What's Ahead: Jedi Knight II is still early in its design--however, between the promising concept, the experienced developer, and what we've already seen of the game in action, we think it can live up to the high expectations of fans of the original. To do this, Jedi Knight II will need to have an interesting series of single-player scenarios, a good story, and a distinctive, enjoyable multiplayer mode. It's a tall order to fill, but one that Raven Software should be capable of.

Jedi Outcast will take place in both familiar locations and new areas, as Katarn will do battle in places like Cloud City, the Jedi Knight Academy on Yavin 4, Nar Shaddaa, and Smuggler's Moon. Some of the force powers available to Katarn will include heal, jump, speed, push, and lightning, as well as various Jedi mind tricks. Additionally, like in the previous two games, Katarn will be able to pick up any weapon he comes across--weapons like the blaster pistol, the wookiee bowcaster, thermal detonators, and the stun baton.

At E3, we got to see the game in action. It already featured lightsaber battles between multiple Jedi, and these looked remarkably like the spectacular fight between Qui Gon, Obi Wan, and Darth Maul near the conclusion of Episode I. Raven, no stranger to visual splendor, is incorporating a lot of eye candy into the game as well. Lightsabers leave red-hot scorch marks on any surface they touch, including floors, walls, and pillars. Additionally, the developers have implemented the GHOUL 2 animation system from Soldier of Fortune II into Jedi Knight II, and they've doubled the polygon capacity of the Quake III engine.

Overall, the single level we saw was impressive, especially considering that Jedi Outcast: Jedi Knight II has only been in development since February of this year. LucasArts anticipates that the game should be completed by this time next year.