The first five levels revolve around traditional FPS weaponry, letting you collect blasters, grenades, and ammunition while assaulting Stormtrooper squadrons. Jedi Outcast‘s gameplay uses a combination of blaster and lightsaber-based combat. Plotting revenge, Kyle reactivates his Force powers and journeys across the galaxy, encountering personalities from the Star Wars films along the way. But when Kyle investigates new Imperial Remnant activity, he is defeated by a pair of Dark Jedi who proceed to murder his partner, Jan. Former Jedi Kyle Katarn has severed his connection to the Force after nearly joining the Dark Side, and now continues his Dark Forces-era mercenary lifestyle. Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast (which continues Jedi Knight‘s tradition of weird overlapping sequel titles) takes place eight years after Return of the Jedi.
The question is whether new players can get past Jedi Outcast‘s flaws and enjoy the strong points, just like fans did thirteen years ago. It also features some great locations from Star Wars‘ films, and a soundtrack that grounds you in the galaxy far, far away. That said, Jedi Outcast does become a solid Jedi combat sim once you’ve developed your Force powers. Jedi Outcast‘s puzzles, shooting mechanics, and Force powers are awkwardly forced together in frustrating ways, especially for players who lack the learned patience of PS2-era gamers. But I suspect the overwhelming nostalgia comes from how groundbreaking it felt in 2002, not design choices which stood the test of time. Before you take up your pitchforks and lightsabers, I’m not saying Jedi Outcast is a bad game – far from it. In fact, after playing it for myself, I’d say it’s aged less gracefully than many Star Wars games this column has reviewed. There’s just one problem – Jedi Outcast has not aged well. It’s no wonder Jedi Outcast is now a prime candidate for nostalgic memories, especially when the Expanded Universe it took place in ended last year. Friends at my high school raved about its graphics and action sequences, making me long for a computer that supported such effects. And it’s easy to understand why: Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast was a masterpiece of the time which simulated lightsaber combat and Force duels. If you assemble a list of the best Star Wars games, you must either feature Jedi Outcast or risk complaints that you missed a gaming classic.
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