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Whether you're an avid Star Wars fan or just a PC gamer who enjoys quality gaming, Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast was probably on your harddrive at one time or another. Based on the then powerful Quake 3 engine, Jedi Outcastshowcased saber swinging action that even the president of the "Star Trek 4 Life Club"would haveenjoyed, and if it wasn't the single player mode that got you going, it was the excellent multiplayer mode.
Well, the series has a new entry, in the form of Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy. Back again is the epic struggle between good and evil, but this time, you take control of a student, learning to become a powerful Jedi in the Jedi Academy. The familiar faces of Kyle and Luke guide you through your journey, however in Jedi Academy, it is up to you to choose which side you will favor. Does Jedi Academy rejuvenate the series, or is it more of the same?
Gameplay 89/100
If you're not familiar with the original Jedi Outcast, then don't sweat, the actual basis of Jedi Academy's storyline does not really even connect to the storyline from the original's at all. As mentioned in the intro, you take control of a student entering the Jedi Academy, hoping to achieve the dreams and ambitions of becoming a Jedi Master. As fate would have it, you become a student under Kyle Katarn, the character who you controlled in Jedi Outcast.
Unlike Outcast, Jedi Academy allows you to completely customize your character's appearance. From the selectable choices aremany of the familiar races, clothing types and clothing colors. This is a nifty little aspect, as it atleast creates a little more control over the game's experience. On top of the appearance customization, as you progress in the game, you also have the ability to control your force strengths, with both the good and dark side powers being upgradeable.
Jedi Academy alsoallows you to select which missions you would like to complete, however the game generally doesn't progress without you doing them all anyway, so basically, you select which order you would like to do them. After each major storyline advancement, you have a new set of missions in, usually, a new location. On the topic of locations, Jedi Academy sees you travel through a vast range of different environments and terrains, which keeps the gameplay relatively fresh from mission to mission.
However, one aspect that does not help keep the gameplay fresh from mission to mission is the general restrictions imposed on mission objectives. While the goals may be different ineach mission, the way you complete these are not, makingthe game a very repetitive experience. Most of the time, missions that sound unique are nothing more than a generic "start at point A get to point B" followed by an animation cutscene completing the mission for you, however, granted, not all missions are like this, just the overwhelming majority. It may enhance the storyline's impact, the gameplay suffers as a result.
As you get towards the end of the game, you will be confronted with a choice. Without spoiling the game for anyone, this choice will indeed change the outcome of pretty much everything concerning your character in the game. If you are familiar with the powers andinfluences in the Star Wars world, I imagine you could probably guess this required choice, but nevertheless, it is quite admirable to see un-linear storyline events making their way back into the FPS. Unfortunately though, this choice will be the last major event in the storyline, as the game ends rather suddenly and disappointingly. Much like Atari's Enter The Matrix, Jedi Academy is simply a stepping stone in the series, however if a movie ever ended like this, I'm sure the director's life would be in serious danger from the revolting fans.
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