Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I realize it's marketed as "Jedi Knight 3", but this is in every possible way an expansion to Outcast. It doesn't really continue the JK story, and it has almost the exact same engine and force powers and weapons, etc, with very little modified. Movement is identical, etc. If you played Outcast, you'll be right at home immediately.
That said, this is one of, if not the, best games I've ever played. Every modification it makes to the Outcast engine is an improvement, however small they are. As with the original Jedi Knight, you now get to choose what Force Powers to receive (to a certain extent...half are given to you, half are by choice), and you also get to choose light or dark side at a certain point in the game. All of the JO multiplayer powers are now in single player, plus one extra (that lets you see people through walls and stuff like that), and all of the weapons return, plus a jaw-dropping new version of the Concussion Rifle from JK.
The most important change, though, is in the format of the game itself - instead of a linear progression of levels, there are three sets of five levels, within which you may do the levels in any order. Between each set is a plot-advancing mandatory mission. In each set of five, you only need to complete four, so you can continue on if one of them stumps you, but you'll miss getting another force star (one per level you play). For the first set, your core powers (jump, push, pull, sense, lightsaber defense, lightsaber offense, lightsaber throw, and speed) are at level one, for the second set they're all at level two, and for the third set and the whole endgame, they're all at level three. This means you get a HUGE amount of game in which you are an uber-Jedi, unlike Outcast in which you only had two levels at full power.
Also, this means that instead of having long missions with multiple parts, the game mostly consists of small "vignette" levels, short and sweet. There are good and bad sides to this, the bad being that you don't feel as involved with the storyline, but the good being that there is INSANE variety in level design. Almost every planet looks different, and levels range from working your way down a speeding train to escaping from jail (lightsaber-less) to leaping back and forth across a giant chasm that a jedi temple has been built into (and since been turned into ruins). The sheer variety of visual and gameplay styles is mind-boggling. Every major Star Wars scene or place that wasn't recreated in Outcast is back here, too, from speeder bike chases (exhilaratingly fun) to the ruined Hoth base. It's insane how much is packed in to these levels.
The best thing about JA as compared to JO, though, is that JO's first two missions sans-lightsaber are GONE. You start out the very first level with a lightsaber, and the one level where you're forced to be without it you have massive force abilities, and if you really hate it you can skip it anyway. The worst part of Outcast is gone completely, and all that's left is pure Jedi gaming goodness.
Multiplayer is also back, with a couple of new modes (including an incredibly fun 2-on-1 power duel), but fewer levels. It averages out to about the same amount of MP goodness from Outcast, not really better or worse. The improvements in this game are mostly single player.
Finally, a minute detail for most but extremely important for me, if you liked Force Lightning in the old game, your head may explode when you see this one. It blows people back, has more than double the range, and is just generally the most insane offensive ability possible. Everyone - GET FULL LIGHTNING AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
Overall, an absolutely incredible game, fixing everything that was wrong about Outcast, my previous favorite game of all time. The only downside is that they didn't change enough - this simply isn't a full-fledged sequel. If you liked Outcast, you'll love this, but if you didn't, give it a pass. There's nothing terribly different to change your mind.
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