Hard enemies. Too many puzzles and death traps.
I wound up playing Jedi Outcast because its sequel Jedi Academy was a blast. I kind of expect more Jedi Academy in Jedi Outcast but it isn't. And I am afraid that difference isn't for the better.
Jedi Academy really has far less environmental traps than Jedi Outcast. It seems Jedi Outcast is not purely action-packed as I thought it would. Somebody tried to make it a recon and Tomb Raider style hybrid game. That's not good, for me at least.
I thought Kyle Katern would be like Jaden Korr, clearing rooms after rooms with his lightsaber without any need of planning. This naïve hope was busted. Figures…stormtroopers are made weaker in Jedi Academy because you have the many saber-wielding cultists as challengers. But in Jedi Outcast, these white-armor boys are the big shots.
The escalated challenge from stormtroopers and imperial officers alike made the game bitter. I could live with it with greater care and precision. What piss me off are the puzzles. That includes platform jumping.
I have never been enthusiastic about puzzles. Puzzles are hard. But after you find the way (usually only one) to beat it there will be no replay value next time. That's why Tomb Raider games only worth playing once unless you can forget all solutions to the puzzles already stored in your head. In short, puzzles are cheap. And Jedi Outcast has a lot of them.
Make no mistake! You can still die a lot from the puzzles as I did. For example, you may fail to land on the right spot and fall into the bottomless pit in Nar Shadda. You can get crushed by the stone doors in the Yavin 4 Jedi Academy if you are not fast enough. I hate all these. Failure is frustrating whereas success isn't as fulfilling in solving these puzzles.
The combat part is a real shame. As the enemy damage is so much higher than Jedi Academy's, it is imperative you must play hide and seek with every foe. You fire one shot and then you duck. Rinse until the enemies fall. You are not getting any killing spree fancy here. Even Kyle's Force Lightning can only kill one or two stormtroopers at full strength.
Well, aren't all modern shooters having this? What's wrong with taking cover? Are you saying you prefer a mindless run & gun shooter? Hold on, I can explain. One thing is missing from the formula and that makes Jedi Outcast unfit to be hard. As all old games are like: the absence of auto-recovery. You need to hunt down health packs here and there. Kyle Katern has Force Heal but it wasn't until he returned to the Valley of the Jedi that he regained this skill. With Force Heal, the odds are more balanced.
It is unfair to judge the graphics from today's standard. The voice acting is excellent but environmental sounds like footsteps are not very realistic. John William music is in the background though. You can't be bored unless it is off sometimes or you are stuck with a puzzle.
Before I lose my rationing mind, let's sum up. Jedi Outcast was highly acclaimed in its days. Unluckily I didn't hold the same respect for it. If those annoying puzzles were removed and the punishment was lessened, it would be more enjoyable.