Ok, now I promised myself that in writing this review, I would not pepper it with annoying Star Wars lines like "May the Force be with you," "Save us, Obi Wan," and "There are some who call me... Tim" (oh wait... skip that one, wrong movie). But it's all too easy to let yourself fall into the Star Wars universe in playing, or even writing about, this game. If Star Trek games have long been mired in a history of mediocre game after mediocre game, then Jedi Outcast is just as challenged by its being a sequel to such a well-received game. But while living up to the last Jedi Knight game is no easy task, the folks at Raven Software have done this and more.
One thing that has made things either easier, or harder, on how this game would be received (depending on how you look at it) has been the release of the last Jedi-oriented Star Wars game, Obi Wan for the Xbox. There was a game that reminded us why 'hype' has taken on largely negative connotations in our language. But if you had the ill fortune of playing that game and are worried that Jedi Knight II will have more of the same mediocre graphics, voice-acting, and game development you saw in Obi Wan, then set your fears aside. Jedi Outcast is not only a better game than Obi Wan... it's a better game than I've played in a long while.
Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast opens with Kyle Katarn, the protagonist of Star Wars Dark Forces II: Jedi Knight, now an ex-Jedi turned mercenary, taking missions for hire. But as he and his partner (and erstwhile love interest) run into some nasty folks from the dark side of the force, the story begins to flesh out and Kyle is forced to return to his Jedi past. But what makes this game fun is that you don't get all the cool powers right away. Just as you have to gradually gain better weapons as the game progresses, you must also gradually gain, and improve, your Jedi Force powers along the way.
These powers affect everything from the use of your lightsaber (how much damage it does and how long/far you can throw it) to such other favorites as being able to force-push/pull, play Jedi mind-tricks, use the force-grip that Darth Vader make look so cool in the original series, run so fast you feel like you're Neo from the Matrix, and even my favorite... shoot lightning from your hands, ala Emperor Palpatine.
And along with these powers, as mentioned above, also comes an arsenal of cool items and weapons that include side-arms, melee weapons, sniper-style weapons, and rockets.
