Star Wars: Jedi Knight II - Jedi Outcast
Description official descriptions
In Jedi Outcast, you once again play Kyle Katarn, star of LucasArts' Star Wars-inspired 1st-person shooters Star Wars: Dark Forces and Star Wars: Jedi Knight - Dark Forces II.
Kyle has retired from being a Jedi fearing consequences from the Dark Side of the Power found within himself during his chase of the foul Sith-Lord Jerec into the lost vale of the Jedi at the end of Dark Forces 2. Chronologically taking place after the second Star Wars Trilogy, you'll meet various well known people from the original Star Wars movies like Luke Skywalker himself and Lando Calrissian.
Also following the tradition of its predecessors, you explore the surroundings in the typical 3D environment and can use a lot of different weapons and gear from the Star Wars Universe, including the famous Jedi Weapon, the light saber.
Spellings
- スター・ウォーズ ジェダイナイト2:ジェダイアウトキャスト - Japanese spelling
- 杰迪武士2:杰迪放逐者 - Simplified Chinese spelling
Groups +
- 3D Engine: id Tech 3 (Quake III: Arena)
- Force Powers-themed games
- Games with official modding tools
- Games with officially released source code
- LucasArts Classic / Collectors Series / Collection releases
- Middleware: Bink Video
- Setting: Space station / Spaceship
- Star Wars licensees
- Star Wars: Dark Forces / Jedi Knight series
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Credits (Windows version)
185 People (167 developers, 18 thanks) · View all
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Reviews
Critics
Average score: 85% (based on 66 ratings)
Players
Average score: 3.7 out of 5 (based on 147 ratings with 13 reviews)
Lucas Arts does it again!!! :) An enormous improvement over the original!!
The Good
First of all, the sound is right out of the movies. Storm troopers talk to each other and officers give orders. Lightsaber combat has improved immensely from the slash and dodge of Jedi Knight. With three unique styles of lightsaber combat and light and dark force powers, the gameplay is the greatest. The graphics are incredible and the Force powers are actually useful. Unlike the previous game, Force lightning is not merely a little spark that comes out of Kyle's hand, but just like in the Return of the Jedi. The other powers are also much improved. It also features a fun 2 player deathmatch mode in case you think you should tell your friends their lack of faith is disturbing. Finally, Lando sounds the same as int he movies.(He even says the classic " It's not my fault !!")
The Bad
The game is to short. You could probably beat htis game in 10 hours. Also, the controls are slightly confusing. You use the "R" key to attack\shoot. Luke Skywalker is in this game, but his voice is awful, not even sounding similar to the original. They also sometimes make him look like he has a sunburn on his face.
The Bottom Line
Despite the small problems, this is a must-have for star wars fans and casual gamers alike.
GameCube · by James Kirk (150) · 2003
The Good
It's an improvement from the last sequel in almost every sense, more specifically in the technical aspects. The game engine is better; the graphics are more realistic and nice looking; the gameplay is more sophisticated and challenging; the AI and dynamics of the characters is sometimes incredible; the puzzles are interesting and creative; the level design is often clever and with a strong Star Wars feeling into them; the sound effects are very sharp and effective... I also found the the rhythm of the game to be fast and engaging: it is very addictive. There are nice cameos of Lando and Luke and some other familiar faces.
The Bad
The story is not so good, it's formulaic; and it didn't really hooked me, it doesn't have an epic feeling. The main villain is an overgrown lizard like grumpy dinosaur, a tad lame and pathetic. The levels are a little anemic and the missions are not very distinctive. The game can be ridiculously and annoyingly hard with some enemies and in some places, which frustrates the player. There are some odd bugs and gameplay inconsistencies too.
The Bottom Line
Overall, a worthy sequel if you liked the previous Dark Forces games.
Windows · by Czar Husk Qi (27) · 2008
Some good Star Wars action sullied by a lot of irritating puzzles.
The Good
This is certainly the best game I have ever played that emulates the experience of being a Jedi badass with force powers and lightsaber skills aplenty. Once you acquire your force powers you can use the force to shove people off ledges, yank weapons away from Stormtroopers, fire that super-keen blue Jedi lightning, choke enemies, and even Jedi mind trick an Imperial officer or two.
The lightsaber combat is also done quite well. The third person perspective for this weapon feels quite natural, and for the most part it is quite easy to get the hang of wielding your lightsaber. There are three different attack stances; one fast but not too damaging, one slow but very powerful, and a compromise stance. Once you have access to them all they can be cycled through at the touch of a button, allowing you to modify your lightsaber technique as the circumstances warrant.
The games visuals are quite nice as well. The environments have a totally authentic Star Wars feel. All the architecture in the game looks just as any Star Wars fan would expect it to. Bespin looks like Bespin, the interior of Imperial ships is very much as one would expect; even the switches and control panels are all oozing with Star Wars detail. The 'Death Star' multiplayer map scores especially high in the nostalgia department.
Speaking of multiplayer, it can be a fun experience, especially the Jedi Duel, a lightsaber/force powers tournament of sorts. There aren't a whole lot of maps, but the ones that are there are mostly pretty cool. The ability to customize your MP character with light or dark side force powers is a nice touch.
**The Bad**
The games first two levels or so, before you have reacquired you lightsaber, are awful. They feel like 'Doom' in Star Wars clothes, and almost made me give up on the game before it really got underway. Gameplay in these first few levels consists of switch hunting and jumping puzzles; not exactly stuff that makes you feel like a Jedi. It is all first person, as any weapon other than your lightsaber defaults to a first person perspective, with no option to change it back to third. As an FPS, the game is average at best, and awful at worst. Things do take a turn for the better after this point, but inane puzzles still plague the rest of the game.
The enemy AI could have been better as well, but since the Stormtroopers in the movies are so stupid, it's somewhat hard to criticize the game for not breaking with that element of the films. Mostly they stand in one place and shoot at you, while you run around slicing them apart, or deflect their own lasers right back at them. One especially annoying enemy, the Garms, are only armed with thermal detonators, and throws them indiscriminately, with no concern for their own safety. The tactic feels cheap, and betrays the existence of poor AI rather early in the game.
**The Bottom Line**
Overall, 'Jedi Outcast' is a pretty good Star Wars action game that does a fairly nice job of capturing the feel of the early films. It's not as good as it could have been, but not nearly as bad as some Star Wars games of the past (see my review of 'Star Wars Rebellion'). I am still waiting for the Star Wars game that is really going to knock my socks off. As of this writing, 'Knights of the Old Republic' and 'Star Wars: Rebellion' are just around the corner, so here's to hoping.
Xbox · by Entorphane (337) · 2002
Trivia
1001 Video Games
Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast appears in the book 1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die by General Editor Tony Mott.
Cutscenes
Many of the 'combat action' displayed in cutscenes (and at one point watching the young Jedi train), including a moment with Luke Skywalker, are not pre-determined and are done somewhat more randomly via the AIs. What this means is that no two cutscenes are alike... and even though you may have seen it before, it will probably happen differently the next time. This is notable because sometimes unintentionally humorous and anti-climatic results occur (aka the AI doing something stupid).
This excludes the pre-rendered video files (usually of spaceships and exterior views) used within the game.
Information also contributed by WildKard
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Related Sites +
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Fight the Dark Side
An Apple Games article (archived on the author's webpage) about the Macintosh version of Jedi Outcast, with commentary being provided by Aspyr Media President Michael Rogers (August, 2002). -
Jedi Knight 2 files
Almost all major Jedi Outcast maps, skins and mods can be found here including Jedi Academy files. -
NZMac Review
A (largely) unscored but positive review of the Macintosh version of the game by NZMac, a New Zealand Apple site (Jan. 01, 2003).
Identifiers +
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Contributors to this Entry
Game added by Alexander Schaefer.
Macintosh added by Corn Popper. Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 added by Kam1Kaz3NL77. GameCube, Xbox added by Kartanym.
Additional contributors: Raphael, Unicorn Lynx, Solid Flamingo, naula, Zeppin, Rik Hideto, FatherJack.
Game added March 31, 2002. Last modified January 22, 2024.