unique to the selected saber style.
Force powers (such as Push, Jump, and Lightning) are available in both single-player and multiplayer modes, but more powers can be used in the latter. The use of powers is restricted by a 'Force Meter', which depletes with each use and gradually refills over time. The 'level' of a Force power determines the strength of that power and the amount depleted from the Force meter during its use.[15] The multiplayer mode divides players into Light Siders and Dark Siders, pitting each side against the other in team battles. Each side has access to both shared 'Neutral' Force powers, which are mostly focused on increasing speed and athletic ability. There are also numerous powers unique to both Light and Dark sides. As in the previous games, Light Side powers are mainly focused around protection and healing, while Dark Side powers are openly aggressive. Unlike previous games, however, Kyle does not exclusively select Light or Dark powers in the single-player, instead receiving a selection of both.
Single-player[edit]
The single-player campaign follows Kyle Katarn as he moves through the levels in a linear manner, meeting friendly and hostile non-player characters (NPCs). Friendly NPCs will occasionally assist the player in combat. In addition to combat, the campaign features a variety of puzzles.
When the game starts, Kyle has forsaken The Force after the events of the previous game, and as such, the player has no access to a lightsaber or any Force powers. However, after the first two missions, Kyle regains his Force abilities. As the game progresses the number of powers available, and their strength, increase. Progression of Force abilities is fixed, and cannot be customized. Having previously fallen to the Dark Side, Kyle has access to both Light Side powers (such as Force Heal and Jedi Mind Trick) and Dark Side powers (such as Force Lightning and Force Grip), along with neutral ones (such as Force Speed, Force Jump, Force Pull and Force Push).
Multiplayer[edit]
Jedi Outcast features a set of multiplayer modes. In the PC and Macintosh versions, these can be played over a LAN or the Internet, but combat is limited to two players on the console versions.[16][17] There are a variety of game modes (such as 'Free-for-All', 'Team Deathmatch' and 'Capture the flag') which can be played with other players, bots, or both.[18] Each player has limited customization control over his or her avatar. He or she can choose the player model (with access to nearly every character in the game, as well as some characters from the films not seen in the single-player mode) and lightsaber color. Before a match, the server specifies the game rules, including 'Force ranking', which controls how many points the players have available to allocate into Force powers. Players then customize their powers for the match. The server can also choose to disable normal weapons so as to create lightsaber-only matches.
Plot[edit]Setting and characters[edit]
The single-player game is set in 12 ABY, eight years after the events of Return of the Jedi and around two years after the events of Mysteries of the Sith. As with Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II, the player controls Kyle Katarn (voiced by Jeff Bennett[19]), a former Jedi who has cut his links with the Force after almost succumbing to the Dark Side. At the start of the game he is a mercenary working for the New Republic.[9]
Star Wars Jedi Knight Dark Forces Ii Download Game
Over the course of the game, Kyle is joined by various other characters. Three of the most prominent are Jan Ors (Vanessa Marshall[19]), a fellow mercenary and subsequent love interest; Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams[19]), the sophisticated administrator of Cloud City, as seen in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi; and Luke Skywalker (Bob Bergen[19]), leader of the Jedi Academy on Yavin IV. The player also receives help from other Jedi and New Republic soldiers,[20] while Mon Mothma (Carolyn Seymour[19]), Chief-of-State of the New Republic, assigns Kyle and Jan missions during the game.[21]
There are four main enemies: Desann (Mark Klastorin[19]), a former student of the Jedi Academy, who killed a fellow student before leaving the Order;[22]Tavion (Kath Soucie[19]), Desann's apprentice; Galak Fyyar (Steve Blum[19]), an admiral in the Imperial Remnant; and Reelo Baruk (Kevin Michael Richardson[19]), a crime lord posing as a 'respectable garbage collector' on Nar Shaddaa. Other enemies include Imperial stormtroopers, numerous thugs and soldiers infused with the Force (known as the 'Reborn').[23]
Synopsis[edit]
The game begins with Kyle Katarn and Jan Ors investigating a supposedly abandoned Imperial outpost on Kejim. However, when they arrive, they find the base crawling with Imperial forces. They fight their way through the base, discovering a research center studying crystals similar to those used to power lightsabers.[24] Tracing the crystals' origin, Kyle and Jan travel to Artus Prime, a mining colony turned into an Imperial stronghold, where the miners have been enslaved and experimented upon. Katarn thwarts the Imperial operations, but not before Jan is captured by the Dark Jedi Desann and his apprentice Tavion.[25] Kyle tries to rescue her, but, having forsaken the ways of the Jedi, he is easily defeated by Desann, who orders Tavion to kill Jan before they leave the planet.
With Jan dead, Kyle travels to the Valley of the Jedi (a major plot element in Dark Forces II) to regain his Force powers, and then to the Jedi Academy to get his lightsaber. There, he learns of Desann's origins from Luke Skywalker.[26] Luke offers Kyle his lightsaber back if he can complete a set of trials. Kyle completes the trials easily, so easily that Luke quickly deduces Kyle has returned to the Valley. Sensing Kyle's anger about the death of Jan, Luke warns Kyle that the path he is walking is a dangerous one, but he nevertheless gives Kyle the information he seeks, linking Desann to Reelo Baruk, a Rodian crime lord on Nar Shaddaa.[27] Reelo proves to have little information, but Kyle stumbles upon Lando Calrissian, who has been imprisoned in Baruk's dungeons. From Lando, Kyle learns that Desann is a part of a huge operation smuggling cortosis, a lightsaber-resistant material, through Cloud City. Escaping from Reelo, Kyle and Lando then head for Bespin.
Lando drops Kyle off at the bottom of Cloud City, and as he works his way up the structure he has his first encounter with a Reborn.[28] He subsequently fights several Reborn, plus numerous Remnants, until he eventually encounters Tavion, who is about to board a ship headed for Galak Fyyar's Star Destroyer, the Doomgiver. Kyle defeats Tavion and threatens to kill her, but Tavion pleads for her life, telling Kyle that Jan is alive and on board the Doomgiver.[29] Jan's faked death was just a ploy to trick Kyle into going to the Valley of the Jedi in order for Desann to follow him there and tap its power. In exchange for her life, Tavion lets Kyle use her ship to travel to the Star Destroyer.[30]
After fighting his way past some stormtroopers at the Cairn Installation - an Imperial base hidden on an asteroid in the Lenico Belt, where the Doomgiver is docked - Kyle meets up with Luke Skywalker. From Luke, Kyle learns that Desann has found the Valley of the Jedi, and used its energy to empower an army of Reborn which could number in the thousands. After battling several Reborn together, they part ways. Kyle then sneaks across the Cairn base and finds out it is also a large assault ship construction facility, which is preparing for a full-scale planetary assault. Kyle confronts more Reborn, including 'Shadowtroopers' - Reborn equipped with armor which is both lightsaber-resistant, and allows a measure of invisibility. Kyle manages to sneak into the Doomgiver before the ship leaves Cairn, but Luke is left behind. After the Doomgiver completes its jump to hyperspace, Kyle uses the ship's communications array to contact Rogue Squadron. He finds Jan in the detention block, but then learns that Desann was not specifically interested in the Valley of the Jedi - instead his goal all along was to invade the Jedi Academy. Kyle destroys the Doomgiver's shield reactor, and kills Galak Fyyar. Narrowly escaping the ship's destruction, Kyle and Jan use an escape pod to land on Yavin IV.[31]
With the invasion fully underway, Kyle heads to the Jedi Academy, while Jan goes to a hangar to assist in the aerial battle. Kyle soon finds the academy overrun with Imperial forces, but with the help of the New Republic troops, he fends them off. Together with Jedi Academy students, he engages in a fight against Reborn warriors and Shadowtroopers. After crossing underground tunnels, Kyle finally confronts Desann. He reveals the Doomgiver's destruction and the defeat of the Imperial forces, but Desann rejects Kyle's offer to rejoin the Jedi and they engage in a lightsaber battle. Kyle prevails and kills Desann.[32] He subsequently reunites with Luke and Jan, and politely rebuffs Luke's offer to safeguard his lightsaber, saying he is not ready to forsake the Force again.[33]
Development[edit]
On May 17, 2001, at E3 2001, LucasArts announced that Raven Software were developing a third game in the Jedi Knight series. Some plot details were given, such as the locations visited in the game; Cloud City, Yavin IV, Smuggler's Moon and some planets original to the game.[9] The following day at E3, LucasArts gave a demonstration of the game, showing the lightsaber and Force combat as well as the 'buddy' system: in which certain NPCs would fight alongside the player. Technical details were also revealed: the game would use id Software's Quake III Arena engine, and the GHOUL 2 animation system, seen in Raven's Soldier of Fortune II: Double Helix. The polygon capacity of the engine had also been doubled.[8] The game was also on display at id's QuakeCon 2001, where enemy AI and combat were demonstrated. LucasArts announced that the game would feature multiplayer, although due to being early in development little information was revealed.[34]
On July 17, 2001, multiplayer developer Pat Lipo made a post on his .plan file,[35] revealing that Rich Whitehouse had been brought onto the development team to handle development of the game's multiplayer bots. Whitehouse moved on to tackle the entirety of the game's multiplayer codebase, and was subsequently credited as the game's sole multiplayer programmer.[36]
On January 16, 2002, LucasArts launched a new website for Jedi Outcast featuring an overview of the game and information regarding characters, weapons and Force powers. An FAQ, screenshots, concept art, images of player models and downloadable wallpapers were also available.[37] A teaser trailer was released on February 8, showing the game's combat, weapons, characters and environments.[38] On March 13, 2002, LucasArts announced that the game was on track for release later in the month.[39] Two days later, they announced Jedi Outcast was ready for release, set to go on sale by March 29. A new trailer was also released.[40]
Release[edit]
Jedi Outcast shipped on March 26, 2002.[41]
The game's SDK was released on April 22, 2002. This included a level editor, map compiler, model viewer, and shader editor and viewer.[42] Since its release, hundreds of mods have been submitted to sites such as FileFront.[43] A 66 MBdemo of the game was released on May 10, 2002, featuring the same level shown in an incomplete form at E3 2001, which did not feature in the final version.[44] Two patches were subsequently released: version 1.03[45] and 1.04.[46]
At E3 2002, LucasArts announced that Jedi Outcast would be released on the GameCube and Xbox.[47] On May 31, 2002, LucasArts and Aspyr announced that a Macintosh version of the game would be released.[48] The Mac version was released on November 5, 2002,[2] and the Xbox and GameCube versions on November 19 in North America[5][6] and three days later in Europe.[3][4]
On November 15, 2006, LucasArts announced that Jedi Outcast would feature with Star Wars: Battlefront, Star Wars: Empire at War, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Star Wars: Republic Commando and a 14-day trial of Star Wars Galaxies in a compilation release entitled Star Wars: The Best of PC. It was released during the 2006 holiday season.[14]
Source-code release[edit]
Following Disney's decision to close LucasArts on April 3, 2013, the developers at Raven Software released the source code for the game on SourceForge under GNU GPLv2 licensing.[49] A few days after release, the source code disappeared from SourceForge without explanation. SourceForge later explained to media outlet Kotaku that Raven Software had requested its removal. Kotaku speculated this was due to the presence of licensed code, such as for the Bink Video format from Rad Game Tools, that was not intended to be made public.[50]
However, prior to the removal a fork called 'OpenJK' was created on GitHub with the problematic code parts already excised.[50] The goal of the OpenJK community project is to 'maintain and improve Jedi Academy + Jedi Outcast released by Raven Software.'[51] This includes the unification of the Jedi Outcast and Jedi Academy engines, maintaining the compatibility of previous releases, and providing source ports for Mac and Linux. Daily builds for Windows and early Linux builds are already available.[52]
Reception[edit]
PC[edit]
In the United States, Jedi Outcast's computer version sold 390,000 copies and earned $17 million by August 2006. At the time, this led Edge to declare it the country's 39th-best-selling computer game, and best-selling Jedi Knight computer title, released since January 2000. Combined sales of all Jedi Knight computer games released during the 2000s, including Jedi Outcast, reached 920,000 units in the United States by August 2006.[82]Jedi Outcast's computer version also received a 'Silver' sales award from the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA),[83] indicating sales of at least 100,000 copies in the United Kingdom;[84] and a 'Gold' certification from the Verband der Unterhaltungssoftware Deutschland (VUD),[85] for sales of at least 100,000 units across Germany, Austria and Switzerland.[86] The PC version holds an aggregate score of 89 out of 100 on Metacritic, based on thirty-five reviews.[10]
Game Informer scored the game 9.5 out of 10, with reviewer Andrew Reiner calling it 'the quintessential Star Wars game and a feast for all FPS devotees.' He also wrote, 'without question, Jedi Outcast is the most enjoyable and accomplished Star Wars game yet.' He was also extremely impressed with multiplayer, calling it 'a highly addictive, over-the-top experience that all FPS players must see to believe.'[58] Brian Gee of Game Revolution gave the game an A-. He praised how authentically 'Star Wars' the game felt, as well as the lightsaber interface, writing 'I've played a ton of Star Wars games in my time, and I don't think any of them can match the excitement and fun of lightsaber play in Jedi Outcast.'[64]
IGN were also impressed, scoring the game 9 out of 10 and giving it an 'Editor's Choice' award. Reviewer Steve Butts lauded the 'tightly written, mature plot,' and wrote 'not only is this one of the greatest Star Wars games I've ever played, it's one of the best action games period.' He also commended the 'fantastic' graphics and 'intelligent' level design, although he was critical of the puzzles, the lightsaber interface, and complained that 'the game starts too slowly.'[73]GameSpot also scored the game 9 out of 10 and, like IGN, also gave it an 'Editor's Choice' award. Reviewer Amer Ajami echoed IGN's criticisms of the 'slow start' and 'too much puzzle-solving.' However, he was very impressed with the interface, arguing 'never before has melee combat in a shooter been so effectively executed,' and he concluded by saying 'the game's strong points - especially its combat - overshadow whatever problems Jedi Outcast may have early on,' calling it 'simply one of the easiest games to recommend this year.'[18]
Game Over Online gave the game 93%, calling it 'an intriguing juxtaposition of pieces of incredibly intense FPS action that had me on the edge of my seat combined with puzzle-like sections of such opacity that they made me want to kill myself.'[87]Entertainment Weekly gave it an A, stating that 'the Force is strong with this one.'[79]Maxim, however, gave it an eight out of ten and stated that 'The Force is strong with this polished first-person shooter.'[80]
In a negative review, X-Play criticized the game as a 'disturbance in the Force.' Although reviewer Jason D'Aprile called the story 'pretty good,' the graphics 'fantastic' and the audio effects 'just right,' he complained that the level design 'succumbs to the Dark Side,' citing 'illogical and frustrating situations.' He also considered the multiplayer mode 'not very impressive' and gave the game 2 out of 5 stars.[88]Eurogamer were also underwhelmed, scoring the game 7 out of 10. They criticized the slow start, the lightsaber interface and the AI. However, they did commend the atmosphere and some of the level design. They concluded that 'Jedi Outcast is a rather patchy game, with moments of genius let down by a lack of consistency. The guns are derivative and rarely used once you get hold of your lightsaber, the melee combat clumsy and chaotic, the AI poor and some of the locations derivative and poorly designed.' [56]
In June 2007, GameTrailers's list of the 10 best Star Wars games saw Jedi Outcast rank at number one, with the editorial commenting that 'This was certainly not the first time players had the opportunity to play as a Jedi in a video game, it was the first time you actually felt like one.' They also praised the lightsaber and Force combat systems, a story which they felt was consistent with the films, and the cameos from some key Star Wars characters (namely Luke Skywalker and Lando Calrissian).[89]
Jedi Outcast was nominated for Computer Gaming World's 2002 'Action Game of the Year' award, which ultimately went to Medal of Honor: Allied Assault. The editors wrote, 'Jedi Knight II is a blast, and the force powers and lightsaber control are perfectly executed.' However, they found it too lacking in originality and consistency to win the award.[90]
Xbox and GameCube[edit]
The Xbox version holds an aggregate score of 81 out of 100 on Metacritic, based on twenty-four reviews.[11] The GameCube version holds scores of 75 out of 100 on Metacritic, based on seventeen reviews.[12]
The Xbox version was described as 'truly fantastic' by the Official Xbox Magazine, who scored it 9 out of 10.[77] IGN were also impressed, scoring it 8.8 out of 10 and calling it 'the best Star Wars experience on the Xbox'. Reviewer Aaron Boudling praised how the controls had been mapped onto the Xbox Controller, but was highly critical of the game's lack of support for Xbox Live, and the absence of an online multiplayer mode. He also felt the graphics in the cutscenes were significantly weaker than the PC version.[74] GameSpot scored it 8.3 out of 10, with reviewer Amer Ajami saying the port 'retains the essence of what it must feel like to be an all-powerful Jedi, which was so well conveyed in the original PC game, without sacrificing much in the way of graphics, playability, or overall value. In fact, the game's complicated control scheme is better served on an Xbox controller than it is in the PC's typical mouse and keyboard setup.' However, he too criticized the lack of Xbox Live support and the poor graphical quality of the cutscenes.[66] Game Revolution gave the game a B+, praising the controls and atmosphere, but criticizing the AI and lack of Xbox Live support.[65] Eurogamer were as unimpressed with the Xbox version as they had been with the PC version, scoring it 6 out of 10. Reviewer Kristan Reed found a lot of the problems with the game to be inherent to the original, not problems with the port - a slow beginning, poor AI, bad level design, repetitive puzzles. Reed called the lack of Xbox Live support 'plain unacceptable' and concluded 'Jedi Outcast is certainly an entertaining package when it gets things right, but it's also riddled with design flaws, technical flaws and various minor irritations that conspire to detract from your overall enjoyment. Given that it's also not Live (or even LAN) enabled, Xbox owners don't even have that crumb of comfort to elevate its status.'[57]
GameSpot scored the GameCube version 8.2 out of 10. As with the Xbox version, Ajami was critical of the cutscene graphics, but concluded that 'Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast makes a fine addition to the Nintendo console's gradually growing list of action games.'[67]GameSpy gave the same version three-and-a-half stars out of five. Reviewer Scott Steinberg was critical of the game's slow start and the nature of some of the puzzles. Of the port, he wrote 'This game was an award-winning game on a prior platform, so you'd be in the right to demand more. But from the perspective of a GameCube owner just getting your first taste of the galactic goodie that is the Jedi Knight series, things could have been a lot worse [..] Jedi Knight II: Outcast stands as a respectable effort, but disappointing reminder that when you swap content from platform to platform, something often gets lost in the transition.'[69] IGN scored it 7.2 out of 10, with reviewer Aaron Boudling arguing that the graphics and controls were significantly poorer than in either the PC or Xbox versions. Of the controls, Boulding wrote 'While the Xbox version allows you to map your favorite moves to the black and white buttons for quick access, GameCube owners are out of luck and will have to fumble around with the D-Pad in the heat of battle.' He concluded 'It's obvious that no work at all went into trying to get this game to properly run on GameCube. The framerate is erratic and constantly alternates between smooth and choppy, further complicating the already clunky control system [..] If you're a multi-console owner, get the superior Xbox version to see a better realized port.'[75] Nintendo World Report scored it 6 out of 10, also citing the inferior controls and poorer graphics than the PC and Xbox versions; 'Jedi Outcast ends up being a pretty terrible port of an excellent PC title. The trick to enjoying the GameCube incarnation will be coming to terms with the control and graphic inadequacies in the game and then being able to make yourself get over the 'hump' so that you can enjoy the meat and potatoes of the whole experience.'[91]
References[edit]
Star Wars Jedi Knight Dark Forces 2 Windows 7 DownloadExternal links[edit]
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Star_Wars_Jedi_Knight_II:_Jedi_Outcast&oldid=904443504'
Comments are closed.
|
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |