Video Games : Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast (GameCube)

Rating: - Jaded and Outdated would be a better sub-title
I am not the hugest Star Wars fan in the world, but I enjoy its special universe enough to have really looked forward to playing this. The original Jedi Knight (itself a sequel to an ageing P.C. game entitled 'Dark Forces') was an interesting and at the time innovative adventure that filled me with confidence for this. I was to be sadly disappointed, however.

This is, to put it bluntly, a generic first-person shooter, the kind that are ten-a-penny these days. The only differences are the Star Wars setting and the small variations in play that come through use of your light saber and 'force powers'; you may for instance, come across a crate that is blocking your path. Using one of your force powers you can move it out of the way - at least, in theory. However, this only works on certain pre-designated objects and often you'll find yourself glaring with frustration at puzzles which could and should be easily solved using one of your powers.

This is one of the reasons that your progress throughout is extremely linear, having to follow but one path through the levels, usually annoyedly trying to find that one switch you missed far back. The game maps are generally very large, and are a credit to their deigners. They are, however, largely very empty and instant-death voids are prevalent, meaning that the vastness of the maps is really just an illusion. Your actual progress is very limiting.

It's not all bad, though. The stormtroopers for instance, are excellent modelled and you'll have much glee as you mow them down with your saber, and send them scattering in fear with a few well-placed explosives. Unfortunately, after you have just slaughtered your millionth stormtrooper you realise just what little variation there is in both gameplay and adversaries. Your enemies are excelellently modelled, for sure, but the more interesting ones are used far too sparingly. The weapons at your disposal are unfortunately rather boring, also; your lightsaber is tremendously good fun, this is true, but you do not obtain it until you have already ploughed through a great number of increasingly dull and samey levels.

To put it succinctly, Jedi Outcast suffers from being far too long and stretched out. The developers should be thanked for trying to provide a lasting experience, but when the gameplay is as repetitive and often simply frustrating (After your millionth find-the-door, find-the-switch, find-the-next-door puzzle, you'll really start to wonder about playing something else instead) as this is, they perhaps should not be thanked in too kindly a voice.

If you're a die-hard Star Wars fan then you'll probably be getting this anyway. For the rest of us, there are far better games of this type out there, on any system. On the Gamecube, I suggest you purchase Timesplitters 2 or wait for the forthcoming Metroid game. Unlike the excellent Rogue Leader, for instance, this is nothing but a Star Bore.

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Rating: - Forget poor prequels, this is how it should be done
Right, anyone who saw the Epsiode 1 and 2 and thought, Hmmm, appears to be quite linear and boring. This game isnt. You dont need to have played the other 3 titles in the series (I know, it says Jedi Knight 2, but there are others, trust me). The force powers arent as good as before, but you get shed loads more in multiplayer. The plot is intersting, not like in Episode 2 - which was boring. Characters have depth, graphics and sound is amazing. The quality of the stormtroopers especially. Also, you will LOVE lightsabre dualling, as you attack you pull off mad combos with out any stupid button combinations, you get to cut off limbs and you sabre leaves burn mark on things like walls. As you get more powerful as a Jedi, you can do matrix style stuff like running up walls and metal flips too