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Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy

Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy

List Price: $29.99
Your Price: $25.49
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Being a Jedi sure pays off
Review: In Jedi Outcast you play as this ex-Jedi Kyle Katarn who nearly fell to the Dark Side in Dark Forces: Jedi Knight. The gameplay is simple... Hard puzzles to solve, lots of stormtroopers to kill, re-learning your force powers and defeating Reborn and the dark Sith lord Desann. Its a lot more fun than I make it sound...

Then there's multiplayer. Its got CTF, FFA, Team FFA, Duel (this is nice for those who just want a nice lightsaber fight to themselves), CTY (dont ask) and exclusive force powers for multiplayer. You can choose whether to be a Dark or Light Jedi, (offensive/defensive) and are given a set amount of force points to spend on powers. Best of all you don't need a real high-end p4 system to play this, it handles well on my p3 450 mhz and TNT2 video card.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: swipe up, swipe down, kill jedi (sleep after 8 years)
Review: ok, I will start with the bad stuff in this game: the first few levels (before you get your lightsaber) in this game get repetative after about 15 minutes, and if you are lazy you might not like the puzzles scattered about the game. But if you can get over those few things you are left with the most wonderful action starwars game to ever grace the earth's soil. Now, the best things about this game

1. LIGHTSABER= the best weapon in any game, EVER. That in combination with your force powers make you an unstopable force. Armys of stormtroopers are no match for you when you get near the end of the game (when you have all force powers at rank 3). You won't have any time to use the new guns because you are having too much fun with the lightsaber

2. GRAPHICS= the best graphics in any starwars game, I dont care what graphic engine it uses. All I care about is that is the best.

3. REPLAYABLE= I've played through all expect the hardest and the easist. And when you are done with the game, you can use the cheats and mods to play through again WARNING: if you are a hardcore gamer (like me) you should play through the game and then use cheats, using cheats (well for me anyway) right when you play this game and use cheats to get through it will mess up the gaming experience. But what do i know, really.

All in all: BUY THIS GAME that is all

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Quite good, but definitely not perfect.
Review: Jedi Outcast is probably the best Star Wars game on the PC. I like it because it features lightsaber combat, one of my favorite things about Star Wars. The graphics are good, but aren't the best out there. The music, Sound FX, and voice acting are all very good.

The biggest flaw in this game is the difficulty. Even while playing on the Padawan difficulty, you still can't find your way through many of the levels with ease. The levels don't flow at all. The best description of this flaw would be this: "Trial and Error". You die on one part, and re-load your saved game and just keep trying. It gets old fast, very fast. Sometimes you just search a level a million times to find one door, and miss it. A day later, you finally just give up and look at the strategy guide. This game is MADE for strategy guides.

But the lightsaber combat is awesome. There are so many saber moves, force moves, and more. This is where it really feels like a Star Wars movie. Getting your saber back is the only motivation I had for passing the first 2 levels, Kejim and Artus (you don't have a saber in these levels).

Overall, this game is a great Star Wars game, but gets frustrating, and not in the good "I must finish this game" kind of way, it gets frustrating in the "I can't do this, it's boring now!" kind of way. But I garuntee that you will be re-loading your saved games over and over again, just to relive those awesome saber battles featured.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Almost like being in a Star Wars flick
Review: This was one of the first games I played on my old P166MMX, Even if you're computer is powerful enough to run the New JK game (Outcast), and especially if you haven't played that many of the newer FPS games like those based on Unreal or QuakeIII I'd still recommend playing this one first.

Though a seeming sequel to The earlier Dark Forces, leaps in technology and set design make JK so much more. In short, JK is fantastic - combining all the elements of great gaming and linking up the various levels into a single tight storyline - it's as close as you may have come to feeling as if you were in a Star Wars movie.

You play as Kyle Katarn - a freebooter who turned on the empire, but never went over completely to the rebels. Kyle is on the trail of a Dark Jedi named Jerec who (this being SW) killed Kyle's father. Unfortunately for Kyle, Jerec is not just a dark jedi, but a dark jedi lord - the sort of guy who cruises the galaxy in a mother-huge battlecruiser surrounded by clouds of tie fighters. Besides an army of jedi apprentices ("who ya' callin' 'padawan'?") Jerec is more than capable of handling any danger - something he proves in one of the cutscenes that open the game. (People have mixed feelings about the cutscenes, but I loved them, and thought they held up pretty well next to the movies, and that was BEFORE I saw "Phantom Menace".) Jerec has little time for Kyle - he's more interested in finding the lost "Valley of the Jedi", a sort of Jedi's Graveyard holding the energy of countless deceased knights. You'll be well into the game before you've even begin confronting Jerec's forces directly - by then realizing that your mission has less to do with revenge than saving the galaxy.

The game has about 20 levels - with problem solving sometimes being more important than marksmanship. The game has you traveling to fewer different planets than the original DF - this makes the story more coherent and progressive though , in the final levels, it does drag the story out. (On the planet of the Valley, you go from rocky canyons surrounding an imperial excavation to the excavation itself, then into the dig, then down through the subterrenean imperial installation in the excavation, going deeper and deeper into the planet - and it all seems to last forever). Some of the level ideas are brilliant - the cargo-transport tubes of Nar Shadaa, the aquaducts of Sulon, the insides of Jerec's tower at Baron's Hed and the tumbling innards of a spaceship that is about to crash. Through it all, the sound effects and John Williams' score remain truthful to Star Wars. The game is a techno masterpiece, but it's plotting and level design point can't be chalked up to pentium computers with good hardware acceleration. (After JK, my next FPS was Quake2, which was not as good. Star Trek: Elite Force, was another great shooter, but despite better graphics, one only sometimes matching JK in storyline and level design, and soemtimes falling behind it despite the greater technology available).

I ran this game on my P166 with a 12mb 3DFx card and had no problems. It ran sort of okay on my winXP P4, though there were hiccups I could probably pass of on my Savage4 card. One caveat - LucasArts released an expansion disk using an updated engine: Mysteries of the Sith, which lacked the FMV cut scenes or tighter storyline of JK, but offered much more challenging levels. I bought JK in 1999 when it was packaged with MotS, but I doubt this edition has it similarly bundled. Before buying it here, I suggest you search for the two-game pack on an on-line auction and only buy this ed. when that search becomes fruitless. But don't give up without a fight or I will find your lack of faith most dissappointing.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Not your daddy's FPS
Review: I won't lie, this game is complex, tough, and after awhile, not very fun.

But you can't stop.

Its complex and difficult for exactly the reasons you love in a game: There's so much you can do!

Combat-wise that is. Especially with a lightsaber. Between three fighting styles and various moves there, Force powers, high and low attacks, lightsaber dueling couldn't be more realistic. Even with just normal weapons, the complexity remains. This is not a game where you simply grab the big gun and run screaming through the levels like a madman killing everything in sight. Do that, you'll last around maybe the first corner. The enemy AI is intense. You'll find yourself flanked, outmaneuvered, and so on. I'm in the Marine reserves, I was surprised to see Stortroopers advancing in squad rushes against me.

Simply put, the game requires something I don't think any other FPS out there requires: finesse. Especially in multiplayer. In a lot of ways, that takes the fun out of it, especially starting out. You can't expect the computer to just huddle all the bad guys together like in other games, or simply stand blindly by while you snipe everyone. Head shots don't always kill, the troopers have armor after all.

All in all, an amazing game, one that takes a great amount of skill and time to master.

And you get a lightsaber.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: On a P3 800... Great game, better Multiplayer
Review: Star Wars games have always been great. And Jedi Knight was one of the first games to use 3d rendered characters. It was a great game that many people loved and spent many hours on. JK2 is a great sequel that has brought back the great fun of sabering and hightened everything.

Pros: Sabers! Great and fluid use of the Quake3 engine. Incredible Multiplayer fun.

Cons: Weapons almost don't serve a purpose anymore. The stoyline was good for a while... but the... oh i won't ruin it.

Genre: First Person Shooter.
Gore Level: Low... unless you modify the damage cuased my a saber, no blood.
Bots: dumb

Ok so here we have one of the greatest games back again for a sequel. And wow, it is an amazing game. We have SABERS!! the greatest Melee weapon ever used in a shooter. And now we have even more ways to use it and it is now a twitchy skill instead of a lucky strike as it was in JK1. The guns a bigger and badder, but we have SABERS!!! The enemies are tougher... smarter... but we have SABERS!!! and the maps are larger and cooler... and we have SABERS!!! ok so the saber is definitely the greatest aspect of the game. PCGAMER- "The guns are cool... ...but you'll never go back." And honestly i didn't and no one has either.

The game features three modes for battling sabers, medium, light and strong. Any motion you make with the character affects the way the saber goes. It can do damage at any point it's on... so running into a friendly with the saber up will do damage. A plus. But it doesn't provide a cheap light like it used to in JK1... and there is definitely a few areas where that would have been a lifesaver... literally. There are also special moves to be done with the sabers, and throw, a better one than any mod and better than MOTS.

And to accomodate the increase in saber use several evil cloaked saber weilding Fallen Jedi appear now and then between herds of Saber fodder (e.g. Stormtroopers and stuff) You have to get good at the saber too, or else it is all over... and the game just isn't worth it.

Ok the guns are cool too. We have some returns, repeater, bryar pistol, rifle, bowcaster, thermal detonator... but some new arsenal. Like a snipper rifle... Concussion Gernades... Missiles with homing and a Flechette. But all can be blocked and utterly rendered useless with a saber, of course.

The force powers are back with a lot to talk about. I'll keep it short. The Jump is now controllable where you kinda of fly to where you want to go and stop. Kinda nifty... but really weird looking. Speed in Single player pulls this matrix slow thing and doesn't last as long as it used to... but it's better. The grip is far more powerful and lightning doesn't cost so much to use anymore. Healing is progressive and requires you to stop moving to heal over a period of time. Enhancements make healing eventually instant. There are many new and great powers to be used in multiplayer too. Like a combo Lightning, grip and drain.

The Multiplayer is the best element of hte game. And with q3's engine the Bots are now taking their step into the arena (as opposed to the multiplayer in JK1). Though they aren't that hard... they do provide everyday fun for slaughter and massacre. But something that will keep the Gunners happy is that the ability to block a shot with a saber has become a force skill that must be earned. Yeah... like i found that out the hardway. Stood head to head with a guy armed with a rifle... me with my patched up flame saber... soon he paniced started backing up and firing at me. Before i knew it i was respawning... and there are 3 levels to the skill. Adds a whole new element to the game. Since the game is on the Q3 engine... expect to see many many mods popping out for it... i've already seen and tested many myself and have found them all to be worht it. That's what helped make Q3 popular was the easy way to add Mods.

What's best is that i ran a P3 800 with 128mb RAM and managed to kick some serious newbie butt with a fluid and graceful image across my little ole 15". Yeah i got a bigger one now (1.8 with 1g RAM) but i can assure you lower end owners and gamers with a budget that it will work on your 600Celeron too. A 500 is pushing it though. But does it ever look pretty on a higher end.

Give it a whirl and you'll never go back. I would recommend maybe upgrading above 56K though...

[ Press SHIFT + `... for the Tilde (~) key. It brings up the console. Type in "helpusobi 1" to enable editing mode (cheat mode). Then type "g_saberrealisticcombat #" where # is any number. 0 is default. 1 will set the saber damage to a more realistic setting... where it acutally kills in one hit, but you can die too in one hit. Setting it to 2 will enhance it's damage to high that running into characters kills them. Going -2 is a good challenege. Try a game with -20 for fun. ]

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The coolest game ever made
Review: You do not need to be a die hard Star Wars fan to love this game. I spend hours at a time playing this game. This game is a first person shooter along with a lightsaber wielding head cuttin off action pact game. You start with only a gun and stun baton but you pick up other weapons along the way. When you get your lightsaber, the fun factor multiplies by a million. I can't get enought of taking hacked at helpless storm troopers, then when they fall to the groung dead, you can still chop them up. The comments that the enemy AI make are sometimes very funny. The enemy AI are very smart and will try to surround you (expecially when you get your lightsaber). When you have you lightsaber you can deflect blaster shots. The coolest part of the game are the force powers. Your character developes his force powers as you advance throught the game. I love using force choke on people because it lifts them off the ground and then I can through them off a cliff and here them screeming all the way down until their voice gradually dissapears. You can even use the lighting power that Emperor Palpatine uses in Return of the Jedi. This is the coolest game ever made. A must buy for even somewhat Star Wars fans.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: An Honest review
Review: This game is good but not that good. It deserves 3 and a half stars. The major problem is the boring, tedious puzzles. These completely destroy the gameplay and flow of the game. Right when you get on a roll there is a section which is near impossible to figure out without refering to a walk through. As for the graphics and interface, its great. If you've got extra cash then go for this game but if your gaming budget is limited beware.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great, but tough
Review: This game *will* having you looking on the net for a cheat codes unless your a hardcode gamer, maybe even then. Even on the lowest difficulty setting you'll find yourself getting beat up pretty bad at times. As mentioned in other reviews you go the first two levels without your lightsaber or jedi forces, after that you get to do some neat things with the lightsaber and your jedi powers. One of the funniest things you can do is sneak up on a sniper near a ledge and force-push him over the side, yes thats silly, but it makes me laugh, what can I tell ya, I'm easily amused.

This is the best game based in the star wars universe so far, if your a dork like me you'll enjoy this one.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Now I know what it¿s like to be a Jedi
Review: Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a Jedi -- A light saber-wielding, laser blast-deflecting, fast-running, high-jumping, mind-tricking, acrobat of mayhem? "Jedi Outcast" is the closest thing that you will get to finding out. This isn't really a "first-person shooter", it's a "first-person Jedi" game. It's very unique, and it has a little something for everyone. If you are not turned off by the insane difficulty of this game, then you will probably enjoy it no matter what kind of game you usually like.

First off, if you are a big Star Wars fan, then you will start to like this game right away. It's true to the movies in just about every way. It starts off like a Star Wars movie, with the rolling text that introduces the storyline. You will recognize the laser blast and the light saber sounds from the movies, and most definitely the music. (I just wish that they could have gotten Mark Hamil to voice act Luke Skywalker.)

The light saber tactics and force powers are what make this game special. I love running into a room full of storm troopers with light saber unsheathed, and flipping around, and hacking them before they know what hits them. The "Force Speed" power lets you temporarily slow down the rest of the world (ala "Max Payne"). "Force Push" knocks a group of baddies onto their rumps so that you can rush in and take care of them before they get back on their feet. You can also push them off of high ledges into deep, gaping holes of death (lots of those in this game). "Force Pull" pulls their weapons out of their hands. If you want, you can pull the weapons from everyone's hand and then throw your light saber like a boomerang and cut them down. It's such a blast cutting Stormtroopers and Imperials to pieces with your immense Jedi powers. It never gets old.

There are a ton of good puzzles in this game. This game has more good puzzles than most "puzzle games". I was very pleasantly surprised by this. Lots of them are fairly easy, but there are some very tough ones in there as well. You really have to exercise your brain to get through this game. I had to use a walkthrough posted on the internet several times. There are a lot of secret areas in the game as well and a lot of little buttons and stuff to push. If you are someone who likes to go exploring around big 3-D maps, then you will enjoy exploring the Jedi Outcast world.

I must say, though, I didn't like the controls for this game very much. Kyle can't jump and pull himself up onto a surface (ala "Thief"), and he skids to a stop like his shoes are covered in grease. This makes the numerous "jump puzzles" in the game annoying. I found myself overrunning doors and computer consoles a lot of the time too, and taking a couple of seconds to properly position myself to get through a doorway. The light saber controls weren't very good either, especially when it comes to dueling. The light saber duels aren't what they are hyped up to be. They look and sound cool, they flash by at lightning speed, and it's next to impossible to tell what is going on. The enemy has no health meter, and Kyle (your protagonist) doesn't auto-face the enemy. The opponent usually flies and jumps around like Yoda in "Attack of the Clones". It's very hard to tell what you are doing right, and what you are doing wrong. I never used the special light saber moves in the game. Instead, I found that the best way to win light saber battles was to use "force speed" and furiously click the "Attack" button. There are improvements to be made here.

The biggest downer in this game is the insane difficulty level. And I mean INSANE, even on the second easiest setting. I rarely played this game for more than five minutes without dying and having to reload my saved game. The game lacks flow because of it. There are snipers in this game that hit you from half a mile away if you pop your head out for only half a second. There are lot of areas in the game where you have to complete 8 nearly impossible tasks in a row within 10 seconds, or you die. I used the cheats to get past one of these after trying about 25 times. This is the first game that I have ever cheated to finish a game. I died about 15 times before finally vanquishing one big boss with a light saber. I don't think that a game should be a piece of cake, but on a lower difficulty setting, you shouldn't be wearing out the "quick save" and "quick reload" keys on your computer either. Some people might like it that way. It just depends upon your personal preference.

The good parts of this game override the shortcomings by a long shot. Go out there and buy it, and wait like me for the next sequel.


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