Starting out, JA lets you actually choose and design a character, albeit within a small set of selectable characteristics, like species, sex, facial, body, and clothing attributes. For those Kyle Katarn loyalists have no fear, as the mercenary turned Jedi Knight of previous Jedi Knight and Dark Forces titles returns, albet this time as your instructor at the Jedi academy run by Luke Skywalker. You assume the role of Jaden Korr, a young force-sensitive trying to learn the Force, its light and dark side, and the powers that come with being a true Jedi master. You also get to build a personalized lightsaber, and can upgrade your Force powers during the course of your adventures. In your own quest to join the ranks of the Jedi Knights. Starting out as a green padawan named Jaden Korr, you have to prove yourself in the Jedi way, and you will be sent out on plenty of missions to learn and harness your powers to their full potential. All of the game's force powers are available to you from the start, albet in their least powerful form and gradually as mentioned before can be increased to their full effectiveness. There is a full arsenal of guns and incendiary devices if you choose to fight that way in the old school Dark Forces style too, but the most fun is had wielding a lightsaber slicing and dicing foes. The game takes place through a series of selectable missions which tend to last relatively long, giving you plenty of playing time. There is a varied selection of Star Wars locales to keep the game from getting repetitive with too many missions in similar terrain. Expect to see plenty of the Star Wars universe including Tatooine, Coruscant, Corellia, and Hoth, and many other expanded universe planets including Darth Vader's Palace on Vjun. The storyline is typical Star Wars fare, this time involving a conspiracy by the mysterious Cult of Ragnos and the Imperial Remnant to spread terror throughout the New Republic. Along the way you'll combat plenty of thugs, stormtroopers, beasts, and of course evil force users. Everything is pretty much here, including the ultimate decision of choosing to follow the light or dark side, and two different endings as a result. Control is standard first and third person fare with enough customization and playability not to cause problems, but nothing to write home about either. Third person is still the default for lightsaber combat, unliike in Jedi Knight I where you had the option. Between the PC and Xbox, the PC does have the advantage of being able to bind keys to force powers for easier access, but some will prefer the controller for moving about and attacking, so it's really a matter of preference. Aside from the single-player action, JA is made much more satisfying by having a well structured and entertaining online mode. Designed strikingly similar to Unreal Tournament or Unreal Championship-style levels, there is a bevy of online modes to keep you plenty happy. Free for All, Team Free for All, Capture the Flag, and Duel return alongside a few new modes which add some excitement to the action. Graphically is little better than average. It's running the now outdated Quake III engine, but it is well rendered, particularly the detailed world environments you’ll travel through. Character models are relatively solid, but a few are on the small side, like the Imperial Stormtroopers, who have been seemingly weakened beyond all reasoning to the point of almost nothing. Overall, however, a good effort given the engine at Raven's disposal. It wouldn’t be a Star Wars game without John Williams’ famous orchestral compositions. Sound effects aren’t overly impressive, but the infamous snap-hiss the lightsabers make when ignited is dead-on, and voice acting throughout the game is also done reasonably well, although some may hate Jaden's voice by the end. Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy can be a bit too formulaic, but Star Wars fans will be able to ignore the standard gameplay and get engrossed exploring and adventuring throughout the Star Wars galaxy. For the non-Star Wars aficionado, it offers exciting single payer and stimulating online modes which should keep you occupied long enough to warrant a purchase.
Other Helpful Reviews for Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy
Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy is not that different from it's predecessors. However some things have been added and removed to make the game even better. You'll discover them almost immediately if you have played the preque... Read Full Review
Star Wars games are great but there has never been anything like Jedi Academy. The story plays out well and has got loads of action. I would see Jedi Academy as a great game that is worth playing. Outcast was a great gam... Read Full Review
