Star Wars™: Jedi Knight™ II - Jedi Outcast™

First 3 levels are the worst you can imagine. If you reach the 4th level, the game becomes fantastic. I never attained such liberty to control a jedi in any other franchise. It allows you to play with the powers of the force you like and the lightsaber fights, even if a bit simple, are truly pleasant. I have to mention that i have huge bias, since i played jedi academy for a very long time in my youth. So, i am very attached to the core of its gameplay. The story is OK. Fairly coherent and you encounter some famous characters of the franchise.

This is where they absolutely perfected how you use the lightsaber & the force powers. It's intuitive, responsive and just an absolute joy. The story is not quite as good as the first Jedi Knight game but it is genuinely emotionally engaging. You can play this as a Star Wars style fps without using the Jedi traits a lot of the way, similar to the original Dark Forces if that is your preference. The cameos are cool and not excessive, the boss fights vary somewhat and there's at least one that's just ridiculous. It manages a good balance of having enough lightsaber fights that you feel like you've got your money's worth (after all it is the main appeal of this game for a significant chunk of the players), but also not having so many fights that it ends up just feeling tedious. The weapons are very well balanced, there isn't a single one that doesn't have some compelling use and I really appreciate that you can counter any ranged attack with either the lightsaber or the telekinesis. In fact there's times where you'll get a real kick out of that. Through and through this feels like Star Wars enemy design, levels, graphics, music, sound work. It also lets you visit multiple distinct corners of that universe including ancient temples, a modern city, imperial bases, etc. The antagonists are memorable. There are some really excellent environmental puzzles though an argument could be made that they overdo it once or twice perhaps more but in part they serve to remind you that at the end of the day you are still human you have tremendous power but you're not invulnerable when a lot of fps titles boil down to a power fantasy with almost nothing challenging you other than running and gunning. Not a fan of the lightsaber throw in my opinion that's a weapon that should never become a projectile under any circumstances. I get wanting an alternate attack for that there is for the rest of the arsenal, wanting it to be ranged, IMO, it should have been one of the telekinetic powers.

I constantly find myself going back and replaying this game. It's one of my favorites from when I was a kid and it still holds up today.

Naturally the formula of Jedi Knight didn't truly perfected itself up until Jedi Academy, this game sets the foundation on which the continuation builts upon in every way. It is not only a game that has great level design, and incredible combat systems, but has severe pacing issues, and frustrating sections that can make anyone lose their patience. This is corrected with its sequel that incorporates everything good about this experience, and leaves behind everything that made it a tedious one at that. If I were to recommend this game it would be done under the warning that it is a game that hasn't aged that well, and one with systems and mechanics you could find in its largely superior sequel. If I wasn't clear enough in my recommendation, get Jedi Academy instead of this game.

Epic